Bord Gais Heat - Overcharged?!

Balinov

I've done that a bit more than a year ago. When they first charged us for nearly 3000khw use for dec-jan months I've raised a dispute and cancelled the direct debit at once. It's not that I'm not willing to pay them, but I'm definitelly not willing to pay the whole amount. made proposal in written on 50% payment..still thinking it's reasonable offer from me...we had no proper heating/hot water for months...until it turned out the motorized valves and the pump is broken and both was fixed.

DonegalBonz

I filled in that CER form a month or so ago and added in 2 pages detailing every call, email or letter to BG Heat and Bord Gais Energy to evidence the efforts I've made to sort this. CER informed me that they contacted BG regarding my complaint and was informed they were still making efforts to resolve this.

I'm happy that I've demonstrated that Ive done everything on my end so when this comes to a head I have myself covered. I'm not happy with the ever-increasing outstanding balance but when this finally gets sorted BG Heat will be made wait as long as I've had to for payment.

Balinov

will give a shot to a CER complaint today/tomorrow.

Also, just realized the latest bill they're threatening us to suspend the supply is dated 25th January, 13, but for sure it was only received last Friday to our mailbox. Wtf is going on, dear BGH?

orlaanne

Balinov wrote: »

It's not that I'm not willing to pay them, but I'm definitelly not willing to pay the whole amount.

This is it exactly for us too. I just want to be shown what I actually owe, pay it and be done with them. So sick of having this hanging around.

boozezela

Balinov wrote: »

Any recommendation wtf to do? I'm getting really pissed of, considering to go to Small cases court and put BGH into some trouble.?

Unfortunately you can go to the Small claims court only if you actually have paid something. The court will then be able to force the company to refund you.

Since you have not paid anything, you cannot go to the Small claims court.

orlaanne

This is finally over for me, easier to get it sorted because I don't live there anymore though. If you want details pm me, happy to oblige.

ZeroOneZero

Hey lads. Do you know if this is still going on? Anyone from Moy House with this issue?

Thanks

DonegalBonz

This is still dragging on for myself anyway, I'm in Rathlin House, some people have been sorted but only becasue they're no longer residents of CHS and were able to settle on a final bill, the rest of us are still wallowing in this mess with ever increasing bills.

I've spoken to Bord Gais Heat, the CER and the NCA but yet Bord Gais management continue to ignore my requests for a response and solution.

I've never heard of a situation like this in any service that has been so badly handled. Nobody in Bord Gais (including the senior manager which I was escalated to) seems to give a sh*t.

ZeroOneZero

Just a stupid question. I incidentally found a form in the apartment from a company called "Conservation Engineering Limited", which claimed to be the ones providing hot water and heat in the complex. Actually, this one was definitely recognized as a subsidiary of Bord Gais (see http://www.bordgais.ie/annualreport2010/notes31-37.html)

Going forward, I wrote to them and they told me they might have actually been serving the CHS under previous management. If they were previously serving the complex in the pass, there might be an alternative to BGH. Why is this not brought up to the management company and see if they can close off their relationship with them under a breach of a a proper service and multiple outstanding complains?

Just my two cents

ToxicPaddy

I'm living in CHSq myself and we are having issues with heating too. The person who was dealing with, Serena, has left and has been replaced with another person, so it looks like we are back to square one.

I have spoken to the mgmt company in the past and as they don't manage the apartment I'm in and as I'm not an owner they want nothing to do with it.

From talking to a few landlords in the complex they don't appear to have too high an opinion of the mgmt company though.

If you can get any response from them it would definitely be helpful.

ZeroOneZero

What about making a joint complaint? Not sure if we can fix anything with this but the more noise we can possibly create the better. It'd be also good to have a relation of the blocks affected. I'm in Moy House myself.

ToxicPaddy

ZeroOneZero wrote: »

What about making a joint complaint? Not sure if we can fix anything with this but the more noise we can possibly create the better. It'd be also good to have a relation of the blocks affected. I'm in Moy House myself.

I know of problems in Achill House and Scarriff House. It's to do with some automatic valve that doesn't switch off as it's failing I believe.

ZeroOneZero

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

I know of problems in Achill House and Scarriff House. It's to do with some automatic valve that doesn't switch off as it's failing I believe.

