BG System Errors Puts Us in Arrears

[trapp1st]

Recently, having received a British Gas statement of account for gas showing a large account credit - we are on a monthly payment plan - I enquired about getting a refund, for which a meter reading was requested. I was then contacted by a BG 'energy expert' who queried the lack of similarity between the meter reading I submitted and previous quarterly readings. It turned out after investigation and an exchange of emails with the BG 'energy expert' that owing to a "...system error..." admitted to by the 'expert', all my previous readings had been truncated on the last digit so that, e.g., 02307 units was recorded in the system as 230, and the same may also be true of a BG estimate that followed a change of meter last August, as that turned out to be particularly low.

 

The result of the accumulated errors in our gas consumption record, and the subsequent correction in the account using the correct value of my last meter reading, is that the account is now in arrears to a sum greater than the previously reported credit, and BG are now requesting a monthly payment more than double the current one - which we can ill afford to pay. BG have apologised but is that as good as it is going to get? Is there any other means of redress given that it is their system errors that have landed us in this situation?

 

trapp1st