British Gas - what a rip off!!!!

[laineynic]

We moved into our new home in October last year. British Gas were the suppliers for gas when we arrived. A week after we arrived British Gas tuned up to replace the meter. we took a reading.

6 weeks after we had moved in we changed the gas supplier from them to NPower. We asked British Gas to snd us the final Bill. It arrived last week only 8 months and 2 weeks late but there you go. The bill comes to £131.54 - £21.92 per week. Our house is nt a mansion it is a 3 bedroomed semi. Is this a high price to pay for Gas, as I don't understand the breakdown.

My Gas bill from NPower which covered Chistmas, January and February works out at £15.97 a week. I just don't get how ther can be such a price differnc.

Theres no disputting the units of gas used but the prce - we had no choice but to use thm abd we are paying fo it know.

To top it all today a letter came from BG Solicitors advising us we had 7 days to pay or else. Yet we have only had the final bill for 7 days.

[2Grumpy]

Could be the meter readings are wrong or rates wrong - or it could just be that BG are expensive - after all, why did you switch suppliers?

Are the meter readings correct, including the new meter first reading? (ie was it zero when it was installed or did you assume that it was)

If the bill is a fresh one, are the rates correct for the time that you were using them?

Are there any late payment charges?

I would phone BG immediately, tell them that you have only just got their bill
and that you dispute the value of it. Confirm in writing. What to do after that - not sure.

[mwacuk]

Yes I work for a utility company, check the reads on your last bgas bill and the reads your invoices started from with npower, chances are its a case the D86 (change of supplier read) was an estimate which will be too high (ie too many units with bgas, not enough with npower) In this case contact your NEW supplier as the old one has no power to amend the D86 reads. Explain to your new supplier that because of the price difference between bgas and npower your overall invoice is higher and that you would like the D86 reads amending. (ensure bgas's prices on your last bill are higher however, otherwise its been billed in your favour so best leaving it)

Also be aware if the D86 was overestimated expect your npower bill to increase slightly (but if as above, the overall amount outstanding to both companies will be less once fixed)

It may take a few weeks because npower then need to contact the local Data collectors then them approve the new reads (they nearly always do if the reads are estimates to start with)

Your npower account will be rebilled as a result only then contact bgas and explain a new D86 has been approved they by law have to rebill your account.

Stay on Direct Debit in the meantime with bgas as they will not place a hold on their debt because they will consider it a third partie issue until they receive a new D86.

Regards
Marc

Regards

[389shell]

Check they billed you on the old rates. As you are not disputing the units used, I suspect these robbing little blighters* are billing you on their new daylight robbery tarriff.

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*for blighters read b*****ds