British Gas crazy change to direct debit

Picnicker

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this crazy incompetence from British Gas electricity billing…

My account was due to be slightly in debt so British Gas did a recalculation and put up my direct debit by over 30%. I didn't argue with that, even though it seemed a lot. They then changed by direct debit, just a few days before it was due to go out. Because they can't change it at short notice, they cancelled the payment due to go out, putting me further into debt with them, and then waited a month to take the next payment. As a result I have missed one month's payment and they will have to wait three months before they break even. Now I can cope with this but what about people living on a tight budget who don't realise what has happened and end up spending money they shouldn't have?

The other really stupid thing they do is to take the balance from my last bill, add on payments received since then, deduct nothing for electricity used, and then tell me that I have a huge credit. This is because they only make a bill once every three months.

la531983

Why do people moan about British Gas' billing system but not do anything about it?

Move elsewhere. Vote with your feet. Plenty of other providers to pick from.

Picnicker

I'm on a fixed rate contract so how stupid would I be if I moved just to make a point?

I was asking whether anyone else had had this issue and hoping to warn anyone who might be about to. Are you always so disagreeable?

matelodave

Why dont you do your own sums, working out what your annual consumption should be (based on your bills over the past twelve months) and then tell BG what it should be.

I used to get the same silliness when Sottish Power tried it on. Raising the DD after the heavy winter consumption and then dropping it in October after the significantly lower summer consumption. If your DD is set correctly then you should be within plus or minus £20-£30 at the end of a 12 month fix depending on how cold the was.

Its not difficult, just take charge of it yourself rather than letting the supplier make random guesses.

maman

Apologies if I'm reading this wrongly but doesn't a direct debit take the actual cost of the amount of the fuel used whereas a standing order is the one that is fixed all the year round?🤔

pfpf

could you have manually paid the amount they "Didn't take" in your online account? then nothing any different to if they had taken the payment.

Swipe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960967#Comment_81960967

A fixed monthly direct debit wll take the same amount each month. A variable monthly direct debit will take the cost of the energy used for the previous month. A standing order is more like a scheduled regular transfer without direct debit guarantees and limited protection.

Picnicker

I was just asking a question to see whether anyone else had seen the same issue.

I'm quite capable of managing my own payments and standing up for myself. I was already paying a sensible amount. It just seemed such utterly ridiculous behaviour for British Gas to take less money in order to try to take more. I'm more worried for the people who can't stand up for themselves or struggle with their bills.