British Gas - automatic compensation

beefturnmail

Hi, please can someone provide a link to what exactly the automatic compensation payments are.  Is it: £30 for a final bill after 6 weeks, £30 for a credit balance not paid after 10 working days, plus £30 if each of these compensation payments are not paid within 10 days of when they should have been?

In an almighty !!!!!!-up, British Gas have issued me with 3 final bills, the first of which was in time (but incorrect). The other two were out of time and contained a credit balance. (the first was correct but only covered a period up to 2 weeks before I switched away, the second was correct).   The final credit balance was refunded within 10 days of the 'final' final bill (ie the correct one) but not within 10 days of the previous final bills....  I have received no automatic compensation

I am going to argue that I should be due £120 in automatic compensation.

[Deleted User]

In an almighty !!!!!!-up, British Gas have issued me with 3 final bills, the first of which was in time (but incorrect).

You are not due a Guaranteed Service Payment. This is what the Supply Licence states:

The onus would be on you to prove that the supplier has not taken all reasonable steps to provide you with an accurate Final Bill. That is quite a high hurdle.

beefturnmail

OK thanks, but BG had all the information available to send an accurate final bill - no subsequent information was provided - they just messed it up

beefturnmail

Really.  I left them 16 weeks ago, I should be in a position of zero (final bill and any credit refunded) at most 6 weeks + 10 days after. 

The meter readings didn't change on any of the three final bills, what other information do they need?  Though I don't think have to prove it to a court, only the ombudsman.

I very much doubt suppliers can get out of the 6 week final bill auto compensation, simply by issuing any old rubbish and calling it a final bill.  The word 'final' implies exactly that - the last bill received 

[Deleted User]

beefturnmail said:

OK thanks, but BG had all the information available to send an accurate final bill - no subsequent information was provided - they just messed it up

Your opening premise was that you are entitled to 4 Guaranteed Service Standards of £30. The view of posters on this forum is that BG has met its Licence obligations. FWiW, I have long held the view that this particular Licence Condition was drafted by a 5 year old.

You do though have the right to raise a complaint against BG and you may get the offer of a small goodwill payment for poor customer service. You also retain the right to escalate your complaint to The Energy Ombudsman. However, it is worth bearing in mind that The Energy Ombudsman has no enforcement powers. It is nothing more than a private arbitration service. The most likely outcome would be that BG will be required to provide you with an accurate Final Bill along with a small goodwill payment.

beefturnmail

Can anyone helpful and not stuck up their own behind, provide an actual link to the rules/guidance on automatic compensation for Guaranteed Service Standards?  Be very grateful if so, thanks!

[Deleted User]

They issue a decision, which the company can accept or reject.

I am sorry to have to say this but you are incorrect. The Energy Ombudsman’s Final Decision is binding on the supplier:

‘The Ombudsman can make a company correct a problem, apologise and explain what happened. They can also make a company pay compensation. Its decisions are binding on the energy company.’ Source: Ofgem website

The complainant has the right to accept or reject the Final Decision. If the Decision is declined then the complaint is effectively quashed. The major weakness in The Energy Ombudsman process is that The Energy Ombudsman has no statutory enforcement powers. If a supplier fails to comply with a Decision then all The Energy Ombudsman can do is report the supplier to Ofgem. The complainant can though use the Decision in support of a claim made through the Courts.

Swipe

Has anyone here ever actually received late final bill compensation automatically without having to chase it up? In every case of a late final bill I've had to badger the supplier to get my £30.

Mobtr

Suppliers have 6 weeks to issue a final bill after changing supplier. It doesn’t specify that this bill has to be correct, just that a bill should be issued 

[Deleted User]

Mobtr said:

Suppliers have 6 weeks to issue a final bill after changing supplier. It doesn’t specify that this bill has to be correct, just that a bill should be issued 

That is why I said that the Licence Condition had been written by a 5 year old!  Sadly, Ofgem rarely looks at the unintended consequences of the Conditions it puts into Supply Licences. Another piece of poor regulation is The Back Billing Code which just encourages consumers not to do anything when they know there is an issue with a Bill.