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  1. Hello Does anyone know anything about digital meter reading ? I just received a first gas bill from BG, which has an alleged actual reading of last week. The area to where the meter is positioned is chained and padlocked and impossible to be accessed. The only way to gain access is by the occupants of the property unlocking the padlock. Which so did not happen. So my question is: how can Accuread allege to have done an "actual" reading ? I have read up a bit today on this issue. Apparently there are now digital readers which will allow utility companies to drive by and take the readings from meters without ever having to gain access to properties. Now, the property meter has a bar code and is a metric meter but it is 10 years old. Can Accuread now walk past / drive past and direct a digital reader at the meter and take an accurate reading ? Or do the meters have to be new models with a device fitted to allow this to happen ? And can Accuread just lie about the "actual" reading ? The "actual" reading given by Accuread is incorrect. Which is why I wish to get advice before I write a snotty letter of complaint.
  2. Hi Guys, I need some advice for a work colleague. She has been living at a new address in London for just over a year. She was paying £50 a month fixed amount for her electricity and has now received a bill demanding over £1000 as British gas claim she had been under charged all this time. I would like to help her challenge this amount. What would be the best way in going forward? Thank you
  3. Hi, I run a small retail operation, bricks and locks building..., I am disputing the bill Britisg Gas have sent me, they said it's a smart meter and up to date, it still doesn;t seem right.. One of the last letters have threatened with bailiff or coming in to change the meter, how heavy are they on this stuff? Need I worry till I can try sort it out with them? How long do they normally take to take action?
  4. UK aid to protect 7,000 Commonwealth veterans of the British Armed Forces from extreme poverty READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-aid-to-protect-7000-commonwealth-veterans-of-the-british-armed-forces-from-extreme-poverty
  5. Dont know if this is the correct section: We have a 13 year old boiler and have paid Boiler care cover for 11 years which also covered pipes, electrics etc... Basically their top cover. Over the past year we have had boiler failures around 4 times and its usually the odd filter, pump etc... although 4 months ago they changed the circuit board. They did advise during the last visit that we would really need a system flush at over £500 but we thought this was steep so didnt get that done but at the same time not advised that failing to get that done could cause damage that would result in our boiler not being covered in the future. Yesterday the boiler just wouldnt reset so we called them out again and it turns out that the heat exchanger is leaking which has leaked onto the circuit board. The engineer called his boss but they are refusing to cover the claim because we didnt get the flush done. The options they gave were: Fix the parts at £400 or get a new boiler. So we now have a sticker on the boiler saying its unsafe to use. They said that the cost of parts previously used to repair the boiler is more than the boiler is worth itself, but the way we say it was that thats why we took out the £30 per month cover. Called a few companies for quotes but its also going to be a few weeks without hot water and heating so no good with 3 kids. Im trying to find our contract to read the terms although i know that they will have covered themselves. Anyone else been here with them? Thanks
  6. I have been living in my current flat for approximately 5 years. Firstly with a partner and recently by myself. During this whole time I have had a pre payment meter taking debt every time I top up for a previous tenant. Through my own laziness and stupidity I didn't pursue the issue. I tried to at first but couldn't figure out where to start and about a year or so ago the 'debt' being taken off was a negligible amount (approximately 50p-£1 for every £10 I topped up). However, recently the rate that the debt is added seemed to have escalated to £2-£3 per £10 topped up. I should have pursued this much sooner I realise this, but I would really like them to stop charging me for a debt that has never been mine and to recover some or all of the money that I have paid towards this debt that is not and never has been mine. Is anyone able to advise who I should contact and how I should go about this?
