British Gas trying to nail me in the arse

[Stissy]

Good afternoon Saxp,

I’m not 100% sure if this is the right place to be seeking advice on this topic, but it never hurts to get additional guidance, and who knows, someone might actually be pretty knowledgeable on the subject.

Here’s the backstory. My monthly bills from British Gas are usually around £70 for G&A. However, for the last X amount of months, I was receiving ridiculously low bills, we’re talking almost £0. With the fear of being lumbered with a huge bill, I contacted British Gas on several occasions, by post, phone, and email. Each time I was given the response “no sir, your bill is correct”.

Anyway, last month, a massive bill of £1k+ landed on my doorstep. Naturally I phoned the completely incompetent people at British Gas and complained. They said the best they can do is reduce the one-off payment to a monthly repayment of circa £200.

I understand I have to pay for the energy I have used, and I’m not trying to write off the debt or anything like that (please make sure you read and understand that statement, I can imagine people saying “you can’t get out of paying a bill”. That’s not what I’m asking). However, is there anyway out of this ridiculous monthly outgoing, or anyway around it? £200 is not unaffordable, but it’s seriously going to impact my beer money / potential savings.


tl;dr: British Gas messed up my bill and are now trying to make me pay it back in ridiculously high instalments.

[Ryancoyle]

Not too sure how it work's but I would ring them back and advise them you can't afford £200 monthly. If it was there fault then they should be liable but you know how much of a cunt companie's can act these day's. Citizen advice?

[Manu]

My mum went through the exact same story a few years back. She was overcharged to the tune of £800, they did not budge until she called watchdog and it was sorted within the half hour.

Surely they should offer more flexibility, as they often overcharge people under the guise of spreading out the cost throughout the year and give you affordable bills during winter. Well I think that's more like a smoke screen for them to score more money than what is due, and when it is due.

I don't think you should be penalised for their lack of accurate estimates. They should have sent someone to read the meter. I think you have reasonable grounds to complain.

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/energy.html

http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy...w-to-complain-

Anyone else find their bill statements extremely hard to understand?

[chompy]

Not sure about BG but with SSE, you can fill in your meter readings on line to give an accurate bill. They then just add it to your balance and it reduces as you pay your DD.

[0rang3peel]

So have you been giving metre readings?

as when you put in a metre reading it adjusts the debit on your account as Chompy said (I'm with BG and it's the same)

If you haven't given any readings then it's surely an estimate?

[Brettles1986]

That reminds me that I need to give proper readings to my supplier.

[Yates]

I have no clue what I'm looking at on my gas Bill

Pain in ass, I get me mam to do meter readings when I'm away, instead of 5000 she managed to out in 50000, u are supposed to put a zero in front but she didn't realise. Instead of looking to see if mistake they just charged me. For months I'd ring up ask how I was using so much. Just said happens. She. finally worked it out they said oh we will keep u in credit with reduced bills. Nah give me my 800 back!

[0rang3peel]

Originally Posted by Yates

I have no clue what I'm looking at on my gas Bill

Pain in ass, I get me mam to do meter readings when I'm away, instead of 5000 she managed to out in 50000, u are supposed to put a zero in front but she didn't realise. Instead of looking to see if mistake they just charged me. For months I'd ring up ask how I was using so much. Just said happens. She. finally worked it out they said oh we will keep u in credit with reduced bills. Nah give me my 800 back!

You can get it back though recently they got bummed for doing this and are not supposed to hold money. Send them a letter they will send a cheque out

[nicole_]

you're in charge of the amount you pay though arent you?

Npower put my bill down from £60pcm to £19 recently, I called up straight away and asked them to put it back up. Lucky really as they'd used estimates and got it horribly wrong.
I guess just call and calmly ask to set up a payment plan, but one that you can afford?
I work in collections but its for housing and the minimum we accept for arrangements as laid out by the government is only £3.65 above rent a week!

[L33h]

Get a credit card with 0% interest on new purchases for 24 months (or 12 if you can only get one of those). Pay the amount on that and cut it up. That way you'll be able to have longer to pay the bill.

[Mickswan]

A lass I worked with had the same thing, put her meter readings in online etc and her bills were far too low. Kept calling them and they insisted she was fine.

After a few months went by she got hit with nearly a grand, she rang up and complained. Fair enough she has to pay for what she's used but as they fucked up they agreed to half it.

Go the ought their complaints procedure and if you get no joy it goes to an ombudsman which I think is ofgem.

May go in the favour of British gas but if you don't try you don't get.

Remember to use the words inconvenience, stress, worry and panic. They are the key things which push a complaint forward.

[Yates]

Oh I got my money back mate.

Was with utility warehouse when first got house. they over charged me all time. I'd put meter readings in and they would ignore them and estimate. Rang up asked why and how they did it. They said cos previous owners used them. they went by them. Explained that last owners was a family of four. I'm a single person and work away. If they didn't change to meter readings I'd leave. I left as never listened

[Gandi699]

I had something similar with electricity. Was paying under what I should have been paying but the meter was "read" as normal by leaving the card in the window for the meter man - Not that he ever read the card the bellend and thusly I was undercharged. Come april this year I was stung with an 800 quid bill. In fact Im still paying over the odds, as I've paid the debt off now but they wont alter the figure until the next quarterly bill so i'm going to be 4-500 quid in credit.

Basically dont trust them to take meter readings, do it yourself online or on the phone as this is the situation you can get into if left

[blackie_2k5]

Happened to us.. They kept us at £35 each for gas and electric and then dropped a £700 bill on us.. They do it to most from everyone Ive spoke to on the run up to winter so they can hammer you over the winter.. They do it as they know most ppl can't afford to pay the lump and leave them for another provider

My advice would be to try pay it in on go and just leave.. We did

They should be investigate for this it's shocking behaviour

[Samp]

Had a similar thing when I moved into my new house, the building company sent off the wrong form to EON. 6 months later and after many calls I finally got a bill to the tune of £500. Luckily they let me spread it over the year.

[Mr_P]

[Dom]

Ross knows about consumer law, quite well in fact. Wait till he comes back from the ring.

[blackie_2k5]

hes back iirc

[Gandi699]

Thing is though if you change provider aren't the new ones going to be up to the same old tricks?


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[MuZiZZle]

Originally Posted by Dom

Ross knows about consuming pies, quite well in fact. Wait till he comes back from the ring.

Sorted for you!