British Gas owe me £796

benoit03

A bit of a complex one but I'll try and explain it as best as I can.

British Gas automatically took over our supply from People's Energy (which no longer exist) on 11/10/2021.

When looking at our final bill it was clear we have been dramatically overcharged for the first couple of months from 11/10/21 - 23/12/21 (£969.87). This was something I queried at the time but was assured it would even up as the year went on.

What I didn't realise was that People's Energy gave British Gas an incorrect final reading of 33196 and not 35675. Therefore, People's Energy should probably have given us a larger final bill. I'd be happy to pay this if they existed as it would be much less than British Gas charged.

However, British Gas are charging us for a significant ammount of gas not used with them on a much higher rate.

I believe that British Gas should only be able to bill us for the gas used with them. I have photo proof of our gas reading on the day we started with them. I believe they owe us nearly £800.

Initially they corrected it online and I have screenshots of the amount they owed us. However, they have now altered this back to zero.


Do you think the energy ombudsman would agree with me or British Gas.

Any help greatly appreciated,

Ben

CSI_Yorkshire

I think the Ombudsman would agree with British Gas.

benoit03

CSI_Yorkshire said:

I think the Ombudsman would agree with British Gas.

Thanks for your comment. Would this be based on your experience of using the ombudsman or you feel I'm in the wrong?

[Deleted User]

When a supply changes hands, the gaining and losing suppliers agree what is known as a Change of Supply reading. Under SoLR rules, the two suppliers then agree an estimated reading for the date of SoLR appointment. 

You admit that you have underpaid People’s Energy. The actual difference in cost to you is the number of units x (new unit price - old unit price). Are you sure that this comes to £796 which suggests a very big unit price difference and a lot of units.

Have you a case against British Gas? The answer is you do not.  You should have raised what is known as an Agreed Readings Dispute at the time.

 That said, on checking Companies House, it would seem that People’s Energy is still in administration. It follows that you could contact the Administrator and ask them to open up a dispute with the SoLR. However, if successful, People’s Energy would expect you to pay what is owed to them. I think though that your chances of getting a successful outcome are slim.

t0rt0ise

I feel that you are wrong. British Gas took over everything when they became the SoLR. So the are responsible for credit and debits on accounts. If  you make a formal complaint you might get 30 quid or so by way of apology.

CSI_Yorkshire

The meter reading on SoLR was agreed and validated within the systems, and you didn't challenge it.

It's gas that you have used, so you should get charged for.

Your "belief" about what BG should do doesn't overwrite the procedures and regulations of the system.

You might be able to argue that it could be charged at the price you were paying People's Energy, but you would still be paying it to BG and I don't know whether the Ombudsman would even go so far as to decide that.

A screenshot of an app is not good evidence of a reconciled financial position.  If you wanted to go to the Ombudsman, you would need clear factual evidence that BG had not followed the appropriate procedures - and that you'd already gone through the BG complaints system.

benoit03

Dolor said:

When a supply changes hands, the gaining and losing suppliers agree what is known as a Change of Supply reading. Under SoLR rules, the two suppliers then agree an estimated reading for the date of SoLR appointment. 

You admit that you have underpaid People’s Energy. The actual difference in cost to you is the number of units x (new unit price - old unit price). Are you sure that this comes to £796 which suggests a very big unit price difference and a lot of units.

Have you a case against British Gas? The answer is you do not.  You should have raised what is known as an Agreed Readings Dispute at the time.

 That said, on checking Companies House, it would seem that People’s Energy is still in administration. It follows that you could contact the Administrator and ask them to open up a dispute with the SoLR. However, if successful, People’s Energy would expect you to pay what is owed to them. I think though that your chances of getting a successful outcome are slim.

Thanks for this. That's really useful infofmation and highlights my naivety to the situation. It's highly frustrating as I'm sure I would have paid a lot less to People's Energy than to British Gas. I feel that British Gas should only be able to charge us for the gas we've used with them. Obviously not the way it works though.

benoit03

CSI_Yorkshire said:

The meter reading on SoLR was agreed and validated within the systems, and you didn't challenge it.

It's gas that you have used, so you should get charged for.

Your "belief" about what BG should do doesn't overwrite the procedures and regulations of the system.

You might be able to argue that it could be charged at the price you were paying People's Energy, but you would still be paying it to BG and I don't know whether the Ombudsman would even go so far as to decide that.

A screenshot of an app is not good evidence of a reconciled financial position.  If you wanted to go to the Ombudsman, you would need clear factual evidence that BG had not followed the appropriate procedures - and that you'd already gone through the BG complaints system.

Appreciate the response. Looks like I'll have to take it on the chin.

benoit03

CSI_Yorkshire said:

The meter reading on SoLR was agreed and validated within the systems, and you didn't challenge it.

It's gas that you have used, so you should get charged for.

Your "belief" about what BG should do doesn't overwrite the procedures and regulations of the system.

You might be able to argue that it could be charged at the price you were paying People's Energy, but you would still be paying it to BG and I don't know whether the Ombudsman would even go so far as to decide that.

A screenshot of an app is not good evidence of a reconciled financial position.  If you wanted to go to the Ombudsman, you would need clear factual evidence that BG had not followed the appropriate procedures - and that you'd already gone through the BG complaints system.

Appreciate the response. Looks like I'll have to take it on the chin.

benoit03

t0rt0ise said:

I feel that you are wrong. British Gas took over everything when they became the SoLR. So the are responsible for credit and debits on accounts. If  you make a formal complaint you might get 30 quid or so by way of apology.

Appreciate the response. Looks like I'll have to take it on the chin.

[Deleted User]

benoit03 said:

Dolor said:

When a supply changes hands, the gaining and losing suppliers agree what is known as a Change of Supply reading. Under SoLR rules, the two suppliers then agree an estimated reading for the date of SoLR appointment. 

You admit that you have underpaid People’s Energy. The actual difference in cost to you is the number of units x (new unit price - old unit price). Are you sure that this comes to £796 which suggests a very big unit price difference and a lot of units.

Have you a case against British Gas? The answer is you do not.  You should have raised what is known as an Agreed Readings Dispute at the time.

 That said, on checking Companies House, it would seem that People’s Energy is still in administration. It follows that you could contact the Administrator and ask them to open up a dispute with the SoLR. However, if successful, People’s Energy would expect you to pay what is owed to them. I think though that your chances of getting a successful outcome are slim.

Thanks for this. That's really useful infofmation and highlights my naivety to the situation. It's highly frustrating as I'm sure I would have paid a lot less to People's Energy than to British Gas. I feel that British Gas should only be able to charge us for the gas we've used with them. Obviously not the way it works though.

SoLR transfers were on existing tariff terms for 6 months. I doubt that you are out of pocket. Have you actually calculated the actual cost difference or have you just looked at the difference in the opening reading compared to the meter reading x the BG unit price? If anybody is losing out it is the unsecured creditors of People’s Energy. 

I had a strange switch reading 6 years ago which added £73 to my final bill with the old supplier. I sat down and calculated the actual unit price difference and it came to £2.34.