I believe they're having trouble in Rathlin House too. The issue seems to be related to the meter being installed before the valves and therefore metering water not being used for heating.

I'm pretty sure that more than 100 people live in the complex. If this is the case and they're all having trouble with BGH a joint complaint should be taken quite seriously. We could also escalate this to European bodies such as http://www.eccireland.ie/topic.php?topic=11 Like I said, the more noise it can be made the better.

Hope this helps

and26

Hi all,

I've just bought in Shannon House and pretty concerned reading about all the mess with BG Heat... As it seems to affect some blocks and not others, does anybody know if it's a problem in Shannon House as well?

I'm writing to the Management Company to ask details about the heating (I thought it was gas, and was about to open an account with a gas provider!). I'll mention this thread and will post back their answer.

Cheers

ZeroOneZero

Any update on this and26?

and26

Hi ZeroOneZero, I was told my email had been forwarded to the property manager (no name provided, I do not know who he/she is), then silence. I was away for three weeks, so I wasn't able to follow up with them until now.

gawker

Has anybody had trouble with deposits before? I've been told there is no record of my €150 deposit with them. Unfortunately I have changed banks since I signed up so I'm not sure if I have access to bank records from then...

The_Conductor

Who are Bord Gais Heat by the way?
I was talking to someone in Bord Gais- and they've never heard of them?

ToxicPaddy

The_Conductor wrote: »

Who are Bord Gais Heat by the way?
I was talking to someone in Bord Gais- and they've never heard of them?

They are a subsidiary of bord gais that appear to only supply heat to the IFSC. Though I'm sure they are in other places.
Bit of a mickey mouse operation tbh, constantly trying to overcharge and either unable or willing to sort issues on their side.

DonegalBonz

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Bit of a mickey mouse operation tbh, constantly trying to overcharge and either unable or willing to sort issues on their side.

Bord Gais Heat or Bord Gais themselves because i've been getting nowhere with either. I was escalated to a senior manager in Bord Gais from the Bord Gais Heat rep but his office has totally blanked my emails and letters.

neogeo1

I'm preparing to apply for a small claims hearing against BGEHEAT. My questions are, has anybody done this already that we are aware of and if so what what the result? Has anybody received compensated by BGE for over charging? Secondly, is BGEHeat the actual company that I need to make a claim against or is Board Gais Heat Energy Supply? I want to do this once and want to claim against the right company first time round. Any help much appreciated.

DonegalBonz

We'd all be very interested to hear how this goes neogeo1 and may be something we all have to resort to as I dont know of anyone who has had a resolution yet. I believe BG knocked a certain amount off a bill for one resident i know of but their case was different to my own as they were moving out of Custom House Square and it was a final bill.

I've zero legal knowledge so wouldnt know who you're meant to claim against, BG Heat or their parent company Bord Gais Energy Supply, Best of luck either way.

manuhalo

Hi,
I recently moved into Slaney house in CHS and I was a bit puzzled by the heating bill; does everyone have such a high standard charge (>45€) regardless of actual consumption? We haven't even started using heater yet and only have hot water running for 30 min every day in the morning, which resulted in about 9€ of billing for actual consumption... but when adding vat, 15€ of overdue amount (??) plus the above mentioned standard charge it adds up to a total of over 80€. Is it like this for everyone else here?

Thanks!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

manuhalo wrote: »

Hi,
I recently moved into Slaney house in CHS and I was a bit puzzled by the heating bill; does everyone have such a high standard charge (>45€) regardless of actual consumption? We haven't even started using heater yet and only have hot water running for 30 min every day in the morning, which resulted in about 9€ of billing for actual consumption... but when adding vat, 15€ of overdue amount (??) plus the above mentioned standard charge it adds up to a total of over 80€. Is it like this for everyone else here?

Thanks!

I'm not with them and don't have gas but going by this it seems your're on a winter saver tariff
http://www.bordgaisenergy.ie/publications/tariffs/index.php

Phone them and check. There may even be another trariff better suited to you.

ProjectColossus

I don't think the tariffs in the above link apply, the "Bord Gais Heat" cowboy operation is not the same as the standard utilities provided by Bord Gais Energy.

