Continuously fobbed off by British Gas

veriterc

Thanks for advice re harrassment.   Going to be very useful.
Did try Citizen's Advice, but came to a halt when British Gas gave me a 
discount - which stopped them.  However this was a clever ploy on BG's 
part as it got me off their back, but no explanation from them.  Do feel 
dolicitor is only way I can get them to explain how I got an £8,000 bill for three month's fuel!

 

Cartini

Emma52 said:

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said: In response to Energy Companies and MPs having a difficult time: These people are paid to do a job which they were either contracted or elected to do. I fail to see why they deserve our sympathy and understanding when they are obviously not giving that to the people they have failed. I can forgive a genuine mistake but these are mistakes with financial benefit to those making them. I'm sorry Cartini but my Halo is in the dry cleaners lol
 

Stuart34604 said:

Emma52 said:

I'm down as being a Vulnerable British Gas Customer. I now feel this just means they feel I'm even less important. Their workman broke my pay as you go metre and now they have ran both myself and my voluntary carer ragged trying to load a new PAYG card. They keep pushing for me to go onto a smart metre but I know I have the right not to. They have given my carer several codes to use at a specific shop and not one of them worked. We've phoned for hours, emailed their CEO, complained on their FB site and in a chat room. As it stands I am too scared to use hot water/heating as the money that is on the metre will soon expire. I am sat at home with candles to take the edge off the cold wearing layers of warm clothing. I was told that if I complain to the ombudsman they could tell British Gas to take action but that British Gas are not legally bound to do anything they say. Help please.

I having problems with British gas too,not replying to my complaint email. Asked my MP Charlotte Nichols for help & she done nothing. 

I going to withhold the gas electricity bill money if no reply & remedy by December.

You have to bear in mind that the utility companies are going through a lot too; all customers from the companies that have folded are being divided amongst the main players which means they will be very busy. Likewise for your MP; you don`t know why she hasn`t responded, she may be busy with higher priority issues.  Life isn`t black and white.

In response to Cartini who commented on Stuart 34604 post: I find it difficult to feel sorry for Energy companies and Politicians who you say are going through a difficult timh

That`s your choice; like I said earlier.... life isn`t black and white.

I totally agree. Life isn't black and white. But that leaves me with a void of understanding your point. Could you give me an example of when it is ok for anyone not to do what they are paid to do when it could leave a vulnerable person without heating, light etc. Much appreciation in advance.

My point being you aren`t the only person who is struggling; there are thousands of others like you and I would put money on it that some of them are a higher priority than you.

You refuse to accept that the "big names" are being blindsided by having to take on the failures; this results in their software having to be redesigned / rewritten, placing more pressure on their employees.

veriterc

I think it frightening how many of us there are.  If anyone has the energy, could you email your MP and ask them to take note of the APPG for elderly meeting to discuss Fuel Poverty with Minister for Pensions on Dec. 1st .  Commernts, saying how hard you are finding things,  filling their inboxes might jog them to do something!

Emma52

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said: In response to Energy Companies and MPs having a difficult time: These people are paid to do a job which they were either contracted or elected to do. I fail to see why they deserve our sympathy and understanding when they are obviously not giving that to the people they have failed. I can forgive a genuine mistake but these are mistakes with financial benefit to those making them. I'm sorry Cartini but my Halo is in the dry cleaners lol
 

Stuart34604 said:

Emma52 said:

I'm down as being a Vulnerable British Gas Customer. I now feel this just means they feel I'm even less important. Their workman broke my pay as you go metre and now they have ran both myself and my voluntary carer ragged trying to load a new PAYG card. They keep pushing for me to go onto a smart metre but I know I have the right not to. They have given my carer several codes to use at a specific shop and not one of them worked. We've phoned for hours, emailed their CEO, complained on their FB site and in a chat room. As it stands I am too scared to use hot water/heating as the money that is on the metre will soon expire. I am sat at home with candles to take the edge off the cold wearing layers of warm clothing. I was told that if I complain to the ombudsman they could tell British Gas to take action but that British Gas are not legally bound to do anything they say. Help please.