  7. British public urged to be aware of poppy merchandise [problem]s READ MORE HERE: https://tinyurl.com/yazrpyph
  8. British Forces Post Office: last dates of posting in time for Christmas READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-forces-post-office-last-dates-of-posting
  9. Hi, I have a question about last wills and testaments. I am a dual French/British citizen married to a British citizen and we have lived in the UK for almost 20 years. We own a house in the UK (as joint tenants). We want to write a will that will say to whom we want our respective share of the house to go to once we are both dead. We have no children and won't be having any. In my case, I want my share to go to my husband but I want to make sure that when he dies, if I'm already dead, my share goes to my siblings in France, who are French citizens, and not to my husband's family or new partner for example. Could someone please help me and let me know how I can make sure that his happens? Are there specific types of wills for UK people who want to leave their assets to someone in Europe? I have received very conflicting advice from some solicitors. Thank you very much in advance! Sonia G
  10. Hi I set up a Payment Plan with British Gas in September16, following an unexpected huge bill. I have been paying monthly as agreed (£160 fwiw). In Feb BG sent a letter advising my Payments haven't changed. End March BG sent a letter saying I'd missed my monthly payment - and quoted a figure of £600 more than my monthly payment! I immediately wrote stating BG must have made a mistake. I made the normal payment. Then start April BG wrote saying they were cancelling my Plan. I again wrote to complain. BG have failed to reply to both letters.. I did try calling - but got some jobsworth who told me if BG had written saying I should be paying almost £800/month then that is what I should pay..... Following on - instead of replying to my letters, BG have sent demands and threatening letters, stating they were adding charges to my account. Now I have received a threatening letter from a company appointed by BG - some kind of financial services company called arvato... saying they will make a home visit and charge me for it..etc etc. My knee-jerk reaction is to email this fs company and copy the BG and my letters and tell them to sort it out. Or is there a higher office at BG I should write to. It is SO frustrating. And there is no way I am paying almost £800/month. Help???? Also - is arvato part of BG?
  11. HI, Wondered if anyone could help - I'm posting this for a friend of mine: Female with 3 kids under 18 lives in home previously shared with ex partner, who left 3.5 yrs ago. He has left BG bill in his name for all 3.5 yrs and and said he'd been paying it all along. BG have NEVER written to the female partner. On Saturday ex partner decided to try and take his own life and was sectioned. BG letter arrives on doorstep next day and my friend opens it to find its chasing £1700 bill (all still in ex partners name, not addressed to my friend (the female)) She's called BG and explained, and only after she explained he'd been sectioned would they even speak to her. They have as a result told her she is responsible for the full amount and have almost forced her (wouldn't allow any other options and basically said take it or leave or we';ll send debt collectors after you) onto a 50 month repayment plan for the £1700. She lives int he house and she uses the utilities. She has not has a bill in her name from BG in the entire time she's lived there. it's always been in ex-partners name. Is there any legal route out of paying this money due to BG being threatening (They were on the phone) and the fact is his debt not hers? Many thanks in advance.
  12. Hi All, Not sure if this is the correct forum, I have a somewhat difficult situation I am contending with. in summary; I had a lease vehicle; prior to the end of the lease arrangement I arranged the inspection (Thurs 15th March 2018) and collection (Sat 17th March) with British Car Auctions (BCA) in accordance with what I had to do (inspection within 7 days of collection and end of contract). BCA failed to turn up (i took the day off off work!)! I called BCA who advised that they had made a mistake and schedule my inspection and collection for the incorrect dates. They advised management would contact me and they would rearrange. I received no contact. I repeatedly called to rearrange as I was aware I was now out of my contract date (phoned Audi to advise of situation). Was unable to get a response. Monday 19th March BCA turn up at my front door at 7:45am unannounced to collect the car. I advise that it has not been inspected and the collection date was 17th. Two collection agents then sat in my living room for approximately 2 hours trying to get through to their head office to check if they could collect the vehicle. Eventually advised that they could not, and went on their way advising BCA would contact me to rearrange. Fast forward several weeks of trying to arrange the collection and inspection and fit with BCA's availability and I mange to arrange inspection and collection (difficult as I work away for long periods of time and they have limited availability). Car was inspected Tuesday 17th April (another half day annual leave) and collected Friday 20th (half day annual leave). I have now received an invoice from Audi for the additional rental. I have spoken to Audi via telephone who agreed that this is BCA's error and they should cover the invoice, however Audi are still invoicing me as it is my contract! Audi have tied to contact a manager at BCA and also ha zero success. I am going down the formal complaint route and any tips on acts, cases, precedents or what I should include / not include in the letter would be gratefully appreciated. My first thought was to list it chronologically as above. I can go through phone records if required and list every call made and received (all via my mobile). I would like the invoice covering by BCA, and if possible compensation for the annual leave taken whilst waiting for their failed inspection and collection. Also, to add to this. I queried if I should even be responsible for this complaint as I did not employ BCA, Audi did.(my original complaint was to Audi) They advised that they are satisfied that the complaint against Audi has been resolved and I need to pay the bill and try to recover the costs from BCA. Please help!!
