British Gas - Cancel & Replace - Back Billing

[Deleted User]

ben_glastonbury said:

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..
Really I feel they should be prosecuted for fraud but I know from dealing with other ombudsman that they have no teeth, I will probably escalate it to them anyway, just to make sure the problems are noted..

If you genuinely feel that, then you should be making a report to the Police as fraud is a criminal offence. 

There are unsubstantiated claims in your post. If an estimated reading has been used for a tariff change date (which in itself is not unusual), then the cost difference to you is the extra kWh times (new unit price - old unit price) - it us not the total cost of the new units.

All switch readings are industry validated by a data collector. SoLR switches require two readings. The first will be for the Change of Supply (CoS) date which is about 10 days after the old supplier lost its supply licence. You will have provide a reading for this switch.

Under SoLR rules, the SoLR is allowed to charge from the day that it was appointed (the day that old supplier lost its Licence). It follows that the SoLR’s data collector has determine a reading for that date: this will be an estimate. The old supplier’s Administrator and the SoLR have to use this reading to close and open your accounts.

ben_glastonbury

Thank you for the explanation Dolor, I am still waiting for any explanation at all from British Gas, hopefully this will come next week. 

Mstty

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

Completely agree Nobby, complaining will make a difference to the energy suppliers ethos and behaviours eventually...

ben_glastonbury

Dolor said:
All switch readings are industry validated by a data collector. SoLR switches require two readings. The first will be for the Change of Supply (CoS) date which is about 10 days after the old supplier lost its supply licence. You will have provide a reading for this switch.

Under SoLR rules, the SoLR is allowed to charge from the day that it was appointed (the day that old supplier lost its Licence). It follows that the SoLR’s data collector has determine a reading for that date: this will be an estimate. The old supplier’s Administrator and the SoLR have to use this reading to close and open your accounts.

Thank you for the explanation Dolor. 

I think I understand from the above why there may have been changes to the bill. Would you expect the date on both bills with different readings to be the same or should the date also change to reflect the different date that the bill has been back dated to. The opening readings on the original and replacement bills are the same but the replacement bill has lower readings meaning a higher charge. The original bill matches the readings I made on the day the new supplier took over, and the date on the bill.

[Deleted User]

ben_glastonbury said:

Dolor said:
All switch readings are industry validated by a data collector. SoLR switches require two readings. The first will be for the Change of Supply (CoS) date which is about 10 days after the old supplier lost its supply licence. You will have provide a reading for this switch.

Under SoLR rules, the SoLR is allowed to charge from the day that it was appointed (the day that old supplier lost its Licence). It follows that the SoLR’s data collector has determine a reading for that date: this will be an estimate. The old supplier’s Administrator and the SoLR have to use this reading to close and open your accounts.

Thank you for the explanation Dolor. 

I think I understand from the above why there may have been changes to the bill. Would you expect the date on both bills with different readings to be the same or should the date also change to reflect the different date that the bill has been back dated to. The opening readings on the original and replacement bills are the same but the replacement bill has lower readings meaning a higher charge. The original bill matches the readings I made on the day the new supplier took over, and the date on the bill.

Looking at my first SoLR bill, it had a CoS date of the 15th December with a reading, and a SoLR appointment date 10 days earlier with an opening reading which was lower. The opening reading matched the final reading on the failed supplier’s bill. 

ben_glastonbury

Thanks Dolor for the quick reply, so you wouldn't expect the reading to change on the replaced bill if the date is the same?


Fortunately I took a photo of the meter on the day they took over so should be able to proof the reading on the date. 

ben_glastonbury

Another week wasted waiting for British gas to resolve the complaint so have now filed with the Ombudsman. Hopefully this will push them to answer but guess it will take even more time. 

Eldi_Dos

Had a look on Energy Ombudsman webpage and they say in 12 years they have resolved over 90000 complaints, at 625 per month I would imagine there is a backlog building up at the moment.

ben_glastonbury

Thanks Eldi_Dos.  I was hoping that if nothing else it would kick BG into actually trying to resolve the issue

Eldi_Dos

Hi Ben , I am in same boat as you with complaint just escalated to Ombudsman and was dismayed when I read their webpage.