Bord Gais top up meter

wimmy

Charged the landlord 250 euros to install a top up meter when they usually are free. The thing is a disgrace, a trojan horse to block access to competition when it was clearly laid out to them that the market was anyone's grab (you can't switch to another provider with them yokes)

And to top it up, you have to go to one of the 10 outlets in County Cork, 2 of

them being in Cork City, nothing available online. When you run out, the boiler goes ape**** and an engineer has to be called to be reset. Now we want the thing replaced to a normal meter, had to pay 200 Euros upfront.

And then they have the audacity to say "as a new customer, you'll have to pay a security deposit of 400 Euros" Told them to eff off and that I'll switch to another provider the minute they replace it.

Now it's been a week since i paid up, rang them every day and was told customer care would be in touch. After a week of asking them, they finally rang today, but would not tell me when they would come around to replace it. I protested since I am the one who will need time off work to be there (oh yeah if they turn up and nobody's there there's an extra fee of 76 euro!) but was told they'll let the landlord know, who in turn will let me know. What an utter joke.

Unbelievable.

RangeR

Pre Pay Meters cost money
Engineers installing in pre pay meter costs money
Post Pay meters cost money
Engineers installing in Post Pay meter costs money

Outrageously unbelieveable

alie

wimmy wrote: »

Charged the landlord 250 euros to install a top up meter when they usually are free. The thing is a disgrace, a trojan horse to block access to competition when it was clearly laid out to them that the market was anyone's grab (you can't switch to another provider with them yokes)

And to top it up, you have to go to one of the 10 outlets in County Cork, 2 of

them being in Cork City, nothing available online. When you run out, the boiler goes ape**** and an engineer has to be called to be reset. Now we want the thing replaced to a normal meter, had to pay 200 Euros upfront.

And then they have the audacity to say "as a new customer, you'll have to pay a security deposit of 400 Euros" Told them to eff off and that I'll switch to another provider the minute they replace it.

Now it's been a week since i paid up, rang them every day and was told customer care would be in touch. After a week of asking them, they finally rang today, but would not tell me when they would come around to replace it. I protested since I am the one who will need time off work to be there (oh yeah if they turn up and nobody's there there's an extra fee of 76 euro!) but was told they'll let the landlord know, who in turn will let me know. What an utter joke.

Unbelievable.

If you are in arrears its free, takes 10 minutes to install and is great , no more bills, and 25% of your top up goes to the arrears.

Degag

wimmy wrote: »

Charged the landlord 250 euros to install a top up meter when they usually are free. The thing is a disgrace, a trojan horse to block access to competition when it was clearly laid out to them that the market was anyone's grab (you can't switch to another provider with them yokes)

And to top it up, you have to go to one of the 10 outlets in County Cork, 2 of

them being in Cork City, nothing available online. When you run out, the boiler goes ape**** and an engineer has to be called to be reset. Now we want the thing replaced to a normal meter, had to pay 200 Euros upfront.

And then they have the audacity to say "as a new customer, you'll have to pay a security deposit of 400 Euros" Told them to eff off and that I'll switch to another provider the minute they replace it.

Now it's been a week since i paid up, rang them every day and was told customer care would be in touch. After a week of asking them, they finally rang today, but would not tell me when they would come around to replace it. I protested since I am the one who will need time off work to be there (oh yeah if they turn up and nobody's there there's an extra fee of 76 euro!) but was told they'll let the landlord know, who in turn will let me know. What an utter joke.

Unbelievable.

The fee is currently about 100e to get a meter. Price may have been different when your LL got it. Also BG are not blocking opposition from signing you with the meter. The other companies are simply not offering it and are quite free to do so if they want.

wimmy

Figures correct as at November 1st 2012 –
( including VAT , standing charges and carbon tax)
http://www.moneyguideireland.com/bord-gais-or-flogas-who-is-the-cheapest-for-gas.html

192 Euro saving with Airtricity, cheapest.

I do not want to be locked with one provider and want to avail of my freedom to switch. Is that too hard to ask?

Have a read of this one too:
http://www.cer.ie/CERDocs/cer06181.pdf

wimmy

Following on that .pdf from 2006 on proposed arrangements for the pay as you go market:

Proposed Arrangements for the Open Market
Change of Supplier
For maximum flexibility of options the customershould be able to choose his supplier each time he prepays for gas. In the Paypoint outlet he would choose whose gas he wants with the same freedom he would choose a brand of milk or a newspaper.
There would be some restriction in customers who still have a debt. The outgoing supplier would not want to relinquish the customer until the debt is paid off. A change to the Paypoint terminal would check for any unpaid balance. If there is no arrears then the customer is free to purchase gas from any prepaid supplier. Otherwise he is restricted to his original supplier until the arrears disappears.

Now in 2012 Ireland, this is simply not true and has not been followed.

We're in a fragmented market where the four providers can simply lock you up (or your landlord) with a top up meter when it was supposed to be more and more open to competition, even with PAYG units.

Page 7 of the same report:
-If a prepayment meter is installed at premises, should a new occupier be able to request its replacement with a credit meter?
The new owner should be able to request a credit meter. As no charge is made to the customer or supplier when a prepayment meter is fitted, it would be consistent to have no charge for its removal.

Once again, these recommendations simply evaporated into thin air and you're made to pay.

I have asked the CER on these recommendations, and what is the legislation.
Any CER decision is legally binding. If I find that Bord Gais have not followed the rules on this matter, I will lodge a complaint and wait their response.

wimmy

Following my email to the CER this morning a representative was in touch. His understanding is that a customer with a PAYG meter can switch to another provider for free, as laid out in the CER recommendations. He will "get to the bottom of it and get back to me"

This is getting interesting.

Will update post as I hear more