British Gas - Cancel & Replace - Back Billing

ben_glastonbury

I am having problems with British Gas who supply my electricity. They became my supplier in December 2021 after Neon Reef collapsed. They changed me over to their new billing system last year and I stopped having access to my old bills. I have had 5 bills between dec 21 and Aug 22, all those bills have been cancelled and replaced, the last bill in December seems to cover the previously cancelled bills but it just says Not Ready and cannot be downloaded. I have not been able to download the previously cancelled and replaced bills. 
I raised a formal complaint with BG on 11/12/22 and have had no replay from them.
I phoned them a week later to find out what was happening then got an email from the agent I spoke to saying he would take over the issue. He di nothing but prevaricate until a week ago and has now sent me pdf copies of the cancelled bills. He had to get his manager to access them. There is a bill that I believe covers the cancelled bills which was put up on 20/12/22 on my account but it says it is not ready and cannot be downloaded. The agent has been unable to access the bill either.
It is over 8 weeks since my formal complaint so I have sent an email today asking for a refund of the £2554.98 covered by the bill which is Not Ready yet.
There are other issues with the bills, for example the opening meter reading which changed between two bills and some of the estimated readings which I dispute but I guess at some point they will send me a bill.
As this will cover bills that have been cancelled going back to Dec 2021 I wondered if it would be covered by the back billing rules which prevent billing for usage more than 12 months ago, or is this not covered because a bill was issued then cancelled. I have paid all the cancelled bills on the basis of paying on receipt of bill. 

pochase

Back billing does not mean that when they cancel your bill they are not able to bill you again, it just means that they "might" not be able to bill you more than the original bill.

ben_glastonbury

Thanks for the reply pochase, The way its written I thought they could not bill you more than 12 months in the past. I was hoping I might get some pay back for all the hassle they have given me over the last few months.

[Deleted User]

ben_glastonbury said:

Thanks for the reply pochase, The way its written I thought they could not bill you more than 12 months in the past. I was hoping I might get some pay back for all the hassle they have given me over the last few months.

BackBilling is a method of preventing bill shock!

If applied by a supplier today, then charges from the 23 Feb 2022 back until the last accurate bill would be written off.

HOWEVER….. let us say that the supplier writes off 6 month’s worth of charges amounting to £800, you may not be £800 better off. WHY ….. the supplier is allowed to defray the write off by taking into account monies already paid on account during the write off period.

Mstty

ben_glastonbury said:

Thanks for the reply pochase, The way its written I thought they could not bill you more than 12 months in the past. I was hoping I might get some pay back for all the hassle they have given me over the last few months.

Hey Ben,

This sort of thing can be really annoying and stressful but if people do not complain to BG and the ombudsman they will never learn.

For your hassle and stress have you got an open complaint with BG or escalated to the ombudsman.

Energy suppliers should not get away with these practices imo.

maisie_cat

It is annoying, I have 6 cancelled bills on my account from the NR to BG transfer.
There was originally a difference in my favour between closing NR  and opening BG meter readings.  The final replacement BG bills had the correct reading. I was not overcharged but I did give meter readings on all the important dates to BG.
It is easier to cancel and replace than make "adjustments" for both BG and customers.

nobby1963

Hi Ben,
I too am an ex Neon Reef customer transferred to BG as a seller of last resort when they went bust.
I also have the ongoing issue of cancellation of bills online and replacements, I can never understand the headline account balance and how it tallies with bills and payments and government credits etc.
I am currently with the Ombudsman with my third complaint against BG and can only say that you should go down that route too.
As has been said already, the Ombudsman will only realise the scale of the issue when more customers complain.
I recently complained over BG emailing me before last Octobers price increase, they said that there was no need for me to submit a meter reading for the price change point as I had a smart meter and they would use that to get an accurate reading. They actually estimated a reading, that was out, and it transpired that this was the known process as they and other electricity suppliers use a third party company to get readings, and there was no way that they would be able to get accurate midnight readings from all their customers for the price change point.
The ombudsman stated that although I was misled by BG , very few customers had complained, I explained that they probably believed BG and would not know the discrepancy, especially as BG bill most DD customers only every 6 months.
BG are awful as far as I am concerned, as soon as my current complaint is over I will be off.
Please don’t just let them drag it out more, take it to the Ombudsman.
cheers
Nobby

[Deleted User]

nobby1963 said:

Hi Ben,
I too am an ex Neon Reef customer transferred to BG as a seller of last resort when they went bust.
I also have the ongoing issue of cancellation of bills online and replacements, I can never understand the headline account balance and how it tallies with bills and payments and government credits etc.
I am currently with the Ombudsman with my third complaint against BG and can only say that you should go down that route too.
As has been said already, the Ombudsman will only realise the scale of the issue when more customers complain.
I recently complained over BG emailing me before last Octobers price increase, they said that there was no need for me to submit a meter reading for the price change point as I had a smart meter and they would use that to get an accurate reading. They actually estimated a reading, that was out, and it transpired that this was the known process as they and other electricity suppliers use a third party company to get readings, and there was no way that they would be able to get accurate midnight readings from all their customers for the price change point.
The ombudsman stated that although I was misled by BG , very few customers had complained, I explained that they probably believed BG and would not know the discrepancy, especially as BG bill most DD customers only every 6 months.
BG are awful as far as I am concerned, as soon as my current complaint is over I will be off.
Please don’t just let them drag it out more, take it to the Ombudsman.
cheers
Nobby

The EO was correct. Smart meters are not in constant contact with your supplier. The comms hub is a bit like a mobile phone waiting for a call. For consumers on a 30 minute profile, suppliers pull the previous day’s data (index reading and XML data file) in the early hours of the morning before the network gets bogged down with new meter commissioning. What smart meter profile are you on? 

Out-of-interest, how many units did you complain about and what was the true financial loss to you calculated as follows: unit discrepancy in kWh (new unit price less old unit price)?

ben_glastonbury

I did have an open complaint with BG. It seems the agent has closed that complaint so not sure if I have to raise a new complaint then wait for that to mature to 8 weeks. 
I have now had a couple of phone cals from BG but no resolution yet. They have now sent me copies of all the cancelled bills so that I can see how they worked them out. 
It seems as though they ignore readings filed when the price goes up and put in their own estimate which might only give them an extra 30 0r 40 pounds but I would rather that was in my pocket. I am waiting now for them to provide a copy of the bill that replaces all the cancelled bills so that I can do a final check. Fortunately I have taken a picture of the meter when ever I have sent them readings so I have a dated copy and I know what dates I filed readings on. 
They also changed the initial reading when they took over from Neon Reef but fortunately I also have a photo of that meter reading..
 

ariarnia

accusations of fraud are generally not seen well by the mse forum team and can mean your posts get deleted or you even get banned so just a warning. 

if its a NEW complaint then yes you will need to complain and wait 8 weeks. but if its the same issue and you told bg that it still wasnt sorted then you dont have to wait and can escalate from the point that you originally complained even if bg have 'closed' it on there system. 

ben_glastonbury

Thanks ariana, warning taken !!! Frustration kcking in.