British Gas back billing

Gollom122

I’ve been a BG customer for many years and have switched tariff with them a couple of times during that period. I pay by DD every month.
last year I noticed that BG had not cut a statement since March 2024. I contacted them and they said there was a technical issue with the smart meter (I had daily gas and electric usage data on the app and on the same device so I couldn’t understand why this was the case). They said it would be sorted in a couple of weeks and not to worry. It did not get sorted and no statement produced. I switch staying with BG in October 25 to collective tariff and my DD was adjusted by them. Again last month I contacted BG saying I still had no statement and was worried they said due to a technical issue it would be escalated for resolution (currently showing £3400 in credit since last statement March 2024).
today BG have issued a new statement from Sep 2023 to March 2026 which now shows I am £1300 in debit.
Does this seem fair? Can they go back that far? Do I just have to agree to their new DD pay plan?

thanks in anticipation

la531983

Why did you not provide a manual reading at any point?

Gollom122

I did. I gave readings and the app showed their readings. I also gave reading when changing tariffs. I have screen shots from the app with all the readings. They’ve now disappeared from the app and been replaced with estimated readings each end of quarter.

Woodstok2000

Back billing rules prevent the energy supplier going back too far to bill you for energy, but they don't apply to accounts in credit. If the bill is greater than the credit amount you may have an argument, but BG may say that the credit is for the older usage and the invoice is for more recent amounts.

If you have all your readings and your payment records, you should be able to calculate the amount due and see if BG are correct. Upload them here if you need help, but we'll need your tariff details as well.

Gollom122

I don’t understand why they didn’t leave the march 24 statement and issue new statements from that date onwards. Also why delete all the old readings? I feel like they’re rewriting history to suit themselves. Why have they let this go on? I’ve had a reducing headcount in the household as well so my usage should have dropped (5 to 3 adults) I appreciate costs have increased but I have a shortfall of 25% to pay or an increase of 30% if you look at it the other way.
I’d rather not upload to a public forum but would be happy to share everything to someone who may be able to help.

Gollom122

it looks like all this stems from BG changing their billing system back in September 2023. Thanks to @Woodstok2000 for reviewing. It appears the usage calculations are correct. The statement issued is for a 30 month period. They’ve credited usage from sep23 to mar24 and re billed at a slightly higher rate and then applied new charges fi the two fixes I’ve been on. My DD was around £280 but from Jan24 BG dropped it to £120 for about year and then back up to the £200 mark. This appeared to me to be due to previous overpayment being balanced out but it now seems like they simply lost my electricity usage for a year march 24-25.
with advice from @Woodstok2000 ive pointed out that adjustments from sep23 should include payments from the same period but it does look like they’ve applied credits to negate that so my balance is under £1300 debit, however as I was £400 in debit at March 24 I am pursuing the ‘no back billing’ route especially given I pointed this out to them March 25 and they did nothing. I am going to ask for BG to re issue statements for each six month period rather than a single 2.5 year statement to see exactly what my position was in March 25 and request that any debt at that point be written off.
I’ll keep everyone posted because I doubt I am the only one in this position after their billing system changeover.

Gollom122

I’ve reached deadlock with BG. After repeated attempts to speak with someone to understand my issue. They’ve simply said that the bill is correct as they’ve used actual meter readings. Whenever I mention back billing rules they ignore it and don’t answer the issue but simply revert to the bill is correct and offer a payment plan.
I’ve now opened a case with the energy ombudsman.

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82009545#Comment_82009545

Is the amount they say you now owe, less than your use would cost for the last 12 months?

It seems likely that it is and that does make it harder to show that back-billing has actually occurred.

Gollom122

no

My DD which they’ve collected for 12 months is £100 more than my usage for 12 months. The shortfall is from 2024/25 when they halved my D D for the year. I have actual meter readings from their app for every single month that they didn’t bill me. I queried this and the lack of billing at the time, gave them meter readings and confirmed meter readings from my smart meter. So while I have indeed consumed the energy that they have now back billed me for I had chased them many times to rectify the billing issue and now feel that while I may indeed have consumed that energy that offgem put this rule in place for good reason and that BG have been complicit in creating this situation. It’s not like I sat on my hands and did nothing, they just couldn’t or wouldn’t produce a statement for four consecutive billing periods.

MWT

I don't see any other choice than to take this to the Ombudsman…

Gollom122

I’ve opened a case and been accepted by the ombudsman. BG have been informed.