British Gas Moving-in Farce

David487

Good morning! I just wonder if anyone else has had the same level of ineptitude when moving to a new, but not new-build, house? I'm moving out of a shared house so I can't transfer whatever package we're on, and my new property has pre-payment meters (gas and electricity, both British Gas), which I would like replacing with credit meters.

I got the keys on 11 March but British Gas were closed, so I spoke with them on 13 March to tell them that I was the new owner and provide my details, and request credit meter installation, but was told to call back in 48 hours so the account can be opened. I rang back on 15 March to request the credit meter installation but when they'd put my details in on 11 March they'd missed the first line of my address on the electricity account, so only the gas meter exchange could be booked. I booked it for 21 March and they said to ring back in a further 48 hours to allow the address on the electricity account to be updated.

I spoke with them this morning (17th) regarding the electricity meter and, whilst they agreed to change it to a credit meter, the earliest time that both them and I were available is 31 March - bearing in mind that someone's coming to do the gas meter 10 days prior to this....

I'm going to have to take another day off work for what should have just been a simple appointment amendment, and I'm also going to have to use the more expensive pre-payment electricity until 31 March....

I could honestly bang my head against the wall!!!!

MattMattMattUK

David487 said:

Good morning! I just wonder if anyone else has had the same level of ineptitude when moving to a new, but not new-build, house? I'm moving out of a shared house so I can't transfer whatever package we're on, and my new property has pre-payment meters (gas and electricity, both British Gas), which I would like replacing with credit meters.

I got the keys on 11 March but British Gas were closed, so I spoke with them on 13 March to tell them that I was the new owner and provide my details, and request credit meter installation, but was told to call back in 48 hours so the account can be opened. I rang back on 15 March to request the credit meter installation but when they'd put my details in on 11 March they'd missed the first line of my address on the electricity account, so only the gas meter exchange could be booked. I booked it for 21 March and they said to ring back in a further 48 hours to allow the address on the electricity account to be updated.

I spoke with them this morning (17th) regarding the electricity meter and, whilst they agreed to change it to a credit meter, the earliest time that both them and I were available is 31 March - bearing in mind that someone's coming to do the gas meter 10 days prior to this....

A gas meter is installed by a gas engineer, an electricity meter by an electrical engineer, different jobs, different qualifications, it is rare that both would be done in the same day for anyone.

David487 said:

I'm going to have to take another day off work for what should have just been a simple appointment amendment, and I'm also going to have to use the more expensive pre-payment electricity until 31 March....

Prepayment meters are not always more expensive regardless of what you are told in the media, in most regions of the UK if you use more than 3kWh a day pre-payment meters are actually cheaper as whilst the standing charge is higher the unit rate is lower. In regions where it is not cheaper the difference is marginal, less than 2% based on average usage. You also do not have a right to have the meters changed over within a specific time, I would say that less than a month is pretty quick.

David487 said:

I could honestly bang my head against the wall!!!!

That would be unwise and unproductive. 

[Deleted User]

MattMattMattUK said:

David487 said:

Good morning! I just wonder if anyone else has had the same level of ineptitude when moving to a new, but not new-build, house? I'm moving out of a shared house so I can't transfer whatever package we're on, and my new property has pre-payment meters (gas and electricity, both British Gas), which I would like replacing with credit meters.

I got the keys on 11 March but British Gas were closed, so I spoke with them on 13 March to tell them that I was the new owner and provide my details, and request credit meter installation, but was told to call back in 48 hours so the account can be opened. I rang back on 15 March to request the credit meter installation but when they'd put my details in on 11 March they'd missed the first line of my address on the electricity account, so only the gas meter exchange could be booked. I booked it for 21 March and they said to ring back in a further 48 hours to allow the address on the electricity account to be updated.

I spoke with them this morning (17th) regarding the electricity meter and, whilst they agreed to change it to a credit meter, the earliest time that both them and I were available is 31 March - bearing in mind that someone's coming to do the gas meter 10 days prior to this....

A gas meter is installed by a gas engineer, an electricity meter by an electrical engineer, different jobs, different qualifications, it is rare that both would be done in the same day for anyone.

David487 said:

I'm going to have to take another day off work for what should have just been a simple appointment amendment, and I'm also going to have to use the more expensive pre-payment electricity until 31 March....

Prepayment meters are not always more expensive regardless of what you are told in the media, in most regions of the UK if you use more than 3kWh a day pre-payment meters are actually cheaper as whilst the standing charge is higher the unit rate is lower. In regions where it is not cheaper the difference is marginal, less than 2% based on average usage. You also do not have a right to have the meters changed over within a specific time, I would say that less than a month is pretty quick.

David487 said:

I could honestly bang my head against the wall!!!!

That would be unwise and unproductive. 

Smart meter installations comprising new electricity and gas meters; a new isolation switch and a new gas regulator are installed by a single engineer trained to replace meters in less than 2 hours. They are also trained to carryout gas safety checks.

macman

Why don't you request a smart meter install, rather than a credit meter install, which would be chargeable? Either way, you will end up with a smart meter anyway. Request a smart PPM, and then once installed request a change to credit mode, which can be done remotely.

David487

macman said:

Why don't you request a smart meter install, rather than a credit meter install, which would be chargeable? Either way, you will end up with a smart meter anyway. Request a smart PPM, and then once installed request a change to credit mode, which can be done remotely.

Apologies Macman, I have requested smart meters.... I didn't think of that, but it's booked now so will just have to wait.