I having problems with British gas too,not replying to my complaint email. Asked my MP Charlotte Nichols for help & she done nothing. 

I going to withhold the gas electricity bill money if no reply & remedy by December.

You have to bear in mind that the utility companies are going through a lot too; all customers from the companies that have folded are being divided amongst the main players which means they will be very busy. Likewise for your MP; you don`t know why she hasn`t responded, she may be busy with higher priority issues.  Life isn`t black and white.

In response to Cartini who commented on Stuart 34604 post: I find it difficult to feel sorry for Energy companies and Politicians who you say are going through a difficult timh

That`s your choice; like I said earlier.... life isn`t black and white.

I totally agree. Life isn't black and white. But that leaves me with a void of understanding your point. Could you give me an example of when it is ok for anyone not to do what they are paid to do when it could leave a vulnerable person without heating, light etc. Much appreciation in advance.

My point being you aren`t the only person who is struggling; there are thousands of others like you and I would put money on it that some of them are a higher priority than you.

You refuse to accept that the "big names" are being blindsided by having to take on the failures; this results in their software having to be redesigned / rewritten, placing more pressure on their employees.

Emma52

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said: In response to Energy Companies and MPs having a difficult time: These people are paid to do a job which they were either contracted or elected to do. I fail to see why they deserve our sympathy and understanding when they are obviously not giving that to the people they have failed. I can forgive a genuine mistake but these are mistakes with financial benefit to those making them. I'm sorry Cartini but my Halo is in the dry cleaners lol
 

Stuart34604 said:

Emma52 said:

I'm down as being a Vulnerable British Gas Customer. I now feel this just means they feel I'm even less important. Their workman broke my pay as you go metre and now they have ran both myself and my voluntary carer ragged trying to load a new PAYG card. They keep pushing for me to go onto a smart metre but I know I have the right not to. They have given my carer several codes to use at a specific shop and not one of them worked. We've phoned for hours, emailed their CEO, complained on their FB site and in a chat room. As it stands I am too scared to use hot water/heating as the money that is on the metre will soon expire. I am sat at home with candles to take the edge off the cold wearing layers of warm clothing. I was told that if I complain to the ombudsman they could tell British Gas to take action but that British Gas are not legally bound to do anything they say. Help please.

I having problems with British gas too,not replying to my complaint email. Asked my MP Charlotte Nichols for help & she done nothing. 

I going to withhold the gas electricity bill money if no reply & remedy by December.

You have to bear in mind that the utility companies are going through a lot too; all customers from the companies that have folded are being divided amongst the main players which means they will be very busy. Likewise for your MP; you don`t know why she hasn`t responded, she may be busy with higher priority issues.  Life isn`t black and white.

In response to Cartini who commented on Stuart 34604 post: I find it difficult to feel sorry for Energy companies and Politicians who you say are going through a difficult timh

That`s your choice; like I said earlier.... life isn`t black and white.

I totally agree. Life isn't black and white. But that leaves me with a void of understanding your point. Could you give me an example of when it is ok for anyone not to do what they are paid to do when it could leave a vulnerable person without heating, light etc. Much appreciation in advance.

My point being you aren`t the only person who is struggling; there are thousands of others like you and I would put money on it that some of them are a higher priority than you.

You refuse to accept that the "big names" are being blindsided by having to take on the failures; this results in their software having to be redesigned / rewritten, placing more pressure on their employees.