  13. British army officer killed during WW1 is honoured as he is laid to rest READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-army-officer-killed-during-ww1-is-honoured-as-he-is-laid-to-rest
  14. Seven british Army soldiers killed during World War 1 are honoured as they are laid to rest READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-british-army-soldiers-killed-during-world-war-1-are-honoured-as-they-are-laid-to-rest
  15. Dynamic security threats and the British Army: Chief of the General Staff General Sir Nicholas Carter KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/dynamic-security-threats-and-the-british-army-chief-of-the-general-staff-general-sir-nicholas-carter-kcb-cbe-dso-adc-gen
  16. Hi, In 2016, having gone six months without a bill and having complained online to BG I signed up with Eon to replace my existing electricity supplier for my business. This was following a phone call from a rep from BG asking me to sign up with them & confirming that I did not, in fact, have a contract with them. Lo and behold my supplier, British Gas, then wrote to me to state I could not leave as there was an outstanding bill, a tactic which Eon told me they often employ. I queried this and told them all the steps I had taken to resolve the matter but got nowhere, I even paid up until the date Eon was supposed to take over whilst the dispute was ongoing. Having got nowhere, I contacted the Ombudsman, whose investigation took so long that by the end of it I had actually handed in my notice on the premises, end date 12 March 2017 The ombudsman agreed the service had been appalling and awarded me a token payment of thirty pounds to be taken off the bill but stated that despite the fact that I wanted to move to Eon who would have billed me on a cheap tariff that British Gas was entitled to bill me on their variable tariff until this was completed despite the fact this whole issue was their fault. They also advised that I send British Gas an email with final meter reading and that they would also send a copy of the picture I sent to them just to ensure British Gas closed the account correctly. In July 2017, I received a bill from BGB for my final electricity bill at my home address of 403.68 which included a 45 charge for non-payment, even though this was the first bill I had ever received following my leaving the premises in March 2017, again two hours of phone calls to BGB and an apology. Then new bill 31 July 2017 with 45.00 removed only to receive phone call / email demand that this bill is paid 01st August 2017, so once more complaint to British Gas Business very same day stating appalling service and the bill would not be paid until my complaint had been addressed. In September 2017, having heard nothing from BGB apart from an acknowledgement of my complaint received a letter from Moorcroft demanding payments, contacted their offices explained the above and sent copies of correspondence and then nothing apart from once call where I stated do not want to talk about the matter but put everything in writing as sick of wasting time on calls and matter not being resolved . Moorcroft said they would write to me, but guess what, the letter was an email requesting I call them to discuss this matter, I emailed back saying this is not a letter, write to me at my new business or home address and we can take it from there. Heard nothing until today, when a new company appears LCS, explained all of the above and they have asked for copies of the correspondence and stated that Moorcroft passed it to them. Do any of you have suggestions as to what steps I should take now, do I go back to the ombudsman, take it u with BGB senior staff or wait on LCS. All advice would be gratefully received.
  17. Hello all, Thank you for taking the time to read my post and any advice appreciated. My parents own a Chinese takeaway and live in the adjoining house next door. They moved in 17 years ago after the initial contact with British gas to inform them they have moved in (which I think I did for them as a teenager) they have not had much contact since and just paid bills as and when they arrived. Always assumed one meter for the takeaway and the residential house as they both share the same door number. In all truthfulness I think they probably knew that something wasn't quite right but with limited English without relying on others they never tried in earnest to peruse the reasons why their gas bill felt cheap. a man came to the door a couple of weeks ago and asked to see the gas meter. My father showed him to the box which is attached to the outside of the house as that's the one that's always been read by British gas. He asked for access to the box that they usually show the npower for electric but they couldn't find the key at the time and takeaway was open. The man said he would be back but wouldn't give my father a business card. All he got was a bit of paper with a mobile number and first name. I come back from holiday abroad and my father tells me about this man. I wasn't keen to ring a random mobile number on a piece of paper and my father couldn't even tell me what company he was from (I accept he may have tried to explain himself to my father but surely he should've recognised that there was a language barrier and his point may not have been communicated) I did my own investigations and we realised there was an additional meter. I rang citizens advice and M meter number helpline and concluded that the meter is not registered and must be for the takeaway only. The meter which has been registered with British gas is actually for the residential part of the property. I then called uswitch to seek some advice on getting the meter registered (as citizens advice suggested picking a supplier). They did a bit of digging for me and I've been talking to Eon about registering a shipperless supply. In the meantime my father