British gas refusal of pre payment meter

[kirsty1983]

I was hoping someone can help me please?

 

2yrs or so ago as we were in debt with gas/electric with BG, we asked for the home top up meters to be put in so we can clear out debt (biggest mistake ever) we were told once you've cleared your debt you can ask us to remove the meter and put a standard one back in. So we cleared both debts off last year, asked for the meters to be taken out as we were paying more, we were told you aren't paying anymore than other people and we will have to wait a few months before we can ask them to remove them. So we waited and we rang up on monday as i'm sick of £15 on gas going in two days from having the heating on once a day and not using anything else gas related! They said oh we need to check your credit rating, so they checked my partner who's name it's under who has a better score than me failed the check! so they said nope you can't get them removed. I don't know what to do now, as they are costing us so much, it's only myself and partner that live here so far we've spent over £100 last month on Gas, i wouldn't mind if i could use a credit card to top up when we have no cash, as we are on income support due to my partner being disabled and me looking after him, hoping someone can shed some light on this please ?

[johnvernon74]

Have the taken the previous debt of your meter. Normally a meter is not any more expensive to run, and if you are using £15 in two days its either right or there is a problem with the meter. As them to check the meter and/or change supplier

[kirsty1983]

Both debts were cleared last year and taken off the meter. It just seems to be very expensive compared to other people i've asked on monthly etc billing. I will ask them to check the meter, but thinking about changing anyway.

[nohope]

They will come out and check the meter but if there is no fault found then you will get charged £70 for the call out..

Edited February 2, 2012 by nohope

[kirsty1983]

omg i don't want them to come out then lol

[nohope]

How long are you having the heating on each time for it to use that amount so quick?

[kirsty1983]

It depends but i try to hold off until about 1pm and stays on till either 6-7pm, normally i pop it on and wait until it clicks off, as we've got those old council thermostat wotsits that were put in when it was built.

[nohope]

I'm asuming its a very old boiler as well then. I have a back boiler which is out of the arc and if i left the heating on as long as you do it would use £15 in the first day.

 

Check what tariff your on with BG as you may find there are lower priced ones that you can change to.

[2Grumpy]

If you are on payment meters I don't think that you can change tariffs.

 

Maybe a call to BG to say that they said that you could change back to a credit meter when the debt was paid off & that there was no mention of a credit check, so they should either do that or issue a deadlock letter so you can go to the energy ombudsman

[nohope]

Yes you can change tariff. There about 4 different ones for pre pay customers.

 

To change back to credit meters means you need to go through the normal credit check that all utility companys do. They say you can change back which you can but only if you pass the credit check. I cant see how they could complain to the energy ombudsman because they did not pass a credit check..

[2Grumpy]

Yes you can change tariff. There about 4 different ones for pre pay customers.

 

To change back to credit meters means you need to go through the normal credit check that all utility companys do. They say you can change back which you can but only if you pass the credit check. I cant see how they could complain to the energy ombudsman because they did not pass a credit check..

 

Because that vital piece of information (that they would have to pass a credit check) was withheld ...

[nohope]

I dont't think it was withheld as such. When i went to pre pay meters i asked if i could go back to quarterly meters once the debt was paid of, they said yes, then i asked if there was credit checks to go through and they said yes.

I thought it was common knowledge that when getting credit or having electric/gas meters put in you always go through a credit check.

[ghjones]

I worked for British Gas until last may so hopefully I can give you advice.

 

Firstly, before I left the policy had changed for people with disabilities. If your partner is disabled and a prepayment meter is difficult for him to operate there is no need for a credit check and British Gas will arrange to change your meter without charge (even if you have a debt).

Secondly, British Gas credit vet pass scores are incredibly high and difficult to attain. In may when I left the pass score had gone from 650 to 900 (the max score attainable is 1400). The vast majority of people who we credit vetted failed. Also, if you had a debt with british gas in the past it must have been paid off for the previous 12 months before british gas will exchange your meter, even if you have passed the credit check.

As far as consumption is concerned, the price of gas has gone up by over 100% in the last 6 years. Expect to pay about £4 per day to heat an average house for a few hours per day.

If you are in receipt of benefits british gas will rebate you £130 to your electricity account (or meter if on prepayment). This is called the warm home discount and you can apply for this from may 2013 (you get payment in march 2014).

 

I hope this helps.