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British Gas Standing Charge
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I have a pre payment meter currently with British Gas.
I have telephoned them on several occasions recently with queries about how I am charged.
The only acknowledgement I receive from them is a statement of how many kWh I have used in the past 12 months. No breakdown as to what I have actually paid for.
I have been assured on several occasions that I do not pay a standing charge and that I am charged a higher rate for the first 670 kWh in a quarter and then a lower rate from then.
Over Christmas I was away from home and used no gas at all, however, my meter showed a reduction of about 50p per day.
I rang to query this and was told that the meters are unable to charge the two rates I have been quoted, and charges at the lower rate always with a 42p per day 'rate adjustment' every day of the year.
How are they allowed to claim they have no standing charges and yet charge this 42p per day (which amounts to a standing charge)?
I have telephoned them on several occasions recently with queries about how I am charged.
The only acknowledgement I receive from them is a statement of how many kWh I have used in the past 12 months. No breakdown as to what I have actually paid for.
I have been assured on several occasions that I do not pay a standing charge and that I am charged a higher rate for the first 670 kWh in a quarter and then a lower rate from then.
Over Christmas I was away from home and used no gas at all, however, my meter showed a reduction of about 50p per day.
I rang to query this and was told that the meters are unable to charge the two rates I have been quoted, and charges at the lower rate always with a 42p per day 'rate adjustment' every day of the year.
How are they allowed to claim they have no standing charges and yet charge this 42p per day (which amounts to a standing charge)?
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Comments
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I have a pre payment meter currently with British Gas.
I have telephoned them on several occasions recently with queries about how I am charged.
The only acknowledgement I receive from them is a statement of how many kWh I have used in the past 12 months. No breakdown as to what I have actually paid for.
I have been assured on several occasions that I do not pay a standing charge and that I am charged a higher rate for the first 670 kWh in a quarter and then a lower rate from then.
Over Christmas I was away from home and used no gas at all, however, my meter showed a reduction of about 50p per day.
I rang to query this and was told that the meters are unable to charge the two rates I have been quoted, and charges at the lower rate always with a 42p per day 'rate adjustment' every day of the year.
How are they allowed to claim they have no standing charges and yet charge this 42p per day (which amounts to a standing charge)?
This is why you have a statement every 12 months.
It is supposed to show how much you have paid into the meter and then if you are in credit or you owe the difference.
You have a meter that can't offer dual rates, so it uses a daily charge, at the end of 12 months the statement should correct any differences.
If you want proper billing, get a proper meter and dump prepayment.It's PAC not PAC Code, it's MAC not MAC Code, it's PIN not PIN Number, it's ATM not ATM Machine, it's LCD not LCD Display, it's DVD not DVD disc... It's no one not noone, It's a lot not alot, It's got not gotten... Panini is the plural of panino - there is no S!!(OK my English isn't great, the sciences, maths & IT are my strong points!)0 -
Or you could switch supplier, Some suppliers don not have standing charges on their meters whatsoever, PM me if you want more info.0
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Or you could switch supplier, Some suppliers don not have standing charges on their meters whatsoever, PM me if you want more info.
Due to the meter needs changing, so you would need to find a supplier to change to, who would also switch you to a meter that allows no daily charge on it and allows two rates.
The problem here is with the meter, not the provider. With the current meter it is NOT possible to not have a daily charge or not possible to have two rates, doesn't matter who in the world you changed to, the meter can only charge one rate and charge a daily fee. So the meter needs changing to one that can.
However I wouldn't go down that route and then you'll be stuck with pre-payment meter again and would probably have to then pay a fee to have a proper meter in, whereas if you switch ot a proper meter now, you'll likely not have to pay.
OP I'd be sceptical about PMing the poster here, as is sounds dodgy to me, because they should know some meters simply can't not charge this daily fee or have two rates and they should know you actually need the meter changing to one that can, I'd guess they are simply trying to offer you one of those companies that offer them a kickback.It's PAC not PAC Code, it's MAC not MAC Code, it's PIN not PIN Number, it's ATM not ATM Machine, it's LCD not LCD Display, it's DVD not DVD disc... It's no one not noone, It's a lot not alot, It's got not gotten... Panini is the plural of panino - there is no S!!(OK my English isn't great, the sciences, maths & IT are my strong points!)0 -
Due to the meter needs changing, so you would need to find a supplier to change to, who would also switch you to a meter that allows no daily charge on it and allows two rates.
The problem here is with the meter, not the provider. With the current meter it is NOT possible to not have a daily charge or not possible to have two rates, doesn't matter who in the world you changed to, the meter can only charge one rate and charge a daily fee. So the meter needs changing to one that can.
However I wouldn't go down that route and then you'll be stuck with pre-payment meter again and would probably have to then pay a fee to have a proper meter in, whereas if you switch ot a proper meter now, you'll likely not have to pay.
OP I'd be sceptical about PMing the poster here, as is sounds dodgy to me, because they should know some meters simply can't not charge this daily fee or have two rates and they should know you actually need the meter changing to one that can, I'd guess they are simply trying to offer you one of those companies that offer them a kickback.
No offence mate but your talking rubbish, he has a prepay meter that charges a standing charge because british gas are a bunch of rip off merchants, you DO NOT have to have a standing charge just because your on prepay, either do your homework or dont come on here spouting about something you dont know about as your advice is way off the mark.0 -
BexTech is completely CORRECT. A gas PP meter cannot charge 2 rates. It charges the lower rate on all units used and in the early hours takes an extra amount to equate to a 2 rate billing, If anyone goes into their emergency Credit this cannot happen so the next time they top up enough this extra gets taken. ALL gas PP meters are the same!
I think AlexS82 you need to do some homework not BexTech.:rolleyes:Self Employed, Running my Dream Jobs0 -
No offence mate but your talking rubbish, he has a prepay meter that charges a standing charge because british gas are a bunch of rip off merchants, you DO NOT have to have a standing charge just because your on prepay, either do your homework or dont come on here spouting about something you dont know about as your advice is way off the mark.
Are you on a wind up? Everything you just said applies to yourself. I suggest you read Bextechs posts properly and in fact all posts in the future.0 -
Who said anything about having two rates?
What I said was he can have the standing charges removed with another company without having the meter removed, PPM meters never have two rates but they dont HAVE TO have standing charges applied.........how hard is that to figure out?0 -
Pretty much all gas PP meters wotrk the same way, and either have a standing charge seperate or included in the first 670 kWh/quarter - and that is what the meter will do - charge you 670 kWh at the higher price in a quarter.
So if you have used gas in month1, but none in month 2 & 3, it will recalculate to charge you 670 kWh at the more expensive price - as it says in your contract.
If you use no gas in a quarter, you will not be charged anything. Trick is finding out when your meter thinks the quarter starts.
(PS - the explanbation about charging everything at the cheaper rate then adding on is close, but a simpler version of what actually happens - close enough for most people)0 -
I have been on pre-pay gas meters for years but I don't ever recall seeing a contract as such or for that matter signing one.0
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Agreeing to a verbal contract over the phone counts as signing one. You should still be sent a copy of your terms and conditions though.I am an employee of British Gas, however the views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the views of Centrica, its subsidiaries or affiliated companies.0
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