Alternative Fuel Payment

grommit541

I have just received our AFP into our British Gas Account (£200.00) however the amount our bank account has been credited with is only £ 157.00 ... why ?  As the title suggests, this is payment towards our oil bill and has nothing to do with our electricity consumption (our account is in credit) so where is the missing money and do British Gas have the right to have only paid us part of this £ 200 ???

Spoonie_Turtle

Unfortunately yes they are allowed to keep some of the credit on your account.

How much credit was in your account before, and how much now?  That should account for the £43 difference.

propertyrental

At the end of the day you are £200 better off, whether in your bank, or credit with BG, or reduction in any debt you have to BG, or some combination.

dunstonh

so where is the missing money and do British Gas have the right to have only paid us part of this £ 200 ???

The money is not missing and you know exactly where it is.   
And yes they do.   If the current information they have shows you maybe in shortfall position, then they can retain some or all of it.      

If you disagree with their estimates then you can make a case to them using your real readings obtained over a year using ballpark April rates and if your case for a refund is good, then they will usually do it.  If you just get on the phone to them asking for the money to be paid to you without any data to support your argument, they are unlikely to do it.

roseview

British Gas haven't sent us any of ours which suits me fine. However, they've clearly made a huge mistake on our bill since swapping us over to their 'new' system. They seem to have mislaid our previous credit balance as they've put it as both a credit and a debit adjustment.

grommit541

Thank you to everyone who commented.  Just to let you all know, our account was/is very much in credited and BG could not understand why we had only received part payment of our Alternative Fuel Payment.  I would urge anyone who pays by DD to carefully check their account.  If it can happen to us, it can happen to you.  Obviously I cannot comment on anyone who is unfortunate to be in arrears, but this is what it is called "An Alternative Fuel Payment" given by the government to help pay with energy bills other than gas and electricity