British Gas Not Accepting Cash Or Cheques

Grizzlebeard

jrawle said:

Grizzlebeard said:

........

I've been talking about accessability for those who are not in the "most situations" category.

I take your point about a smartphone, but there is no reason you need a contract or a mobile signal to use a banking app.....

Thanks jrawle,  I'm aware of those possibilities.^^

But that is just another example of exclusion - for those without technical savvy. I personally don't have a problem that needs addressing, but was just using personal experience as an example to make a point. I could have used my 98yr old Mother in Law, or a number of other elderly relatives who are scared to death by DDs mobile phones and modern technology in general. (You have to return it to the cradle or it won't charge: No the room thermostat won't do it's job if you leave it in the bathroom: TV's not broken .You accidentally pressed this button with a squiggle on it on the remote but you don't have a satellite dish : Press this button 3 times for 3 minutes, that one is for seconds: Don't give that nice man at the door any money. Yes I know he's very friendly!)

Accessibility is about everyone, not the majority. We all pay for wheelchair lifts/doors/ramps, beeping alarms on pedestrian crossings, assistance at railway(for the moment), drop curbs on pavements, subtitles and audio description etc.. etc.. Where these things are being eroded (because of cost/lost profit) we quite rightly scream in protest.

"Smart" banking, "smart" ticketing and "smart" car parking are just 3 examples of "cost cutting" that further excludes and alienates sizeable chunks of the community.

Personally I've had a very very very lucky life, but I'm reaching an age where senility will soon render me in need of the kind of support that I and members of my family have happily given to those we love. But not all frail, infirm or capability-challenged people have that support. The current efficiency-orientated direction of societal trends is multiplying the problem of exclusion and eroding our sense of responsibility.

^^(I have a (not very smart) mobile and £30pa payg contract for emergencies in the car, but it's no good at home. Wouldn't have the first clue how to tether it, blue tooth it or WiFi it or whatevs to my laptop, nor would 50-60% (made up illustrative figure, no correction please) of the population.)

ArbitraryRandom

MattMattMattUK said:

They do not have to accept cheque or cash, indeed no modern business without commercial premises would want to. 

I'm obviously mistaken, but I thought energy suppliers with more than 50k customers (as basic utilities) were actually required to allow cash payments by ofgem. 

SLC 27 Payments, security deposits, disconnections and final bills

This SLC covers a number of areas. Of particular relevance to this theme:

• Suppliers with more than 50,000 customers must offer a wide choice of payment methods, including payment by cash and prepayment meter. Any differences in price between payment methods must be cost-reflective.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2019/02/licence_guide_metering_billing_and_payments_1.pdf

CSI_Yorkshire

ArbitraryRandom said:

I'm obviously mistaken, but I thought energy suppliers with more than 50k customers (as basic utilities) were actually required to allow cash payments by ofgem. 

SLC 27 Payments, security deposits, disconnections and final bills

This SLC covers a number of areas. Of particular relevance to this theme:

• Suppliers with more than 50,000 customers must offer a wide choice of payment methods, including payment by cash and prepayment meter. Any differences in price between payment methods must be cost-reflective.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2019/02/licence_guide_metering_billing_and_payments_1.pdf

Here is the actual wording:



I don't quite know how to interpret "to a person and at a place that is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case".

ArbitraryRandom

However it's interpreted, I'd suggest it means there should be SOME method available to pay by cash? At the most extreme (if this is a temporary banking services problem) that the bill is issued but payment is not due/deemed late/reported as a debt until the facility to pay by cash has been reinstated. 

Assuming my interpretation doesn't have some gaping hole I'm missing, my advice for the OP would be to ask the supplier how they can pay by cash and if the supplier says they can't, mention the licence condition; If the supplier still says no, lodge a complaint and (if not resolved within the required timeframe) escalate it to the ombudsman in due course.