Dealing with British Gas as a micro business customer

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: British Gas Poor Customer Service 2025.

Buttman49

I have a micro business in Yorkshire, annual bills are less than £1000.00. In January I received an estimated invoice for £6526.23, over six times my yearly average. Despite emailing straight to the customer services Director on the 6th January, i have yet to receive a response, yet every day i am being harassed to pay the bill.
Do i go straight to the energy ombudsman to contact a solicitor, would be happy to hear from any members with similar problems

QrizB

Welsome to the forum.

Buttman49 said:

I have a micro business in Yorkshire, annual bills are less than £1000.00. In January I received an estimated invoice for £6526.23, over six times my yearly average. Despite emailing straight to the customer services Director on the 6th January ...

Why on earth would you do a thing like that?

BG have a complaints process. You should follow it.

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/help-and-support/make-a-complaint-select-type

Buttman49 said:

Do i go straight to the energy ombudsman ...

The Ombudsman won't take your case until you've completed BG's own coplaints process, and/or you've received a deadlock letter, and/or eight weeks have elapsed.

Buttman49 said:

... to contact a solicitor

You can spend your own money on legal advice if you want but you'll probably be advised to follow BG's comlaints process.

gpman

Buttman49 said:

I have a micro business in Yorkshire, annual bills are less than £1000.00. In January I received an estimated invoice for £6526.23, over six times my yearly average. Despite emailing straight to the customer services Director on the 6th January, i have yet to receive a response, yet every day i am being harassed to pay the bill.
Do i go straight to the energy ombudsman to contact a solicitor, would be happy to hear from any members with similar problems

You really should follow the suppliers published complaint procedure if you wish to raise any complaint.

You can find a copy on the suppliers website (amongst other places)

You appear to have jumped direct to step 2 of the stated procedure.

Please go back and follow the stated procedure correctly.

As a business owner, I would hope you have a complaint process of your own. Would you not expect any of your customers with cause to complain to follow that?

BG recommend using their online chat for the fastest response. (avail mon-fri 09:00 - 17:00), but other options are also available

I suggest you go armed with an actual meter reading, and in future ensure your supplier receives regular meter readings to avoid future estimated bills.

In what way do you believe you are being harassed. As a business owner, I am sure you are aware that a creditor asking for  payment they honestly believe they are contractually owed is not in itself harrassment. As a business owner, have you never had to chase a payment from one of your customers before? What payment terms did you agree with your energy supplier?

You ask if you should go to the energy ombudsman. I'm afraid the energy ombudsman service will only assist you 8 weeks after you have started a formal complaint process direct with the supplier (or the supplier issues you with a deadlock letter earlier in response to your formal complaint). The ombudsman will look for evidence to see you have done so before investigating any complaint further.

You ask if you should go to your solicitor. Well that is a decision entirely for you (and what you think you can afford).

What would you be asking your solicitor to do that you don't think you could do just as well yourself?

Robin9

Buttman49 said:

I have a micro business in Yorkshire, annual bills are less than £1000.00. In January I received an estimated invoice for £6526.23, over six times my yearly average. Despite emailing straight to the customer services Director on the 6th January, i have yet to receive a response, yet every day i am being harassed to pay the bill.
Do i go straight to the energy ombudsman to contact a solicitor, would be happy to hear from any members with similar problems

Have you subsequently given them an Actual Reading ? That will be reflected in your January bill, correcting the error.

Do you usually give them a manual reading or are the meters Smart or AMR ?

Gas or electric ?

I had a gas AMR meter fail to communicate - battery life only 10 years

born_again

Buttman49 said:

I have a micro business in Yorkshire, annual bills are less than £1000.00. In January I received an estimated invoice for £6526.23, over six times my yearly average. Despite emailing straight to the customer services Director on the 6th January, i have yet to receive a response, yet every day i am being harassed to pay the bill.
Do i go straight to the energy ombudsman to contact a solicitor, would be happy to hear from any members with similar problems

So have all the previous bills been from actual readings or have they been estimated. Meaning that someone has read the meter & found you actually owe the money. Have you checked the estimated reading & how does it compare to a actual reading in January?