'It took over my whole life': Customers on new British gas bill system
British Gas said the change to a new billing system has been seamless - but some customers disagree, as ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports
British Gas customers have been contacting ITV News with concerns about customer service. The company is completing the move of 7.5 million accounts to a new billing system.
It says that change, which started in 2022, has gone seamlessly - and has improved things, but some customers disagree.
Debbie Kerslake showed ITV News her unbelievable bills. She somehow ended up with four accounts and said the disputed demands coincided with a move to the new British gas billing system two years ago.
She said: "I had a normal account, the next minute, four accounts on two different platforms - and it took over my whole life."
The Energy Ombudsman found “a poor level of service“, and told Debbie Kerslake: “In October 2022, British Gas started the process of moving you to their new billing platform. However, they have had a great number of problems with this process."
British Gas told ITV News there is no problem with its new billing system, and it sees Debbie's as an isolated situation which they resolved.
It says it originally arose when the firm got wrong information from an industry database.
ITV News also met Wendy Fletcher, who suffered with yo-yo bills. Within a month, her British Gas account bounced from credit to more than £400 in debit.
She spoke to a customer advisor who told her: "It’s a fault which has affected a small amount of customers when the accounts have migrated across to the new system."
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The company apologised for the error, which its said was quickly resolved last December with no financial loss.
British Gas says its new billing system has improved customer service, reflected in independent surveys, such as Uswitch. However, some consumer groups have concerns.
Emily Seymour, from Which?, said: "A number of British Gas customers have told us that they've experienced poor customer service - and when we asked them about what has happened and why, they told us that it was to do with their migration process."
British Gas says its new billing system has earned it praise for better customer service, but some ITV News has spoken to won’t be giving it any awards.
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