British Gas mixed up our energy meter – but now I’m being penalised
A resident in a new-build housing development in Shropshire is being penalised by British Gas after the energy company mixed up their energy meter. The resident had informed British Gas of their details when they moved in seven months ago, but the company continued to bil…
Intelligence analysis by Llama
A resident in a new-build housing development in Shropshire is being penalised by British Gas after the energy company mixed up their energy meter. The resident had informed British Gas of their details when they moved in seven months ago, but the company continued to bill the developer instead.
A resident in a new-build housing development in Shropshire is being penalised by British Gas after the energy company mixed up their energy meter. The resident had informed British Gas of their details when they moved in seven months ago, but the company continued to bill the developer instead. Now, the resident is being billed for a meter with a different reference number to their own, and is being penalised by British Gas for not paying bills for energy that may not have been used by them.
Analysis
A £13 Surcharge for a Mistake
The resident in question had informed British Gas of their details when they moved in seven months ago. However, the company continued to bill the developer instead. It was only after the resident contacted British Gas that the company finally put the account in their name. But even then, they were billed for a meter with a different reference number to their own.
The resident was then told that their tariff had increased by a total of 19% because they had cancelled their direct debit and forfeited the associated discount. This is despite the fact that the resident had cancelled the direct debit so that they wouldn't be paying for someone else's energy.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the resident is still getting contradictory bills that may or may not be theirs. They are also still waiting for the promised compensation.
A Systemic Problem?
The situation described by the resident is not an isolated incident. British Gas has confirmed that it has so far identified that the meters of all of the homes it supplies have been mixed up. This suggests that there may be a systemic problem with the way that energy meters are registered for new-build properties.
What's Next?
The resident is still waiting for a revised bill showing their household's actual consumption. They are also still waiting for the promised compensation. In the meantime, they are being penalised by British Gas for not paying bills for energy that may not have been used by them.
Key points
- A resident in a new-build housing development in Shropshire is being penalised by British Gas after the energy company mixed up their energy meter.
- The resident had informed British Gas of their details when they moved in seven months ago, but the company continued to bill the developer instead.
- The resident is now being billed for a meter with a different reference number to their own, and is being penalised by British Gas for not paying bills for energy that may not have been used by them.
- British Gas has confirmed that it has so far identified that the meters of all of the homes it supplies have been mixed up.
- The resident is still waiting for a revised bill showing their household's actual consumption, and is also still waiting for the promised compensation.
If British Gas can resolve the issue of mixed-up meters and provide accurate bills to residents, it could help to prevent further penalties and overcharging. Additionally, the company's confirmation that it has identified the problem with mixed-up meters suggests that it may be taking steps to address the issue.
If British Gas continues to penalise residents for not paying bills for energy that may not have been used by them, it could lead to further financial hardship for those affected. Additionally, the fact that the resident is still waiting for a revised bill showing their household's actual consumption suggests that the company may not be taking the issue seriously enough.
