B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

[gwenlillian]

Hi - I have been struggling to make BG understand that they are overcharging me due to their failure to accept that I do qualify for a lower tariff - after more than a year they have gone into court, without notifying me and obtained a warrant of entry. I had two days notice of their fitting date and found no way to address this with the Magistrates Court, since they said they had never heard of anyone trying to have a Magistrates Warrant set aside. I was very cross that they had told the court they had visited me at home when they absolutely had not and with other issues over charges and fees on my gas account I felt that I was now to be 'clobbered' for all with no recourse. BG fitted their meter with a £10 credit on Monday lunchtime. On Thurs (today) the card arrived. I dedicated the card to the meter then walked to the shops to buy credit. Hmm, I thought ten pounds, less the £3.55 means I should have had 6.45 available for gas, and if I put on another £6 that'll be £12.45 for one week. Sounds about right. Put the card in the meter and it took £3.55, then £1.85 and left me 60 pence for gas. Couldn't understand that so rang them. Oh, they said, it has taken the £3.55 okay, and the previous credit of ten pounds has been used up. Wow, I have a small house, one adult, one child. No gas oven, 6 radiators. They said the extra £1.85 was a percentage of the £10 that had to be repaid first. Who knew?? So, I was told to get anther pound onto the card and they would send a message to the meter to credit me back the £10. Off I go in the wind and rain again, to get £1. In fact I put on £2.00 just in case. BG had after all just told me that my consumption would be about 30 pence per day. I put the card in and it took the two pounds, it did not credit me anther £10 and it said I had now used £15.86 in gas. One hour before it said I had used £8 something. Even then I thought it was high as this would equate to over £3 per day. I rang BG again, and they said I had to go to the meter and read through the screens with them, so there I am, out in the front garden, in the gales and rain on my knees, torch in one hand, phone in the other, trying to make sense of this damn meter. Eventually the guy at BG admitted that this was wrong and that the previous conversation with them was also wrong as they could not send that through to the meter. They now say that I have to go back to the shops again with the card, to add £1 per day for 3 days, ending on Teusday next week in order to get back the £15.86. ? And, to get gas in the meantime I have to add a further £6 something now. Well, I have just been signed off by my doctor, I am not well, I have no more money to throw at this thing that says it is taking 80% of the money. I cannot see any way to stop us freezing over this weekend as even though BG are offering to refund, it is through this weird system with the card. Surely there is some other way to get this sorted out. I am so frustrated with this company. Any ideas?

[bluebottle]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

It is pretty obvious that BG obtained a warrant on perjured evidence and have clearly cocked-up which, for them, isn't that difficult. I feel you need to speak to CAB or your local Law Centre or Community Legal Service office about this. If you do not owe them any money, technically and legally, they do not, IMHO, have any grounds, in law, to apply for an entry warrant or to fit a key meter. Send an email to Phil Bentley, the CEO of Centrica, BG's "parent", at phil.bentley@centrica.co.uk, first, and take it from there if you don't get any joy.

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Hi and thanks for responding. I am thinking about those people you see on tv with bills for £7000 that arrive for a bungalow! I have several areas of complaint with BG and I do owe them some money, just not what they say I do and rather than resolve a longstanding dispute they fitted this meter, this being their way of ignoring my complaint and getting the monies in dispute. This all seems rather cavalier approach to me and they have abused the court process and now, seeing this prepay meter clocking up 'the miles' it kind of confirms my suspicions. I have jumped through various hoops with this and will continue, I have already contacted Mr Bentley's office, and their response was to tell BG engineer to get here as quick as possible: as stated by their representative at my door. Maybe because I wanted to set aside their warrant. I am happy to do watchdog or any other news programme to expose this company. (Historically: I had no joy in the past with HSBC 'til I went on Channel4 news.) thanks again.

[bluebottle]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Do we take it the BG engineer removed the pre-pay meter and replaced the credit meter? Or is this still outstanding? If BG start to drag their heels, give them 48 hours to change the meters or set aside goes ahead and it goes to the media without further notice.

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Hi - sorry I have not been too clear but they removed the credit meter and replaced with a key/card meter, and this has only managed to give me 60p of gas, now saying I owe over £15.00 in the space of three days. No warrant in hand when 'exercising' the warrant of entry. Magistrates Court remain in total confusion about due process. And, now, to top it all, the British Gas key meter for my electricity is not working and refuses to take my money and my son and I now face the prospect of no power at all. It beggars belief.

[bluebottle]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

I would get onto the media without delay. Sod applying for set aside. Firms like BG hate being exposed as liars, cheats and bullies. From what you have said, the media love this sort of story - "Single Parent Bullied By Major Company". I would not be surprised if you see a rapid change of attitude by BG once the media get involved.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

The electric key isnt working at all?

please let me know the town you are in and i will see what i can do at once.

Cards & keys

My electricity key is faulty/damaged, what should I do?

