British Gas problem - RPS scheme for debt repayment - anyone familiar with this?

ChrisJJ

I'm having an issue with British Gas. It's a long drawn out saga about which I have recently been to the Ombudsman.

To summarise: I have a debt with British Gas for which I had a payment plan, with a payment card. Everything was going just fine until BG moved all accounts over to their new system. They said they had to set up a new payment plan - and that's where the problems started.

Numerous payment plans later (once they set up two different plans on the same day) and repeated promises of payment cards that never arrived (except the two that did arrive but were not connected to the debt repayment) I finally took my complaint to the Ombudsman.

A resolution package was agreed. Amongst other things, it was agreed that I could pay at the Post Office as that is the most convenient way for me, and how I used to pay before they changed systems.

I was provided with a reference number. On attempting to pay the first payment at the Post Office I was informed that they can do nothing with that number. They need, I was told, a 16 digit number as you'd find on a payment card. The reference I was give begins RPS as that, apparently, is the scheme under which my debt now falls.

Does anyone know about this RPS scheme and if it is correct that it cannot be paid over the counter at the Post Office? They say the RPS scheme does not facilitate the use of payment cards. I am stumped now!

I have emailed the BG person who I've been dealing with to tell her that the number she provided me with, that she specifically said could be used at the PO, is no use. I will also contact the Ombudsman, but to be honest, they're pretty useless most of the time and I suspect they'll just say they've done their bit and to take it up with BG!

I apologise if any of this is garbled or unclear - I have been dealing with this issue for months and am at the end of my tether.

Thank you

WiserMiser

From the BG website:-

Online payment

You can pay by debit or credit card by logging into your online account or on the British Gas Energy App. For your convenience as an Apple or Google Pay user you will also find these options for a simple way to pay.

Pay by phone

You can call our automated payment line on 0330 818 0004 – please have your account number ready.

squirrelpie

Apparently British Gas fund something called the British Gas Energy Trust and they in turn fund various advice centres. It might be worth looking at https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/fuel-and-money-advice/ and seeing if you can contact one that's close to you. Maybe they can help clear up the mess. I see that British Gas say that you can pay normal bills at a Post Office so it may be you can pay this one too, if you can find out how.

PS According to google AI, RPS stands for 'Regular Payment Scheme'.