CAGisforME -v- Grittish Bass Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

[CAGisforME]

Well, spurred on by my successes elsewhere and my new found (CAG induced) feeling of empowerment I decided to sock it to British Gas.

They are my Electric and Gas Suppliers.

My Electricity has been "dodgy" since 2003 and I have complained on a regular, but admittedly sporadic, basis. Generally due to the numbskulls I get on the end of the 'phone.

My Electric is £99 per month (Yes, you read that right) for a 3 bed house with me and 2 kids!

I wrote to them in March - no response. Then again in April - no response, so I finally rang them today to give them the sharp end of my tongue.

Well, it's amazing what a bit of "empowerment" will do for a girl I was first told they could reduce my payments to £72 (oh, the generosity!) and that I should contact my local distributor. This I did and an engineer arrived at my door 2 hours later!

He told me what I have been telling BG for nearly 4 years. My meter is faulty. It was spinning around even when everything in the house was turned off and it needs to be replaced.

I rang BG this evening with the engineers words and they have agreed to replace the meter on Thursday.

Now the tricky bit, that i need some help with:

How do I go about getting back what I have been overcharged for since August 2003?

Am happy I've finally managed to prove my point

Am "foaming" that I've been right all along and that I've been getting "stung" on a monthly basis for almost 4 years!

Help Please?

[emmaf01]

I would probably send them a letter stating that due to their lack of attention to the meter ( aren't they supposed to check it every two years), and their lack of attention to you complaints regarding the accuracy of the meter (give them a history of your correspondence/phonecalls over the four years and when they raised the monthly payments).

State you have been considerably overcharged due to their neglect of their obligations, and you want compensation. As they have previously failed to act regarding your complaints you are immediately forwarding this case to Energywatch.

Send copies of this letter to both BG and Energywatch, and you should receive prompt action. Might just work!

[gondukin]

They will probably need you to take weekly readings for a couple of weeks when your new meter is installed as this will help them estimate your consumption.

[CAGisforME]

Thanks Emma and gondukin.

I was asked to take daily reading but then this was over-ridden by the person who has arranged the new meter.

Once the new meter is installed - tomorrow - I will call them again and ask them what I should do next.

I may take a weekly reading for a month or so anyway - just to prove my point!

[CAGisforME]

Well, shiney new meter (that is about 4 inches square!!) installed at spot on 10am this morning, as promised.



So, telephoned Grittish Bass to ask what happens now, and how I go about getting back all the money they have been over-charging me (since 2003) because of reading from a now proven to be faulty meter, that I have been querying for nearly 4 years.

Cue Muppet waffling "Erm....well......wha t we will do is take an estimate from all your readings over the past 4 years and that will tell us what your monthly consumption is.."

CAGisforME: "Oh, really? But the meter that provided those readings has now proven to be faulty, so the estimate/average will be wrong won't it?"

Muppet: "erm........no....... .it will tell us your average consumption"

CAGisforME: "No, it will tell you the average consumption ACCORDING TO A FAULTY METER"

Muppet: "oh yeah.......I see what you mean......can I take your number and call you back?"



I can see this is going to be fun!

[jessica'smum]

Hi I think this may be my problem, my electricity bill for Feb 11 to March 30 is £244.63 and I live in a three-bed semi with my hubby and 3-year-old, not Buckingham Palace!

BG told me to read my meter daily for a week but tbh it is not that easy with a toddler around (not to mention a hubby!).

What I would like to know is who is the supplier? According to the bill my electricity comes from Aquila Networks, should I call them directly as I can't face waiting for a half hour for BG to answer.

Thanks

Catherine

[gondukin]

BG is is the supplier, Aquila is you distributor. You need to speak to BG I'm afraid.

[CAGisforME]

Gondukin, I'm not sure that is correct.

When I spoke to BG about my problem THEY gave me the number for my distributor and it was through THEM that an engineer was sent to check the meter and their report to me that it was faulty meant I had to get back on to BG to get it changed. This was through another Company.

I would advise phoning your DISTRIBUTOR in order to get the meter checked and then reporting their findings to BG.

[::Lisa::]

Wow I'm honestly shocked at the amount you have been paying and the complete neglect. I left BG quite some time ago due to the crap inaccurate bills also. Although, mine aren't as half bad as yours.

Anyway, I'm in a 3 bedroom house with 3 kids and a hubby. I'm disabled so in 99% of the time. We love our TV and have 2 laptops which are on morning - night. 3 kids = a lot of washing too.

After all that taken into consideration my electric bill is £30 a month throughout the year.

I find the people at British Gas rude and unhelpful. Especially rude if you cant afford your bill one month. Thankfully I don't go through that anymore

Good luck with your claim.

[CAGisforME]

Lisa,

Thanks for your comments. Needless to say once I have this sorted I will be changing to a supplier that has a better reputation for customer service.

I too am disabled and therefore at home every day. Two kids, both at school/college and at their Dads every other weekend.

I do one load of washing a day, and iron it the same day. Laptop is on from am to lunchtime and one and off (depending how I'm feeling) after that.

