Oh no, not another British Gas Problem!

BigBenDee

I moved out of my previous house over a year ago - Dec 06. My supplier for both Gas and Electric was BG.

Meter readings were given and the final bills duely arrived. No problem with the electric bill, small amount to pay.

However the gas bill had been recalculated from over 2 years ago - apparently this was due to a new billing system. This meant that I'd gone from what I had predicted was a small credit, to owing BG £75.

I have asked on numerous occasions for copies of the original bills covering this period to ensure that readings are accurate and all payments have been credited. These have not been forthcoming despite assurances on the phone that they would. I had destroyed the originals prior to the move - big mistake.

The outstanding amount had been passed on to a DCA back in the summer, but this was ceased after contacting BG and them agreeing to sort out the problem. That was the last I heard until today when I received a letter from another DCA requesting payment. :eek:

My question is, am I justified in asking for copy bills or am I just putting of the inevitable as BG are allowed to recalculate bills.

Your thoughts would be helpful prior to contacting them tomorrow. Also any direct numbers would also be gratefully received.

Cheers. :beer:

Cardew

I would insist on getting the copy bills.

However don't keep phoning as that simply goes to another call centre operator who probably won't record any actions.

Simply write to BG, copy to Energywatch, saying you are quite happy to pay any outstanding sum if they can produce you the bills.

I understand from a source that many of the old bills are simply not available as they didn't migrate from their old computer system to the new system for many customers!!!!

Jeannine

I had a similar problem - changed supplier from BG (to Ebico thank goodness) but even though both suppliers had my final reading, no gas bill was forthcoming from BG. Eventually, 6 months later, one arrived, but it had been dated and calculated for the whole of the previous year, rather than the date of the last payment 3 months before I left BG. With all the price fluctuations, I wanted a bill for the appropriate billing period - reasonably enough I foolishly thought. Well, I wish you well BigBenDee in getting your bill, because whatever I did (and that included emails, numerous phone calls and letters to every address for Customer Service I could find, and numerous promises of the correct bill being sent) I had no success at all in getting the right bill - although I do have 8 copies of the wrong one....:cool: I eventually admitted defeat when the debt collection lot contacted me - I felt that I had no option but just to pay up and find another brick wall to hit my head against (the first 5 were already rubble...) :mad: :mad: Keep at them BigBenDee - I really hope you will be more successful than me!!

SwanJon

If they have replaced the old bills with a new one, the system won't hold the old ones, and it can get very difficult to get copies of them. This usually happens if there have been a few estimated reads then a real one. This may cause all the old bills to be cancelled, and a new 9 or 12 month bill produced. Any reads used for price or tariff changes are reestimated with the new information.

Your new bill will have the start read, end read, any payments or adjustments on it.

What more are you wanting from the old replaced bills?

BigBenDee

Thanks for the replys,

Firstly, I must appologise to BG - It was actually my electricity account that I've the problem with, not the gas.

My real issue with this is that i've no way of checking what they have included on the bill is correct. It seems strange that in a period of rising fuel costs (as shown on the bill), that the recalculation seems to have more electricity being used when prices were higher. My final reading would have corrected any under/over estimates - at the highest price

Surely, the final bill should be as follows:-

Balance from last bill 35.61
Elec. used since last bill 123.20
VAT 21.05
Payments received -192.00
Dual Fuel & DD Discounts - 22.16

Payment due from BG - 34.30

Their bill says I owe £76.39

I believe the £110 difference needs explaining before I'm willing to pay the bill.

Sorry, but being an accountant , I may be getting a bit too a##l with this.

Ben

Cardew

BigBenDee wrote: »

Thanks for the replys,

Firstly, I must appologise to BG - It was actually my electricity account that I've the problem with, not the gas.

My real issue with this is that i've no way of checking what they have included on the bill is correct. It seems strange that in a period of rising fuel costs (as shown on the bill), that the recalculation seems to have more electricity being used when prices were higher. My final reading would have corrected any under/over estimates - at the highest price

Surely, the final bill should be as follows:-

Balance from last bill 35.61
Elec. used since last bill 123.20
VAT 21.05
Payments received -192.00
Dual Fuel & DD Discounts - 22.16

Payment due from BG - 34.30

Their bill says I owe £76.39

I believe the £110 difference needs explaining before I'm willing to pay the bill.

Sorry, but being an accountant , I may be getting a bit too a##l with this.

Ben

Well an accountant should know that VAT on electricity and gas is 5% not 17.5%;)

It is perfectly reasonable for you to ask for a detailed bill showing all charges and payments.

Put your request in writing