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A Grandmother claims she fell ill after receiving a gas bill of nearly £13,500.
Sheila Taylor (73), of Grimsby, received the bill from British Gas for £10,753.51 with an administration fee of £2,688.38.But today, British Gas apologised for the "oversight", and agreed to reduce the sum she really owes them as a gesture of goodwill.
The total bill of £13,441.89 was allegedly for 22 months worth of supplies to Mrs Taylor's former home on the same street, which she moved out of in May.
Mrs Taylor said: "While I was at my previous house I always paid my gas bills on time, and I have all the receipts to show for that.
"Several times while I was getting and paying the bills, I thought the amount I had to pay was too much. I thought it was ridiculously high. I complained on several occasions, but to no avail.
"When I got this bill I couldn't believe it. I think it actually made me ill.
"I think it is disgusting they can make these kinds of mistakes and send people these kinds of bills. It is very worrying.
"I never get in debt and always pay bills off straight away so it was not very nice. The amount was put on hold for four months, but they didn't get back to me to say what was going to happen."
British Gas spokesman Tim Barton said: "I was concerned to hear about this huge bill being sent to Mrs Taylor. Having looked into the case, the good news is that this is a mistake and we have sorted the problem out.
"It seems the moving out reading given by Mrs Taylor was 35,482 whereas the actual reading was 000035. This simple error generated the huge bill.
"We should have noticed this mistake before the bill was sent out and I apologise for that oversight.
"We have rebilled Mrs Taylor using a correct meter reading, apologised for the worry this must have caused and as a gesture of goodwill have reduced the sum she owes us."
Sheila Taylor (73), of Grimsby, received the bill from British Gas for £10,753.51 with an administration fee of £2,688.38.But today, British Gas apologised for the "oversight", and agreed to reduce the sum she really owes them as a gesture of goodwill.
The total bill of £13,441.89 was allegedly for 22 months worth of supplies to Mrs Taylor's former home on the same street, which she moved out of in May.
Mrs Taylor said: "While I was at my previous house I always paid my gas bills on time, and I have all the receipts to show for that.
"Several times while I was getting and paying the bills, I thought the amount I had to pay was too much. I thought it was ridiculously high. I complained on several occasions, but to no avail.
"When I got this bill I couldn't believe it. I think it actually made me ill.
"I think it is disgusting they can make these kinds of mistakes and send people these kinds of bills. It is very worrying.
"I never get in debt and always pay bills off straight away so it was not very nice. The amount was put on hold for four months, but they didn't get back to me to say what was going to happen."
British Gas spokesman Tim Barton said: "I was concerned to hear about this huge bill being sent to Mrs Taylor. Having looked into the case, the good news is that this is a mistake and we have sorted the problem out.
"It seems the moving out reading given by Mrs Taylor was 35,482 whereas the actual reading was 000035. This simple error generated the huge bill.
"We should have noticed this mistake before the bill was sent out and I apologise for that oversight.
"We have rebilled Mrs Taylor using a correct meter reading, apologised for the worry this must have caused and as a gesture of goodwill have reduced the sum she owes us."
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It was a mis reading...
>It seems the moving out reading given by Mrs Taylor was 35,482 >whereas the actual reading was 000035. This simple error generated >the huge bill.
I best be careful when i do my reading when i leave here. Last thing i want is a huge bill. I have enough people sending me bills that are wrong as it is!
>It seems the moving out reading given by Mrs Taylor was 35,482 >whereas the actual reading was 000035. This simple error generated >the huge bill.
I best be careful when i do my reading when i leave here. Last thing i want is a huge bill. I have enough people sending me bills that are wrong as it is!
Yes, but half the problem is the number of different billing systems used by the companies, a result of the consolidatory acquisitions since the market was opened up, and the fact that the regulatory bodies make it difficult to move people from one billing system to another.
Loads of other issues too. Thing is though, it's better now than it's ever been. If anyone remembers British Gas a year or so after being privatised...
Loads of other issues too. Thing is though, it's better now than it's ever been. If anyone remembers British Gas a year or so after being privatised...
Pardon?
But seriously. I see your point, but at the same time, you'd think they would have it under control. It's not just this one case, you hear about it all the time.
But seriously. I see your point, but at the same time, you'd think they would have it under control. It's not just this one case, you hear about it all the time.
Firstly, getting anything through to the call centre people is difficult because, by default, they're (in most industries) populated by people incapable of doing anything better.
Meter reading issues will fall away over the next few years, as the industry leaders start introducing automated reading.
I don't feel any sympathy for this woman. You get a big bill, you complain to the billing company until they address it. You don't go to the first paper that will listen and use press pressure to get you sympathy.
But nobody listens to me.
Meter reading issues will fall away over the next few years, as the industry leaders start introducing automated reading.
I don't feel any sympathy for this woman. You get a big bill, you complain to the billing company until they address it. You don't go to the first paper that will listen and use press pressure to get you sympathy.
But nobody listens to me.
We pay gas and electric by a set amount by direct debit each month.
Thing is since the price shot up they haven't upped the payments so we owe them about £300 in total.
If they don't want it it can gather interest in the bank!
Thing is since the price shot up they haven't upped the payments so we owe them about £300 in total.
If they don't want it it can gather interest in the bank!
Alfonse wrote:
> It sounds rubbish :D
Err it is Rubbish :s
> It sounds rubbish :D
Err it is Rubbish :s
It doesn't seem such a bad place :)
Though I remember the first time I said that I got laughed at ...
Though I remember the first time I said that I got laughed at ...
Why does everybody on here talk about this "Grimsby" place so much?
It sounds rubbish :D
It sounds rubbish :D
It makes you wonder why a company dedicated to one thing, giving you power) can get things so wrong.
heh anyway enough about my bills hehe!
Poor woman though, id have heart attack if i got a bill like that.
Poor woman though, id have heart attack if i got a bill like that.
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