Your first two points are unfortunately SO very true. But I should point out I my original post was not for sympathy but for help.
Your second paragraph referring to big names, well big names are owned/run by people with great big wage packets for which they are expected to be competent enough to cope with failures, employing top software designers etc.
As for those that answer the telephones (albeit eventually, if you are lucky/patient) I dare say they have a pretty good idea they are misinforming customers because they are not unintelligent and must wonder why the information they give out and change, doesn't actually work.
I feel sorry for the people who take a low wage and daren't question what they are told to do by the bosses because they have a roof to keep over their heads and mouths to feed at home, I truly do.
But at the end of the day the buck stops with the top bosses and for them I do feel they should definitely be doing more. Have a joyous day 

Seb_Clarke

Emma52 said:

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said:

Emma52 said:

Cartini said: In response to Energy Companies and MPs having a difficult time: These people are paid to do a job which they were either contracted or elected to do. I fail to see why they deserve our sympathy and understanding when they are obviously not giving that to the people they have failed. I can forgive a genuine mistake but these are mistakes with financial benefit to those making them. I'm sorry Cartini but my Halo is in the dry cleaners lol
 

Stuart34604 said:

Emma52 said:

I'm down as being a Vulnerable British Gas Customer. I now feel this just means they feel I'm even less important. Their workman broke my pay as you go metre and now they have ran both myself and my voluntary carer ragged trying to load a new PAYG card. They keep pushing for me to go onto a smart metre but I know I have the right not to. They have given my carer several codes to use at a specific shop and not one of them worked. We've phoned for hours, emailed their CEO, complained on their FB site and in a chat room. As it stands I am too scared to use hot water/heating as the money that is on the metre will soon expire. I am sat at home with candles to take the edge off the cold wearing layers of warm clothing. I was told that if I complain to the ombudsman they could tell British Gas to take action but that British Gas are not legally bound to do anything they say. Help please.

I having problems with British gas too,not replying to my complaint email. Asked my MP Charlotte Nichols for help & she done nothing. 

I going to withhold the gas electricity bill money if no reply & remedy by December.

You have to bear in mind that the utility companies are going through a lot too; all customers from the companies that have folded are being divided amongst the main players which means they will be very busy. Likewise for your MP; you don`t know why she hasn`t responded, she may be busy with higher priority issues.  Life isn`t black and white.

In response to Cartini who commented on Stuart 34604 post: I find it difficult to feel sorry for Energy companies and Politicians who you say are going through a difficult timh

That`s your choice; like I said earlier.... life isn`t black and white.

I totally agree. Life isn't black and white. But that leaves me with a void of understanding your point. Could you give me an example of when it is ok for anyone not to do what they are paid to do when it could leave a vulnerable person without heating, light etc. Much appreciation in advance.

My point being you aren`t the only person who is struggling; there are thousands of others like you and I would put money on it that some of them are a higher priority than you.

You refuse to accept that the "big names" are being blindsided by having to take on the failures; this results in their software having to be redesigned / rewritten, placing more pressure on their employees.

Your first two points are unfortunately SO very true. But I should point out I my original post was not for sympathy but for help.
Your second paragraph referring to big names, well big names are owned/run by people with great big wage packets for which they are expected to be competent enough to cope with failures, employing top software designers etc.
As for those that answer the telephones (albeit eventually, if you are lucky/patient) I dare say they have a pretty good idea they are misinforming customers because they are not unintelligent and must wonder why the information they give out and change, doesn't actually work.
I feel sorry for the people who take a low wage and daren't question what they are told to do by the bosses because they have a roof to keep over their heads and mouths to feed at home, I truly do.
But at the end of the day the buck stops with the top bosses and for them I do feel they should definitely be doing more. Have a joyous day 

I don't feel any sympathy for the energy companies because they are making massive profits. As far as the technology is concerned, we are expected to jump through hoops with their online "Customer relationship management" software that don't work for many of us. If one tries and calls British Gas or any provider you have to Press1 Press4 PressThis PressThat and often messed about and get nowhere. We are the "CRM" and "Technology guinea pig customers" having to put up with all of the failings of their systems, and on top of that get charged for the bad experience!!