British Gas - early exit fees

Pammie2211

I’m currently on an EV tariff with BG which expires on 27 November. My account is £2900 in credit as they haven’t billed me since June 2024! I have contacted them multiple times to request a bill but still this hasn’t been generated. They even put my monthly payment us from £225 to £440 because the credit balance hasn’t been applied to my account. Thankfully after yet another call to them this had now been reduced again but still no actual bill! 

I want to leave - their customer service is appalling and I am fed up of constantly chasing them and nothing happening. My question is, if I leave before the end of my fixed deal, will I have to pay the exit fees? I feel that they must surely be in breach of contract for not issuing me a bill for 15 months but am I right? The fee is only £50 but after all the stress and multiple calls I’ve had to make I don’t see why I should pay it. 

itsthelittlethings

Have you given them a meter reading?

They bill me four times a year, using estimates if necessary and regularly request meter readings. Do you know why they’re not doing the same for you?

spot1034

Why not just wait one more month and you'll be within the last 49 days and free to leave without penalty? 

Bigphil1474

We get a monthly bill from BG via the app. so there's definitely something odd going on. As above, you might as well just wait a bit and leave penalty free.

Eldi_Dos

itsthelittlethings said:

Have you given them a meter reading?

They bill me four times a year, using estimates if necessary and regularly request meter readings. Do you know why they’re not doing the same for you?

I believe to get EV tariff you need a smart meter, so something odd if no bill has been issued for that length of time.

OP should be due some compensation I would imagine.

LiamFalcon

Why not just wait one more month and you'll be within the last 49 days and free to leave without penalty? 

Podseas

Also worth noting the energy supplier cant backbill you for energy used over 12 months ago.

Eldi_Dos

LiamFalcon said:

Why not just wait one more month and you'll be within the last 49 days and free to leave without penalty? 

OP could well be due compensation for missed bills (x4 ?) and may even receive goodwill payment, better to explore those options first.

vic_sf49

I'd give them a reading, in case your smart meter has gone dumb. 

Also email them a complaint, about not billing you, submit any and all readings you have, within this too. 

But as others have said, it'd be worth waiting until you're within 49 days of the tariff ending, then switch without exit fees. 

Pammie2211

Thanks all. I do have a smart meter which works for electricity but not gas so I can see in the app how much electricity I’m using. Despite this I’ve not had a bill generated for either gas or electricity since June 2024. 

I have submitted several gas meter readings in the app both requested by them and of my own volition to no avail. The last time I called them they did credit my account with £30 as a ‘good will gesture’ along with a promise to sort it out. 2 weeks later and still not resolved. 

To the person suggesting I wait until the end of my current tariff, I suppose I could but I was hoping to move before October price increases plus I just want out now! 

Pammie2211

itsthelittlethings said:

Have you given them a meter reading?

They bill me four times a year, using estimates if necessary and regularly request meter readings. Do you know why they’re not doing the same for you?

I used to get quarterly bills too then they just stopped. Took me a while to notice if I’m honest. Apparently they have a new system which for some customers (me) isn’t generating statements. I asked to switch to monthly billing back in July but still nothing!