British Gas Backbilling

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Tomzo47
Tomzo47 Posts: 2 Newbie
in Energy
Hi all, looking for a bit of advice. We're currently with British gas for our gas supply and moved into the property in January 2016. We gave them a meter reading when we moved in and paid bills as we got them. We got a letter in April asking us for a meter reading (the first request we've had) which we gave to them and they then told us we owe £780 because they've been using estimated bills for the last two and a bit years and underbilled us. I've asked them why nobody has ever been to read the meter and they said that they have tried but every time we denied access. They also said that the back billing principle is only used if, amongst other things, they had not attempted to get a valid meter reading in the last year. When I asked them to look into this they admitted that they had never found the property, not that we had denied access, and because they had recorded it as no access given and not that they couldn't find it they never asked for more information or let us know there was an issue. The meter is outside so we don't even need to let them in the house and they have now sent somebody who obtained a reading. British Gas have now told me that they dont actually have to read the meter at all, it is a "courtesy" and that the back billing principle does not apply, completely contradicting what they've already said and what's on their website! Bit of an unusual one but wondering if anyone's had something similar? Thanks

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  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
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    Tomzo47 wrote: »
    Hi all, looking for a bit of advice. We're currently with British gas for our gas supply and moved into the property in January 2016. We gave them a meter reading when we moved in and paid bills as we got them. We got a letter in April asking us for a meter reading (the first request we've had) which we gave to them and they then told us we owe £780 because they've been using estimated bills for the last two and a bit years and underbilled us. I've asked them why nobody has ever been to read the meter and they said that they have tried but every time we denied access. They also said that the back billing principle is only used if, amongst other things, they had not attempted to get a valid meter reading in the last year. When I asked them to look into this they admitted that they had never found the property, not that we had denied access, and because they had recorded it as no access given and not that they couldn't find it they never asked for more information or let us know there was an issue. The meter is outside so we don't even need to let them in the house and they have now sent somebody who obtained a reading. British Gas have now told me that they dont actually have to read the meter at all, it is a "courtesy" and that the back billing principle does not apply, completely contradicting what they've already said and what's on their website! Bit of an unusual one but wondering if anyone's had something similar? Thanks

    Welcome to the forum. You may or may not have a case. Up until April 2016, BG had a derogation from Ofgem that extended the period between physical readings of a meter to once every 5 years. This derogation was rescinded in April 2016 when Ofgem changed the meter reading requirement for all suppliers to once a year. However, Ofgem has not prescribed how the meter reading has to be obtained. It follows that readings can be obtained from a smart meter or the customer.

    As hard as this advice might seem, consumers do have a responsibility to check all bills for accuracy. Bills based on estimated readings will have meter readings with an ‘E’ annotation. If you haven’t been providing monthly meter readings, then all the bills will be estimated. It follows that I doubt that The Back Billing Code applies in this situation but I do think that you have a case for poor customer service. In my view, BG should offer you time to pay and a small ex gratia payment for poor customer service.
  • PennineAcute
    PennineAcute Posts: 1,161 Forumite
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    As above. You have had two and a half years' statements. Do you not check these?

    That said, it beggars belief that BG can let your account get into this state.
  • PennineAcute
    PennineAcute Posts: 1,161 Forumite
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    BTW, if you have only just contacted them after 2 and a half years, you are also way overpaying for your gas. This debt may stop you from leaving them, but it does not stop you from moving onto one of their cheaper tariffs.
  • Tomzo47
    Tomzo47 Posts: 2 Newbie
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    Yeah I totally agree, I should have been paying more attention to the bills. They aren't, however, incredibly clear that they're estimated and that we need to send them a meter reading. It doesn't actually ask us to do it. That, the fact that the bills have gone up and down and the fact that the bills all state 'we've reviewed your bill to make sure you're paying for the energy you use' made me think there was never a problem. Feel like they've taken advantage of us a bit here....
  • Andy_WSM
    Andy_WSM Posts: 2,217 Forumite
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    Tomzo47 wrote: »
    Yeah I totally agree, I should have been paying more attention to the bills. They aren't, however, incredibly clear that they're estimated and that we need to send them a meter reading. It doesn't actually ask us to do it. That, the fact that the bills have gone up and down and the fact that the bills all state 'we've reviewed your bill to make sure you're paying for the energy you use' made me think there was never a problem. Feel like they've taken advantage of us a bit here....

    No one, other than me, has read my meter for a couple of years now, but because I read it and send the reads in monthly my bills are spot on. The bills WILL tell you that the readings are estimated, they have to, it's in the code of practice. All readings will be marked with C (customer), E (estimated) or A (actual) for example so it isn't hard to spot when it's an estimated bill.

    Bottom line is that the meter is at your house. You likely walk past it several times a day, British Gas don't and neither are they legally obliged to do so.
  • House_Martin
    House_Martin Posts: 1,462 Forumite
    edited 25 May 2018 at 8:49AM
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    There must be a good reason why more than one meter reader cannot locate your property.
    Are you making it difficult for callers to find your house ?
    Do you have an electric gate , ( very common nowadays ) and do not have a call bell at the gate itself ?
    If you have a house name do you make it easy to see from the road, and make sure its not hiding behind a tree or bush.
    Maybe the street numbering system is obscure and you do not have a displayed house number.
    When we encounter properties like this with a deliberate action taken by the householder to stop access (no call bell at the electric gate ) then it is legitimate to enter "access refused " IMO in our handheld computer.
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