Crossed Meter - British Gas not helping.

thelittlebogwitch

Hello,

I have been dealing with a crossed meter situation since last year. After multiple conversations with British Gas that were very unhelpful, I opened an ombudsman case.

During the case, BG sent an engineer out who identified the correct meter…let's call this meter A. They identified meter B, the meter I have been paying for, belonged to the flat downstairs.

The occupiers of the downstairs flat use a LOT of electricity in comparison to myself. My bills were almost £400 month but my usage was low - partly due to my fear of the bills coming in. I have not been using my heating and my white goods are switched off.

I was told this was going to be a simple fix. The meters were changed on the national database and I was to be rebilled.

Since the case closure in March I have been issued with 4 new bills. The first, still had the debt on the account. When I called and queried, BG told me sorry that incorrect charges haven't been removed.

The second had these charges removed and showed that I was owed nearly £700 in overpayments.

A couple of weeks later when I was trying to get this money refunded, I was issued another bill. The charges were back. There was large debt on my account.

24 hours later, another bill. More charges. More debt.

I have been on the phone to BG almost every day, I'm continually told it's been escalated but I never hear from anyone. Each person I speak to says they can see that the bill is incorrect. My statements show both meter A and meter B.

The ombudsman won't speak to me, they state that this is a new issue and I need to reopen a case once the next 8 week period has passed. OK, fine, I'll do that. It's a frustrating time delay on what should have been fixed, but if they won't talk to me they won't talk to me.

I've been in touch with my local MP and am currently talking to their office and I'm waiting for a call back from the extra help team at citizens advice.

Short of finding a solicitor, which I can't afford to do, what else can I do to get this fixed? The continual build up of debt and constant stream of bills is really starting to affect my mental health and stress levels.

Thanks in advance

TroubledTarts

Follow the complaints process again with the ombudsman once the 8 weeks are up.

Keep a record of key dates when you found out the meters were crossed and correspondence with BG

Just be clued up on the facts and present them to the ombudsman to rule on.

squirrelpie

The eight-week wait for the Ombudsman to intervene can seem a very long time. I sympathise. Maybe citizens' advice can do something.

Green_hopeful

i would do a DSAR application. Thats a data subject access request. Its free. They have to send you all your records they hold in relation to you. At the same time i would complain to the chief executive and mention your DSAR application. Hopefully if they have any sense they will look at your account and realise its a disaster.

We did it when my aunts account was switched without her consent or knowledge. I spent days on the phone and endless broken promises to resolve it. DSAR did the job.

thelittlebogwitch

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82005220#Comment_82005220

I think what's getting to me is that I already did one 8 week wait, I accepted the resolution (that the account be rebilled, the correct meter identified etc etc) and then once the case was closed British Gas ended up just putting the old meter back on and reassigning the debt back to me.

At one point I was told by BG that the owners of the other meter may have called to dispute their bill, at which point my jaw dropped and I had to say to them "so you're saying they've called to complain so you want ME to pay THEIR bill for them?".

I have no words for the incompetency I've experienced from day 1.

thelittlebogwitch

Thanks for this, I'll look into it today. If it adds to the evidence then it can only be a good thing at this point!