A customer experience about British Gas

Status: Approved

#CustomerService #FinancialLoss #Inconvenienced  Frustrated Furious Anxious 

Kindly shared by C. Geddes

What happened

Back in November British Gas left me and my 3 month old in a storm with no gas or electricity. During these 10 hours we were blatantly lied to about what was said during previous calls, spoken to rudely, hung up on and the best one of all, there was an engineer in our street that morning yet no one was sent to our address until 8pm. Due to this hassle I tried to switch both supplies to Scottish power. My electricity switched fine but they rejected my gas from switching. After numerous calls I was advised it was an automatic rejection due to £90 debt but to try again and it would work. I tried again with Scottish powers support and agreement to take on the debt and was once again blocked from doing so. By this point BG started using payzone which is no where near me due to living a rural village with extremely limited public transport and so having no way to top up. I called BG to ask about smart meters in the mean time as I was supposed to have one fitted on the day they left me for 10 hours to be told that I wasn’t able to get one. When questioned on why they booked me in to have one fitted months ago if I couldn’t get one they said they weren’t sure. (Extremely unhelpful as you can see). I tried for the 3rd time to switch my gas over after being promised by BG and Scottish power that it would work and here we are, rejected for the 3rd time. They have stated to the ombudsman that they have put a flag on my account to allow me to switch which is a clear lie otherwise the switch would have went through yesterday. During all of this I was also told they did not have a complaints department and was refused any access to speaking with a manager, told they weren’t sending anyone out to put emergency credit in my meter as it costs them to much money, knowing full well I have a baby here. When I tell them I cannot top up locally they just send me details to places to top up which are all over 2 miles away. With limited funds, an anxiety disorder which makes it difficult to get out and limited public transport it isn’t easy to travel 2 miles away. I had to spend £16 on a taxi the other week just to top up £10 of gas. £3.75 was taken off for debt so I really paid £26 for £7 worth of gas. I have had to start on medication advised by my GP due to the stress it is causing me. I already suffer with mental health issues and with a new baby as well I really can’t be going through these constant lies and stresses with this company any longer. I am suffering financially, mentally and physically and just want to switch company’s! They are telling me I can switch but aren’t allowing it to go through.

What I wish had happened

I would like for a manager to contact me and be held accountable. I want them to STOP blocking my switch when they are telling me they will allow it.

Where this happened

On the phone

British Gas Customers

Most talked about by British Gas customers

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How this makes British Gas customers feel

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Low
36% Customer Service
Feelings:

Frustrated

Anxious

Furious

Annoyed

Insecure

Disappointed

Let down

Unsatisfied

Disheartened

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Offended

Sad

18% Financial Loss
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Frustrated

Disgusted

Let down

Other

Saddened

Disheartened

Furious

14% Discrimination
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Annoyed

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Other

Disappointed

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Disgusted

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9% Communication
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Furious

Sad

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9% Other
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Anxious

Other

Let down

Disgusted

Furious

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5% Quality of product
Feelings:

Frustrated

Sad

Offended

5% Inconvenienced
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Frustrated

Furious

Anxious

5% Delay
Feelings:

Saddened

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Disheartened

Utilities Customers

Most talked about by Utilities customers

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Low

How this makes Utilities customers feel

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30% Customer Service
Feelings:

Frustrated

Annoyed

Anxious

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Let down

Other

Saddened

Disheartened

Insecure

Sad

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15% Financial Loss
Feelings:

Frustrated

Annoyed

Let down

Anxious

Furious

Disgusted

Disheartened

Saddened

Other

Uneasy

9% Communication
Feelings:

Frustrated

Unsatisfied

Offended

Sad

Furious

Anxious

Annoyed

9% Inconvenienced
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Frustrated

Annoyed

Unsatisfied

Let down

Furious

Anxious

6% Discrimination
Feelings:

Anxious

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Let down

Other

Annoyed

Frustrated

Disappointed

6% Other
Feelings:

Frustrated

Furious

Other

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Disgusted

Annoyed

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6% Delay
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Anxious

4% Expectations Exceeded
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Happy

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4% Fraud
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4% Rudeness
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Annoyed

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2% Delivery
Feelings:

Pleased

Happy

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2% Service
Feelings:

Pleased

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Delighted

2% Quality of product
Feelings:

Offended

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Frustrated

Most positive experiences about Utilities companies

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  1. British Gas
  2. Scottish Power
  3. Severn Trent Water
  4. SMS PLC

Least positive experiences about Utilities companies

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  1. Bulb