Anyone here with British Gas?

[WTFH]

In the current market only a grade A muppet would change suppliers (unless things were significantly changing like an electric car arriving).

Have you been paying no attention to what Martin Lewis has been saying continually since October.

I've been paying attention to what he says, even in his mail shot from yesterday...

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ut...ly-worth-it--/

[jamesbrown]

Somebody earlier sent me a private message detailing how I can filter out certain posters. Goodbye.

Sure they did, Gricer.

[SueEllen]

I've been paying attention to what he says, even in his mail shot from yesterday...

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ut...ly-worth-it--/

Then you would also realise that most people haven't been allowed to change suppliers as the vast majority are refusing to take on new customers.

This includes people who have moved home or want a completely new supply.

[AtW]

Long story short, I've got a smart meter yet they are still giving me eye watering estimated bills which eventually get rectified down the line when they create a bill from an actual reading. However having to pay a monthly bill of £210 when in reality I owe £95 is bang out of order. Do they think I'm here to offer 0% loans to them or something?

Unfortunately they are totally uncontactable via phone because I haven't got all day to wait in the damn queue. Is there anywhere else I can take this complaint - some kind of onbudsman / regulator or something?

FOG

[AtW]

The gricer bot is obviously clinically depressed, as well as terminally thick. He's like Marvin the Paranoid Android, but thick.

Also Marvin had a space gun

[courtg9000]

Long story short, I've got a smart meter yet they are still giving me eye watering estimated bills which eventually get rectified down the line when they create a bill from an actual reading. However having to pay a monthly bill of £210 when in reality I owe £95 is bang out of order. Do they think I'm here to offer 0% loans to them or something?

Unfortunately they are totally uncontactable via phone because I haven't got all day to wait in the damn queue. Is there anywhere else I can take this complaint - some kind of onbudsman / regulator or something?

What did the folks on the IPSE forum say?

[Guy At Charnock Richard]

Ok, it seems that I have finally got them to generate a bill based on actual meter readings (after 1.5 hours on their chat - I was like position 1000 when I joined!)

I'm just going to have to remember to submit readings the day before my billing date but as I'm on the standard variable rate (haven't been in the property long), I'm not going to do DD because I still don't trust them not not create huge estimated bills even when they're getting regular readings & deducting that amount from my account.

[mattster]

Ok, it seems that I have finally got them to generate a bill based on actual meter readings (after 1.5 hours on their chat - I was like position 1000 when I joined!)

I'm just going to have to remember to submit readings the day before my billing date but as I'm on the standard variable rate (haven't been in the property long), I'm not going to do DD because I still don't trust them not not create huge estimated bills even when they're getting regular readings & deducting that amount from my account.

Up to you, but I think the DD discount is something like 5%, which is getting on for a significant amount of cash at today's energy prices. I wouldn't worry too much about overcharging since you'll get it all back eventually, although I suppose it might harm the cashflow.

On the topic of "smart" meters, they are basically useless, or at least the 1st gen ones are. We had them fitted when we moved into our place 6 years ago, and then switched providers a few months later - at which point they lost all smart functionality and we needed to submit meter readings. Totally pointless, although of course it saves the energy company a bit of money since for some reason they can demand you read your own smart meter but they used to come round and read the old ones themselves (or have they stopped doing that now?).

[Guy At Charnock Richard]

Up to you, but I think the DD discount is something like 5%, which is getting on for a significant amount of cash at today's energy prices. I wouldn't worry too much about overcharging since you'll get it all back eventually, although I suppose it might harm the cashflow.

On the topic of "smart" meters, they are basically useless, or at least the 1st gen ones are. We had them fitted when we moved into our place 6 years ago, and then switched providers a few months later - at which point they lost all smart functionality and we needed to submit meter readings. Totally pointless, although of course it saves the energy company a bit of money since for some reason they can demand you read your own smart meter but they used to come round and read the old ones themselves (or have they stopped doing that now?).

Yes, it just sticks in the craw somewhat when the estimate is grossly overinflated because I'm effectively lending them money for 1 month at 0 percent.

I didn't have a smart meter in my last house and I was there 4 years without ever having a visit from a meter reader. They just came to read the water meter.

[mattster]

Yes, it just sticks in the craw somewhat when the estimate is grossly overinflated because I'm effectively lending them money for 1 month at 0 percent.

I didn't have a smart meter in my last house and I was there 4 years without ever having a visit from a meter reader. They just came to read the water meter.

It's either that or lend it to your bank at 0.1%, and I'd rather be surprised to the upside when the real bill comes than the other way around.