was waiting for the gentleman to return armed with instructions to find out where he was from. He did return tonight, with a warrant. This time he had the police and all of his ID and helpfully gave my father a letter as he cut off the supply to his livelihood and took the meter away with a number to ring on Monday. I briefly got to talk to the gentleman on the phone as my parents rang me in distress. It sounded like this gentleman feels like he has made all the communication he needed to before taking the meter away. However, I've not seen any letters or correspondence from British gas. He claims to have been to the premises on numerous occasions and couldn't get access but the takeaway is not open before 5pm so if he came during regular working hours that would indeed be the case. He told me that the options were to "pay the bill tonight" or "be cut off" but we've had no additional bills and when I queried said bill on the phone to prevent being cut off he said he "hadn't worked it out yet". Having now read the only piece of written correspondence that has been left, it seems that my parents have been accused of tampering with their meter and they need to ring a phone number on Monday to settle an amount that is before reconnecting. I'm not disputing that there is a problem that needs to be rectified. However, I feel that to come and cut the supply off at 5pm on Friday night, knowing that their business can't run over the weekend and no one is around for them to seek help is quite out of order. Perhaps I should've called the mobile number first rather than seek third party advice but I honestly questioned the identity of the man who came round and wouldn't leave a business card or official letter. If the meter wasn't registered to British Gas was he allowed to take the meter? As I said I was in the process of talking to Eon to sort out the supply. I think the issue is murkied by the fact that the residential property and takeaway both share the same door number and apparently it is British Gas business which supplies the address. Thank you for taking the time to read. Haven't been able to sleep because of it. Any advice greatly appreciated.
  18. Mystery of 2 unknown British soldiers finally solved READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mystery-of-2-unknown-british-soldiers-finally-solved
  19. British Forces Post Office: last dates of posting in time for Christmas READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-forces-post-office-last-dates-of-posting
  20. Hi Took out car loan in 2005, we were given via british credit trust and i believe mis-sold ppi . I see they're shut now and when i google there doesn't seem much success in claiming back - i wonder if anyone has any links to addresses to claim back please and if its worth a shot ? Thanks v much xxx
  21. We rent retail premises which has a totally separate flat above it. A box on the wall at the rear of the property contains the electricity meters. British Gas were 'kind' enough to update the meters to digital style meters a couple of years ago, leaving the old meters in place but in the process they connected BOTH properties to one new meter. This means that British Gas are now billing the tenants of the flat at a domestic rate and ourselves in the shop on a business rate for the same electricity. We have it in writing from British Gas that this is the case, despite this, they were unable/unwilling to do anything about it, so we took our case to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman agreed BG should rectify the problem, but it did not happen, BG ignored the request and the Ombudsman tells us they have no power to force BG to carry out their recommendations. British gas have promised numerous times to come to meet us at the premises, so we can show them what has been done but never turn up, obviously BOTH bills are incorrect, since each bill is for the electricity used by whole building since there is now only one meter. Does anyone at all have any suggestions as to how we can get British Gas to take some action?
  22. Say they haven't increased their prices since 2013 and have lost nearly 400,000 customers which meant they posted a loss on their consumer business this last quarter ! I wonder why !! Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/personalfinance/british-gas-announces-major-hike-in-energy-prices-leaving-millions-of-customers-paying-more/ar-AAperr7?li=AA54rU&ocid=ientp
  23. I changed address at the end of March 2013. The energy supplier at the new address was British Gas. Amid ongoing PDL/council tax/bailiff hell I received the first gas/elec bill at the end of November 2013, in excess of £900. A DD was set up to pay for usage plus arrears. It was the first of several as I would agree the DD amount/date with Bgas who would then increase the amount and/or change the date - making if effectively impossible to budget. The DD ranged from £261 to £593. My partner's son took his own life at the end of August 2014. A friend offered to rent out a spare house to us in a different area to give us a welcome change of scene. We could stay for 5 years, which would give us a chance to heal our wounds. I paid the final gas/elec bill on 19th Dec 2014. The elec was nearly £600. Having just moved house, and just before xmas, it bounced. I set up a new DD for the energy supplies to the new house totalling £321, the first to be paid on 19th Jan 2015. One (elec £220) bounced. Bgas also attempted to take out the previously unpaid amount (nearly £600) the following day (bank account balance £21.78). It bounced. And so it continued, the bills being paid by a combination of wobbly DD's and ad-hoc debit card payments. I gradually extricated myself from PDL hell by a)giving up on paying them off and b)not taking out any more... I lost my contract at the end of October 2015 and, with no savings or any other form of