British Gas

BigJohnsPens

Well-known member
We moved into a new house in august and since then have been having lots of problems with British Gas. They keep sending us bills although we can’t submit a meter reading despite there being a smart meter in the house which they say isn’t connected. It’s impossible trying to speak to them with massive wait times and then a total lack of knowledge about their products.

Anyone else had a similar experience?
 
Not on moving into a new place but something else. I had problems earlier in the year even getting to speak to a human being at all. I ended up putting in a complaint which they actually dealt with quite well (I was paid some money in the event) but they did say they had recently changed procedures so that it was possible to speak to someone. I guess that's not much good either if there's a long queue and then they can't deal with the issue.
 
If you do social media try contacting them through @BritishGasHelp. I had an issue with Sainsburys Bank and it was virtually impossible getting to speak to anyone so I contacted them through a Twitter page and they responded and sorted it pretty quickly. Best of luck.
 
Just got of the phone to them for the third time about the same issue.

My mam passed away earlier in the year and they sent me a bill. Then a little later a revised bill which had dates the property was no longer hers.

I then got a letter threatening me with debt collectors. I called them to explain about the bill been wrong and I was waiting for letter of probate. The woman I dealt with did not give me much confidence despite been on the phone for over n hr and 1/2.

This appeared to solve problem for a few weeks, got a revised bill with the correct dates on.

This was followed by another letter demanding payment , I again phoned them to retell the story. It turns out that she was actually in credit, owed £30 on one account but was I credit of £57 on the other account so have netted them off and are sending a credit.
 
We moved into a new house in august and since then have been having lots of problems with British Gas. They keep sending us bills although we can’t submit a meter reading despite there being a smart meter in the house which they say isn’t connected. It’s impossible trying to speak to them with massive wait times and then a total lack of knowledge about their products.

Anyone else had a similar experience?
Have you tried to submit a meter reading? If you can get a reading from the meter it is most probably connected, and that would be a start.
 
I can take a reading manually but I can’t input it online or by telephone unfortunately. I am on the phone to them now after waiting 1 hr 50 mins.
 
I went over to them in October when People's energy went bust. I had a couple of problems with them regarding bills and readings as follows.

Firstly, I submitted a reading for gas and electric on the date that they requested but on subsequent visits to my account it was showing as "no readings submitted." The queue for phone calls was too long and so I entered into an online chat with one of their advisors (the initial question is answered by a bot then they hand you over to a real person). The advisor then asked me for my readings and he entered them.

Secondly, after waiting three days for my readings to appear I accessed my account to find that they had the same reading for my daytime and nighttime electricity. Once again I entered an online chat and they sorted it out there and then.

In short, I did have a couple of problems but my advice is go straight to online chat, and they will sort you out.
 
Had a similar issue with Scottish Power in March.
The previous occupier moved out in October 2020 - so a good 5 months.
Scottish power kept sending me a bill, then an amended bill - which each time was considerably more than the last one.
From day one, I was with Octopus Energy and had done all the necessary admin to ensure successful switch to Octupus on the day I moved in.
Octopus uncapped the gas and installed a smart meter on the same day.
Scottish Power [previous occupants supplier] insisted I was with them and refused to acknowledge I had formally switched - a process I began in January 2020.
They insisted I owed them 300 pounds - in spite of the fact the gas meter had been capped from October to March.
Like the posters above, I spent days phoning - waiting - being cut off - phoning...when I did get through, the person at the other end just read from a screen, details based on my postcode and house number. It was like being talked at by a robot.
I explained that the property had been vacant since October 2020 - but she insisted I had to pay the bill!
My solicitor [at a cost of 20 pounds] sent them a snotty letter:
I received a "Final Demand" for 495 pounds!
In the end, it took them until June this year to admit they had made a mistake and sent me an apology letter!
Nightmare.
 
Can’t you create an online account with them? We have one. Then you can submit readings online, check balances etc.
 
Contact the Managing Director yourself via email. Be polite, succinct and clear in your email to him and I'm positive it'll be given to somebody sensible to deal with. His email address is matthew.bateman@britishgas.co.uk

I'm not one for feeling sorry for companies like BG who rip off their customers but the industry is in turmoil at the minute. Not surprising there's mauve issues with phone lines etc


Good luck
 
I posted on here to say I could not find a telephone number for their customer services. They do everything they can to not speak to customers. They used to be fine but something changed a couple of years back and now its online chat if you are lucky. There is usually a queue for that as well.

I just wanted to give them a meter reading. I notice a facility has been reinstalled on their website for meter readings.

They have also stopped reading meters and everyone is told to get a smart meter, but my elderly mum refused so she had 3 years of estimated bills.
 
We moved into a new house in august and since then have been having lots of problems with British Gas. They keep sending us bills although we can’t submit a meter reading despite there being a smart meter in the house which they say isn’t connected. It’s impossible trying to speak to them with massive wait times and then a total lack of knowledge about their products.

Anyone else had a similar experience?
One of the main reasons I moved to Octopus.
It's possible to speak to a real person who is knowledable and helpful
BG, Northern Power Grid, Northumbria Water.... all of the same ilk. Zero customer service and they all really do not give a fk.
 
I posted on here to say I could not find a telephone number for their customer services. They do everything they can to not speak to customers. They used to be fine but something changed a couple of years back and now its online chat if you are lucky. There is usually a queue for that as well.

I just wanted to give them a meter reading. I notice a facility has been reinstalled on their website for meter readings.

They have also stopped reading meters and everyone is told to get a smart meter, but my elderly mum refused so she had 3 years of estimated bills.
Thats got to be wrong? Surely.?
They cant force anyone to have a smart meter.
Your mam could be well in credit.
Sod that.
Get in their ear.
 
One of the main reasons I moved to Octopus.
It's possible to speak to a real person who is knowledable and helpful
BG, Northern Power Grid, Northumbria Water.... all of the same ilk. Zero customer service and they all really do not give a fk.
Octopus are financially sound and a genuine renewables company.
I agree - since day one they have been brilliant - not some corporate robot.
Excellent service and always willing to listen and be helpful.
Reccommend them above the "big 6"?!! any day(y)

 
Back
Top