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*British Gas Help* : Escalating a longstanding complaint. 🤬

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Marydoll Fri 10-Nov-23 08:18:47

I'm hoping some gransnetters, who have been in a similar situation can offer advice.

In April, WE alerted British Gas that we were getting exceptionally high readings from a smart meter.
After months of wrangling, they acknowledged that it was faulty and replaced it with a reconditioned non smart meter.
This failed last week and the meter had to be replaced as an emergency. We have had three meters since May.

Last month our DD was increased to £740, to cover the incorrect £5000 debit on our account, which they have already acknowledged, we do not owe.

Despite having an official complaint ref no, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.
Yesterday we received an email requesting permission to close our complaint and offering debt counselling to pay a bill, which we do not owe. I was incandescent when I read it, especially the suggestion of liquidating our assests to pay the bill.🤬

We have another week, before we can refer it to the Energy Ombusdman.

Has anyone been in a similar position? We are at our wit's end.

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Marydoll Tue 14-Nov-23 20:09:24

Fortunately, we have not closed the complaint. Obviously the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing or their axxx from their elbow.

We had all this paperwork from British Gas today, detailing specifically how they have resolved it. Then some random person goes in tonight and changes it all again! What a bunch of idiots. 🤬
Watch this space!

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Granniesunite Tue 14-Nov-23 20:11:06

Marydoll

Guess what?

Tonight we have had an email from someone totally different, (not the person handling our complaint) who has changed our DD again to cover what we owe!
Except we don't owe anything!!! 🤬

I have lost the will to live!!!!

Really marydollI have so much sympathy but it’s so so funny the way you phase it ..you should write a book .

I’d be tempted to tell them wherethey can put their smart metor.😇

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Mizuna Tue 14-Nov-23 20:22:08

I've followed your saga with horror Marydoll, having had two awful experiences with British Gas and Scottish Power. The first trailed me from Liverpool to Cornwall and accused me of owing them a load of money and also threatening bailiffs, which really scared me. I owed them nothing. Scottish Power wouldn't believe I wasn't a certain person with a different name (and my landlord had never had a tenant of that name) and sent me a bailiff's letter. I was petrified, even though I knew they were in the wrong. The bailiff said, 'Oh Scottish Power are always getting it wrong.' The stress was really awful, so I totally sympathise with your situation.

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Grannytomany Wed 15-Nov-23 05:49:14

The ombudsman is the way to go. Their helpline is excellent in helping you get started with a case and in answering any queries you have thereafter.

Scottish Power made a complete cock up of pretty much everything when we switched to them a couple of years ago and I spent months going through their complaints process without any resolution of our issues so in desperation I went to the ombudsman who accepted the case and eventually (not a fast process) everything was sorted to our satisfaction and the ombudsman ruled on the amount of compensation Scottish Power had to pay us.

So do please go that route. The energy companies will not ignore the ombudsman.

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