contingency, had to bridge a month long wage gap with - you guessed it - a £1500 loan from myjar (£3000 by the time I paid it off). It barely covered the bills. In 2016 our friend/landlord announced the house was being put up for sale and evicted us. We moved again at the end of July 2016. I received final bills from the previous address (gas £323.30, elec £535.78) and paid in full on 18th Aug 2016. I retained Bgas as energy supplier due to the debit balance (859.08) at the time of the house move. Bgas demanded a security deposit of £90 & £215, which I paid. Their email explains: "What happens to your deposit If you've paid all your bills on time, we'll refund it after your first year with us. But if you haven't, we'll use your deposit to pay any debt you might have. Even if it's a different gas or electricity contract." Bgas also supplied me with 2 "sales order numbers" pending setup of my new accounts. Over the next few weeks I signed into my accounts to check progress (they'd advised me it could take "up to" two weeks or thereabouts). Thinking the delay might have something to do with the old elec account, I contacted them and asked them. They had no record of the account or the arrears. Okay... 8 months later (not unusual for bgas, given my previous experience) I had still heard nothing from them but received a letter from Scottish Power giving notice of gas/elec arrears of several hundred pounds and application for a warrant to enter, noting that - as our dog had woofed when they came to the house - they would also be charging us for the attendance of a dog handler, advising that this was "likely" to be distressing. A quick phonecall confirmed that Bgas had never supplied energy to us, the arrears related to a former tenant, not us, and new gas and electricity accounts were duly set up. I contacted Bgas requesting the return of my security deposits, which they have repaid by cheque. Meanwhile, my 74 year old mum fell ill and was admitted to hospital at the end of March 2017. Cancer tore through her like wildfire, so much so that a formal diagnosis had not been reached by the time she was discharged into our care 3 weeks later. She died at home 3 days later. I am the sole beneficiary of my mum's will, and the executor of her estate. She left me a modest house with about £20k outstanding on the mortgage. My intention was to obtain a new mortgage on the house to pay off the existing - a loan to value of less than 25%. I have approached mortgage advisers and have been told I COULD obtain a mortgage but for one thing: the outstanding Bgas account from December 2014 is showing as "status 6" on my credit report and has done for the last 22 months. If they had defaulted it within 3-6 months of the original late payment (i.e. March-April 2015), it wouldn't trouble the lender, and I would qualify for the mortgage. However, it had taken them until August 2016 (when I contacted them and was told they had no record of it) to mark it as a late payment at all! I feel a complaint to Bgas is in order for their persistent late billing, excessive variation of DD amounts and dates, gross inefficiency, lack of communication, and tardy, incompetent and inaccurate processing of my data. Would appreciate advice as to how to structure and target my complaint. Email to [email protected] ?? Thanks in advance!
  24. Dear BT, I am a new customer - I switched because I was told you were 'The Best'. I am happy with the Broadband services For the most part, I am happy with the telecom services, however, you MUST cease blocking calls to my land line. Specifically, you must cease telling the people you are blocking - that I have made the request to block them. I haven't - the reasons I have not asked you to do this, are A: one of the numbers you appear to be blocking is a hospital and I need to receive these calls - the other is a good friend ... and B: I wasn't even aware this service was available? How many other customers are not aware that calls are being blocked simply because the person making the call chooses to with-hold their number for one reason or another? Please don't try and say it is because of SPAM callers - with the technology you have - you should be able to differentiate, aside from which - I have already received 3 SPAM calls today.. why weren't they blocked?. Please take note that I am rapidly becoming an unhappy customer ! cagger citizenB
  25. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40338220 Barclays facing possible fraud charges in relation to Qatar 2008 deal. Given that there may now be a court process that follows, we have to be careful what we say, as public comment can be seen as prejudicial. The only observations i would make is that these allegations follow on from a long list of British Banking issues that have really made London look like a centre for dodgy practices and underhand dealing. The other issue is whether it is possible to put these cases in front of a jury, as i suspect that jurors might have a negative view of Bankers. In the US, they would deal with such cases relatively quickly and have expert Judges sitting to hear evidence. Recently it was revealed by Noel Edmunds that he attempted suicide following problems he had with HBOS concerning business accounts he had with them. If you search online there were large numbers of people affected by the illegal actions of HBOS Bankers. HSBC had problems in recent years, with allegations of accepting money from dodgy sources and also allegations about helping people avoid paying taxes due. If you searched online, i am sure you will find many issues affecting most large British Banks. The question is, does British Banking still have a better reputation than other major finance centres ? Personally, i think that the reputation has sunk to a low and only very tough regulation will help it recover.
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