TV rarely on until 7pm.

Monthly bill (on their "payment DD Scheme") £99. And they seriously expected me to continue to put up with this.

SO fed up with them now. Needless to say they have NOT called me back to tell me how they intend to re-calculate the bills sincce 2003 so I'm going to ring them today AGAIN!!

Can anyone recommend a supplier who ISN'T completely carp at Customer Service? I'm hoping that when they EVENTUALLY work out my normal monthly consumption on a meter that works I will not owe them much, so will be able to clear the account and move - sharpish!

[JOSH_IOU]

CAG don't look now but there isn't a one.

Money is one colour only and thats brown.

A good customer service means there hiding something.

[CAGisforME]

LOL jamesrap!

Well, I guess I knew that really!

I've had another "little chat" with BG and after an entertaining 15 mins chatting with an "operative" who couldn't stop coughing in to the microphone and sniffing I eventually got through to a supervisor.

She was about as useful as a chocolate fireguard, so got the sharp end of my tongue and she gave me a number for the "Customer Escalation Team" who were, amazingly, really helpful.

They have agreed to read the meter for the next two months and then work out what my average monthly useage works out to. They will then go back over the past 4 years and look at wht I've been overcharged.

She told me I will then have the option of reducing the current debit balance with that sum, or receiving a cheque.

We shall see..........

I will obviously report back and see if this transpires as it "should".

[jessica'smum]

I have sorted out my problem i think, after finally getting through to a BG phone person with a brain in her head.

I have been on economy 7 for a year and a bit despite being a dual fuel customer.

I will be writing a very stiff letter to BG asking for half of the last year's bill back as they should have been able to tell this over the phone (as she did) when i called months ago to complain.

My bill should halve to about £30 a month which seems much more sensible, and they don't have to come into the house to do it because I have a new digital meter, they can do it online, so it won't cost a penny.


It's worth asking if you have a big bill, you might be on the wrong tariff and not even realise

Catherine

[calvi36]

I used to work for BG. I hated it they are wa****. Ok I am energysure certified. Heres who is reponsible.

1. From gas terminal, eg oil rigs to your front door. Transco.
2. From there it's your current energy supplier, eg atlantic, scottish power, brit gas etc.
3. Your current supplier is responsible for the meter, although they normally use sub contractors to install and service them.
4. If you are in doubt as to accuracy of the meter then contact current supplier and ask for service of meter aswell as recalibration of the meter.

Having worked as a direct sales mgr for BG, in charge of the guys that knock on your door and try to get u to switch supplier, I know where you are all coming from but BG (Centrica) is not responsible for everyones meter. They do however have the relevant contact information for all other problems as they still hold shares in Transco.

[CAGisforME]

Update:

Having received my second bill since the new meter was installed I called the Customer Escalation Team again today and got a human being!!

Yes, honest!

He checked the notes on the account. Checked the two new meter reading and said he calculated the amount I've overpaid thanks to the faulty meter (that I have been telling them about since Aug 2003) to be standing at over £1000!

I have to now wait until they have a full years meter readings (including the winter quarters) to ensure that I am indeed using this much smaller amount of electricity, however he has halved my monthly payments in the meantime and put notes on the account that it's not to be reviewed again unless by Customer Escalation.

So, closer to a result.

Just be nice to get my mitts on that money!!!

(Luckily I can afford to hang on for it - just thinking about the nice holiday it will pay for in 6 months time!)

Getting there!

[calvi36]

Originally Posted by CAGisforME

Update:

Having received my second bill since the new meter was installed I called the Customer Escalation Team again today and got a human being!!

Yes, honest!

He checked the notes on the account. Checked the two new meter reading and said he calculated the amount I've overpaid thanks to the faulty meter (that I have been telling them about since Aug 2003) to be standing at over £1000!

I have to now wait until they have a full years meter readings (including the winter quarters) to ensure that I am indeed using this much smaller amount of electricity, however he has halved my monthly payments in the meantime and put notes on the account that it's not to be reviewed again unless by Customer Escalation.

So, closer to a result.

Just be nice to get my mitts on that money!!!

(Luckily I can afford to hang on for it - just thinking about the nice holiday it will pay for in 6 months time!)

Getting there!

Hi cag is for me, am sorry but I don't see it as a result. I see it as their way of avoiding the issue. They are stalling, push them for the money you are owed. You should not have to wait a year. Simple calculation between summer use and winter use is to multiply it by 60%, this would give them your annual average consumption. If it was me i would not be waiting on my money, in saying that I took em to small claims for my last months salary lol.


Peter

[2Grumpy]

When you consider that your usage might have gone up over the years, I would be asking for a larger rebate than just recalculating on your average over a year, plus interest, plus any bank charges that you might not have incurred had you had your cash, plus any interest that you might not have incurred had you had your cash, plus compensation for them ignoring you, plus an interim payment.

You could always ask for a full refund instead. When my daughter's meter stopped turning they didn't try to charge anything... I think that this is a comparable situation - they don't know how much electricity you actually used, it will be a guess, so it has to be a guess that works out in your favour.


Grumpy