1 star rating is too generous! (British Gas)

Member Name: Katy_roberts85

Product:	British Gas
Date:	03/10/09 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: nothing

Disadvantages: service and price

We joined British gas when moving into our new home because they were the holding supplier and we thought it would be easier to stick with them...how wrong we were!

I set up our account in joint names with me and my partner. About a month later I received a gas bill for in excess of £500!!! I could not understand how we had accrued such a bill in a 1 bedroom house with no central heating. After many calls it turns out that they had put my name against the debt from the previous tenant and my partners name on the new accont. Having gotten to the bottom of this I thought it was resolved and they sorted it out. Again, how wrong I was.

They amended their database but conveiently neglected to tell their debt collectors so we had debtors letters turning up threatening bailiffs as we owed so much money. Again a few phone calls resolved this but still my partner was very upset by it all as was mid uiversity finals and did not need the extra stress.

To them this little mix up meant nothing but to us meant we were actually declined from applying for a new bank account because it had affected my creidt rating which was fine before this happened. I was fuming.

None the less we stuck with them through their ridiculous price hikes and all.

The straw that broke the camels back however was when I paid my bills on time as always, over the phone by debit card. They gave me my payment reference numbers which silly me thought meant the payment was confirmed. Alas, that is clearly too much to expect. A month later they started sending overdue notices for the two bills and threatening legal action again. Apparenlty despite giving me payment reference numbers and confiming the card transaction over the phone it is still my resposnibility to esure they take the money - what more could I have done??? I gave them everything needed to take the money!!!

Apart from dire service their prices are high and overall I would advise to avoid this company at all opportunity.

Summary: awful awful awful