This could be a fault with your meter or your key.
Unable to top up at your local PayPoint store
Please try another location as this may be a problem with the store's terminal.
Find a PayPoint near you.
Error messages on your meter

If you have an error message on your meter it could be a problem with your key or your meter. If it is a fault with your key we can arrange a new one for you. If the fault is with your meter we can arrange for an engineer to fix it. Please call us on 0800 048 0303* so we can determine the problem.
When you call us, please make sure:

1. You're near your meter.
2. You've noted the fault message on the screen.
3. You have your meter serial number handy.

How to find your meter serial number

This is the number beginning with S or F and usually under the screen next to the barcode, as shown below. (If you can't find it, phone us when you're by the meter and we will help you.)



If you need a new key

When you call us we will give you a reference number. Wait at least 1 hour then take your reference number to your local PayPoint to collect your new key.

Unable to collect the key yourself?

We can post a new key to you within 3 working days. Call us on 0800 048 0303.*
*Calls may be recorded and/or monitored for quality assurance and compliance purposes.

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Hi - I've been doing some research and just got off the phone from B. Gas. They say that the key is faulty and that I should go to my shops, with reference number in hand, get new key, come back and that will solve the problem. I have to wait an hour first. Let's see. I have, of course, no faith in this working given the current fiasco with the gas meter card. Have already been twice to the shop with that one and still not giving me the refund they promised and have no idea if and when this will cut off. Sorry this is becoming two problems in one but at least 'tis all British Gas. BG tell me that the electric is a friendly meter and that it will not cut off until Monday, that they introduced this system so they would not have to send out engineers at the weekend at a cost of £90 per visit. How nice of them. Never mind that I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and have to walk in the rain to the shop for the third time at their request for their problematic and faulty systems/devices. No doubt I have also been charged for that warrant of entry somewhere along the line. BG say they do not make charges and that there is no standing charge on these meters. I don't agree. They also have failed to allow me any reduced tariff EVER. I have sent them my DWP letters and proof of financial hardship, I know that I qualify but they have refused me any assistance. The attitude is very much that we can do it so we will. I am in Milton Keynes. Thank you so much for your support. It makes a lot of difference to know that I am not just going crazy quietly here on my own. It doesn't take a lot to fall of that bottom rung, once you've been made redundant and I can't help but notice that many people are quite hostile to the 'poor'. It is very hard to exercise your rights. Might be back later, if the key thingy works, if not, then no power thus no phone etc.

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Hi - it worked, I have the electric on. Unfortunately the power went off in the house before I got back from the shop and my son, who has A.S.D., went loopy. Unpleasant time trying to make him understand what had gone wrong ending with me breathless and in bed to rest. Oh the joys of the British Gas system.
Will be writing some letters for Monday and wonder what Ofgem may, or may do. Will keep you posted.:tinysmile_hmm_t2:

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Thank heavens you have lights.

I would write to Ofgem and perhaps your local MP too.

[bluebottle]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Did BG know you have COPD and your son ASD? If they did, they are in big trouble. That is a clear breach of Section 3, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (Endangering the Health & Safety of the Public). Something tells me Phil Bentley will be wanting to kick the backsides of the idiots responsible for your situation around BG's Head Office Car Park a few times.

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Hi - still here amazingly. Yes, I have been arguing with B.Gas for some time and sending them letters but they are so rude when they phone, although it has been some time since anyone from BG has actually spoken to me. They close the complaints no sooner do they receive them. I am starting to look at this 'bigger picture' as they now run both my meters and get my head around Standing Charges, incidentally, do you know if the standing charges should attract VAT? many thanks

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Did BG know you have COPD and your son ASD? If they did, they are in big trouble. That is a clear breach of Section 3, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (Endangering the Health & Safety of the Public). Something tells me Phil Bentley will be wanting to kick the backsides of the idiots responsible for your situation around BG's Head Office Car Park a few times.

Hi - in the morning we will have no heating re the errors with the gas prepay meter. Currently we are using their 'friendly' supply despite the meter showing a credit of £15.00. I see from my documents list that I have been writing to BG since 2008 and had identified £122 in charges/fees by 2009. I had been complaining about persons in financial hardship and notice my answering a letter from them where they accused me of putting the phone down on them. It seems funny that it went quiet from their end before they slipped into court with this prepay malarky. Am I right in saying that it would be a waste of time dealing with BG at all and that I need to compose a chronological order of events and issues, copy letters from me to them and send it all to Ofgem and MP. thanks PS. I cannot pay for a SAR.

[Inca]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Go on to the British Gas website,you will find a link for British Gas Energy Trust,,apply for a grant to clear your arrears,,they are available and they do pay them out.
When you ask them to take the prepay meter out again they will give you some codswallop about having to keep it a year blah blah,,it's rubbish,,explain your health issues and tell them you are going to report them.

[gwenlillian]

Re: B. Gas prepay meter fiasco

Thank you - in fact I see they have left me a form - the guy said they would match my payments. Not sure what that means really but will get it completed and sent off with my doctors note, son's reports etc. I have now cancelled my boiler service cover that I have been paying BG 17 p.mth for - which was just as well I had it as I was asked to call them in to relight the boiler, as the guy who fitted the prepay meter couldn't do it and left me here without hot water on heating - couldn't make this stuff up could you.