Gas meter mix-up on national database

Hi.

I’ve been dealing with final bills since mid-July and found British Gas has been billing me for a wrong gas meter.

On national database, my address is registered with the wrong meter supplied by British Gas, and the correct meter is supplied by Octopus and matched with an invalid address (with inactive post code). All gas readings submitted to British Gas during the tenancy were from the correct meter, and I’ve paid British Gas £1200+ for the wrong meter. Now Octopus charges me £783 for this usage again for the correct meter. 

I’ve been contacting both companies for many times. They agree to update national database info (Octopus) and bills (British Gas) but make no progress till now, just keeping me waiting. Octopus has sent off another address update for the correct meter on national database. I don’t know the correct address for wrong meter and hence can’t ask British Gas to update. Then after the correction my address will have 2 gas meters linkedMy main concerns are:
1. What shall I do with the wrong meter matched to my address in British Gas system?
2. Since the readings and usage are correct, can I request British Gas to provide a statement proving that I’ve paid for the gas usage? Or just requesting refund is better? 

Really appreciated for your patience to read and any advice!

Comments

  • It will work much better telling BG that it wasn't your meter and you need a full refund.  I wouldn't even try the alternative you suggest.
  • It will work much better telling BG that it wasn't your meter and you need a full refund.  I wouldn't even try the alternative you suggest.
    Thanks! The alternative is based on that British Gas said all meter details will automatically get updated once they are updated on national database. But I just realized they actually won’t do anything with the correct meter supplied by Octopus. I’ll ask for refund.
  • I'm having similar problems with getting my address changed at the national database (Xoserve).  My building was originally registered as a different address for student accommodation and I believe it was split after this to accommodate families at the front side of the property, The student accommodation has a different entrance on the street behind and a completely different postcode. 
    When I moved into the property it was new build, about 18 years ago, and the supply was with BG. I have had problems with meter readings and the smart meter had not been commissioned after months I tried to switch providers at which point I wated BG to refund my credit.  At first they told me I would probably owe them much more as I was getting estimated bills even though I was paying a lot more than my usual annual usage ( by about 3 times the amount for 2 years) due to overinflated estimated readings by BG.
    I want to switch providers and as long as the meter is registered under the student accommodation address the switchover won't go through. I have tried to get BG to change the details with Xoserve for over 3 months now and they keep assuring me they have signed off although they originally got the details wrong. They sent me screenshots of signoff which shows little detail that makes no sense to me and I even received emails back to say it has successfully signed off. Last week I received an email to tell me that supply at an unknown to me address had been switched over in Sussex (not my address in Central London). after 2 more calls I have again been told by BG that they will get the switchover done in 7- 14 day.  In the meantime I have reduced my DD but BG now owe me £840 which I feel I am being held ransom over and I don't want to lose out on the Tariff plan offered by Scottish Power but I'm stuck until BG get the address switched,

  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 10,849 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If you haven't already done so, write to BG (headed COMPLAINT) and go to the ombudsman upon receipt of a deadlock letter, or after eight weeks if they don't send one.
  • Shazly said:
    I'm having similar problems with getting my address changed at the national database (Xoserve).  My building was originally registered as a different address for student accommodation and I believe it was split after this to accommodate families at the front side of the property, The student accommodation has a different entrance on the street behind and a completely different postcode. 
    When I moved into the property it was new build, about 18 years ago, and the supply was with BG. I have had problems with meter readings and the smart meter had not been commissioned after months I tried to switch providers at which point I wated BG to refund my credit.  At first they told me I would probably owe them much more as I was getting estimated bills even though I was paying a lot more than my usual annual usage ( by about 3 times the amount for 2 years) due to overinflated estimated readings by BG.
    I want to switch providers and as long as the meter is registered under the student accommodation address the switchover won't go through. I have tried to get BG to change the details with Xoserve for over 3 months now and they keep assuring me they have signed off although they originally got the details wrong. They sent me screenshots of signoff which shows little detail that makes no sense to me and I even received emails back to say it has successfully signed off. Last week I received an email to tell me that supply at an unknown to me address had been switched over in Sussex (not my address in Central London). after 2 more calls I have again been told by BG that they will get the switchover done in 7- 14 day.  In the meantime I have reduced my DD but BG now owe me £840 which I feel I am being held ransom over and I don't want to lose out on the Tariff plan offered by Scottish Power but I'm stuck until BG get the address switched,

    Sorry for late reply. How’s things going now?

    As I’ve moved out and left UK, Octopus Energy was contacting my landlord to arrange an engineer burn test appointment, so that they could confirm which meter is the correct one for my (previous) address, share the results with BG and then update on national database. But on Nov 6th the OE staff told me “the appointment has been confirmed as no longer needed by either the landlord or current tenant”. 
    I’m not able to request any investigation from OE or BG since my landlord and new tenants are currently in charge of the property and they refuse the check. So I just assume the information on national database are all correct, which means BG is my supplier and OE is not. OE is now updating the account to remove my name and they told me to just ignore the chaser for final bill payment.

    If your address is still not switched, I think you could follow Gerry1’s instructions above to send a formal complaint to BG, asking them to set up their engineer to do burn test and confirm the meter registered with student accommodation should be yours. My landlord has done the test before but the supply companies seem to only believe the results from their own people. Also since you’ve been constantly contacting BG for this issue for much more than 8 weeks but nothing happens, maybe you can go directly to ombudsman after complaint?
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