I'm at my wit's end. I live in a one bedroom flat and work full time. My current direct debit is £49 per month and I have just over £200 in credit. I have just been informed by British Gas that my direct debit is being upped to £60 per month. This was advised when I phoned them to ask for the credit back. I just don't understand how I can be in credit and yet now have a higher direct debit. The British Gas advisors were not very pleasant when I asked them for a full break-down. I would be grateful if someone could advise. Secondly, I think £60 a month for a one bedroom flat is really high. My mother (also with BG) pays £26 a month for her 1 bedroom flat and is in all the time and my electricity consumption (accordingly to BG) is 2.5 times higher. How can this be? I have the usual fridge-freezer on all day but this is the only electricity running between the hours of 8am and 8pm at night. The washing machine is used once a week, the kettle 2-3 times a week, the gas oven once a day. I just can't work out why this is so high. I would ideally like someone to check that my meter is not faulty so any advice would be helpful.

Thanks

hey i'd personally contact bg get your full last year consumption in kwh then id do a comparison online for the cheapest provider in your area, and i dont think your meter would be faulty with yourself been in credit aswell by £200

Hi Frances1970, While you have provided a wealth of infomation there is much that you haven't provided that is unfortunately quite important. I'll put together a list of the infomation that'd be real useful in helping you with this situation. In the meantime, you have two choices either A. While we work through the problem allow the direct debit to be increased or B. request that for your next payment (and maybe a subsequent payment) that you direct debit is reduced back to earlier levels. As you are in credit they cannot refuse this although they can and will vehemently (overly so maybe) attempt to persuade you otherwise.

While I can understand your concerns over the disparity between your own bills and that of your mother there are too many varibales to make an accurate comparrison. Tarriff, usage, building make-up, energy efficiency measures, appliances, metering are just a few examples.

1. I'd like to know if your energy bills have been based on actual meter readings, either provided by the meter reader or by yourself.

2. Can you obtain your annual consumption according to British Gas, and what tarriff are you on.

3. You called for a refund, but didn't clarify if you actually got one. Did you get a refund AND an increase in your direct debit, or just an icnrease in your payments.

4. You mention a gas upply, is this also with British Gas if so is it on the same tarriff as your electricty, if not whcih tarriff and which supplier.

5. Does the meter serial number printed on your bill match the number on your physical meter?

This will help me answer your concerns about British Gas's decision. Additionaly if you could answer the points below we can look at improving the your situation.

A. Do you have regualar access to the internet?

B. Do you own the property?

C. Are there any area's where you will be able to sensibly reduce you consumption (energy efficiency -- turning applainces off, energy efficient lightbulbs etc.)

D. Can you take your meter readings at the begining and end of a 7 day period, during which use your energy as you normaly would and provide those readings here.

Thank you very much for your very prompt response. I will go through your comments at home where quite typically I've got all the information. I will respond over the weekend. Many thanks.

Frances

Thanks .... I've just ordered that to get the full year. I hadn't thought about getting the comparison so that is helpful.

frances

Frances1970:

I would ideally like someone to check that my meter is not faulty so any advice would be helpful.

Not impossible to have a faulty meter but very unlikely and not relevant until you begin to get a handle on your consumption according to your meter reading, not your Direct Debit payment. Billing error in all its forms is much more likely than meter error.

Start reading you meter. Initially daily for a week, then weekly for a month, then monthly. Whenever you get a bill or a statement with an estimated reading submit a customer reading and insist the bill or statement is re-issued. Anybody able to post here should be able to manage an online tariff and benefit from better rates and easy provision of customer meter reads as well as less opportunity to come across "not very pleasant" advisers.

Anyway, is the £49 (or £60) electricity only or gas and electric? You mentioned a gas oven but nothing about any heating.

Hello Frances,

I hope you did get your 200 pounds back, you have a right to have this repayment?

Taking into account your payments above and that the 200 pounds was gained over 1 year, your direct debit needs to be amended to 33 pounds per month.

I hope you have patience to continue to deal with customer services, if not I would advise the help of a friend or relative.

Lastly keep an eye on your bill's regarding charged for units against your own meter readings.

Regards Michael John

Michael John:

Taking into account your payments above and that the 200 pounds was gained over 1 year, your direct debit needs to be amended to 33 pounds per month.

As has been pointed out by myself and Jalexa there isn't sufficient infomation to provide this claim. At best your providing false hope, at worse setting the customer up for a big fall. While I understand the sentiment behind your advice, the advice itself is dangerous at best without sufficient infomation to provide an accurate response (see my earlier post that remains unanswered).

That said, I Hope that Frances does have an answer and resolution to their problems, by now.