Gas switch didn't complete but new supplier didn't tell me

Honeycat30

Hi, I'm new here and hoping for some advice.  Sorry it's a long one...

I moved into my house in March 2022 (first time renter) and asked Octopus to be my gas and electric supplier.  They sent a welcome letter which confirmed both fuels, the tariffs that I signed up to for each fuel and what my combined direct debit would be based on estimated usage for each fuel.  They took this DD for a good few months before adjusting it based on usage.  Every quarter I am prompted to enter my meter readings and have done so for both gas and electric to date (I don't have smart meters).

Earlier this year I started to receive letters from a legal agency addressed to the previous tenant.  At first I posted them back 'not at this address' but after months of receiving them, I called the number on the envelope and was told they were a debt collection agency on behalf of British Gas.  They transferred me to BG who told me that they were still the current gas supplier.  I had never received any bill or correspondence from BG, and Octopus had never told me that they were unable to take over the gas supply and had accepted over 3 years of gas meter reads from me.  I accept that I should have noticed from my Octopus bills that they only mentioned electric, but I never really logged online to check them (had a newborn when I moved in and another baby the following year so my priorities were elsewhere!). This being my first home, it was the first time I'd been billed for any utilities so I just trusted that everything was correct.

I contacted Octopus and they denied having ever been asked to set up the gas account or ever having been given my gas meter serial number.  They said that the welcome letter was 'generic' even though it was addressed to me, detailed my gas and electric tariffs, my estimated usage and direct debit amount.  They did not answer when I told them that my online account shows the gas serial number and quarterly gas reads going back to March 2022.  When I had spoken to British Gas on the phone, I gave them all of my details but didn't hear from them again - that was 6 months ago.

I raised an official complaint with both Octopus and British Gas in September.  Octopus have responded but not answered any of the points raised in my complaint (I asked for a full investigation into how this happened, why they didn't tell me straight away that they had been unable to take over the gas supply, why they lied to me about never having been asked to be my gas supplier and also why they continued to take the combined direct debit amount if the gas supply wasn't with them).  Instead they have just responded with 'we know this must be frustrating for you' and offering a little more compensation each time they email me - but never an apology or admission of any responsibility from them - they say I am completely to blame for not noticing that my bills only stated electric.  Their offer is now at £250 and they have given me until Monday to accept or they will issue a deadlock letter.  They have also told me that I would only be awarded between £50-£150 if I go to the ombudsman.

My complaint to British Gas has gone unanswered.  I had emailed them and put a hard copy in the post.  Last week I contatcted the citizens advice extra help team, who managed to get British Gas to contact me by phone.  They have now set up a gas account and have told me that they are not allowed to bill me anything over the past 12 months, which is a huge relief but nevertheless I will now have a £1,600 bill to settle with them.  I'm not disputing that I owe it, but it's devastating that I thought all along I had been paying for my gas supply.  I have asked them to look into why they didn't answer my complaint and don't know if I should push them on this.

So my question is really whether I should accept the Octopus offer of £250, or send everything to the Ombudsman anyway and risk losing it, but at least know that they will have to pay the investigation fee.  The fact they even keep offering me more each time they email me is significant considering they don't think they did anything wrong.

Thanks for any help!

Robin9

Take the £250 -  you won't get any more - pay what you owe and move on.

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

Honeycat30 said:

I moved into my house in March 2022 (first time renter) ...

As soon as you become responsible for a propery (for a renter, on the first day of your tenancy agreement) you become a customer of the incumbent energy supplier(s). You should inform them that you are now the billpayer and they will create an account for you.

It seems your gas supplier was BG, and you have remained a BG customer ever since.

Honeycat30 said:

They took this DD for a good few months before adjusting it based on usage.  Every quarter I am prompted to enter my meter readings and have done so for both gas and electric to date (I don't have smart meters).

You've been giving Octopus gas meter readings ever since 2022? Have you been submitting your readings via their website or app, or have you been sending them by email?

Honeycat30 said:

I accept that I should have noticed from my Octopus bills that they only mentioned electric, but I never really logged online to check them (had a newborn when I moved in and another baby the following year so my priorities were elsewhere!). This being my first home, it was the first time I'd been billed for any utilities so I just trusted that everything was correct.

I take it from this that you've never been billed by Octopus for gas? Always check your bills in future.

Honeycat30 said:

I raised an official complaint with both Octopus and British Gas in September.  Octopus have responded but not answered any of the points raised in my complaint ...  Their offer is now at £250 and they have given me until Monday to accept or they will issue a deadlock letter.  They have also told me that I would only be awarded between £50-£150 if I go to the ombudsman.

I'd take the £250.

You've also benefitted by quite a lot more than this; see next bit below.

Honeycat30 said:

My complaint to British Gas has gone unanswered.  I had emailed them and put a hard copy in the post.  Last week I contatcted the citizens advice extra help team, who managed to get British Gas to contact me by phone.  They have now set up a gas account and have told me that they are not allowed to bill me anything over the past 12 months, which is a huge relief but nevertheless I will now have a £1,600 bill to settle with them.

So BG have written off all your gas use from March 2022 to October 2024. That's potentially £3000 that you haven't paid and won't be asked to pay.

Honeycat30 said:

So my question is really whether I should accept the Octopus offer of £250, or send everything to the Ombudsman anyway and risk losing it, but at least know that they will have to pay the investigation fee.  The fact they even keep offering me more each time they email me is significant considering they don't think they did anything wrong.

As above; take the £250 from Octopus, breathe a sigh of relief over the £3000 from BG, and check your bills when they arrive.

Honeycat30

Thank you both for your replies, I will do as you have suggested and let it go!

@QrizB both sets of meter reads go on my account on their website.  I will be double and triple checking everything from now on.  

WiserMiser

Another vote for Take the Money and Run.