I'm in one of the IFSC apartments also, and my understanding is that BGH aren't providing electricity or gas to the customers, but "hot water" which they centrally heat somewhere in the building and pipe out to the apartments. There are water meters in the apartments, and you are billed based on how much of the hot water comes into the apartment, not the gas used to heat it per say. A lot of apartments seem to have busted meters/valves and record lots of water passing through the circuit (free flowing in and then back out to be heated again) resulting in massive bills. Plus, there is literally only one phone number that you can call, and it's a mobile and usually ignored. The only references to BGH that I can ever find, are on forums like this, with customers going nuts. Seems to me that whoever is running the BGH show answers to nobody.

I have a relatively lucky situation whereby there seem to be a major hot water conduit for the building passing through my kitchen wall, which keeps the place warm. I had my valves replaced when I moved, and my rads are permanently off, so my usage is very low, to the point that I'm playing the crazy standing charge every period (50 odd) plus maybe 10/20 on top.

boozezela

ProjectColossus wrote: »

There are water meters in the apartments, and you are billed based on how much of the hot water comes into the apartment, not the gas used to heat it per say.

That's partially correct.
Additional meters outside of the apartments have been installed in the service ducts in the hallways. Existing meters, which were supposed to be busted, are still in the apartments but are not used anymore.

This alone ensures that you are paying to heat the hallway if your hot press is far from the meter.

ProjectColossus wrote: »

A lot of apartments seem to have busted meters/valves and record lots of water passing through the circuit (free flowing in and then back out to be heated again) resulting in massive bills. Plus

Again partially correct.

While the mixture of water that passes through the apartments' pipes has the uncanny ability to corrode the motorised valves allowing water to "leak through", the main reason for overcharging is another one. There is a "bypass pipe" installed before the old meters in the apartment.

This allows 24/7 water circulation (3 different plumbers could not explain why such a pipe is there) and pose no problem when usage is estimated by the old meters that are placed after the bypass.

The new meters are place before the bypass, so they sense water circulating 24/7 and estimate usage accordingly.

Besides, with the bypass pipe removes, the new meters only need 30 seconds to sense you are using water, but they need up to 15 minutes for the various estimates to go back to zero, even if you cut off the water supply closing the valves in the service duct (where the new meters are).

I tried to involve a solicitor, but apparently he had not enough balls, and dismissed the whole matter with a "yeah, just let it go" attitude.

I would more than happy to sue them for good but I cannot find the right solicitor.

This is a fraudulent behaviour, and the clowns @ BG Heatnever admitted any wrongdoing, the arrears are piling up and I am sure that at a certain point a bean counter will enforce collection.

ProjectColossus

boozezela wrote: »

That's partially correct.
...

Thanks for the clarification.

johnnymorgan

Hi,

I am living in Dargle House in CHQ for 18 months now. Every bill I have had never had any consumption on it, just the standard charge and VAT. Then I arrived home last night to a bill for almost 1600!! euro. This is ridiculous, There is no way I have used the 23000 units they say on the bill.

I have checked my meter and it is at a little over 3000 (a massive difference) so I want to know what the hell are this crowd at.. I will be contacting them monday first thing. From reading this thread I dont expect an easy conversation, but If I get no answers. I am cancelling Direct Debit straight away and not paying a penny until I get a real reading where I am present.

I am presently going to count how much my meter changes when I turn on the water for an hour, and the same for heat, so I can gage how much units I actually use, and from there I can easily enough work out how much I should be paying..

What amazes me with this thread is that this going on for about 3 years or more from the length of the thread, but noone has met up and formed an action group. We all live within throwing distance of each other.. Has noone went to the AGM and spoke about this with the management group? Why are they being re elected each year when they ignore you on these matters??

I would love to hear more thoughts on this.

Regards,
J

ZeroOneZero

johnnymorgan wrote: »

Hi,

I am living in Dargle House in CHQ for 18 months now. Every bill I have had never had any consumption on it, just the standard charge and VAT. Then I arrived home last night to a bill for almost 1600!! euro. This is ridiculous, There is no way I have used the 23000 units they say on the bill.

I have checked my meter and it is at a little over 3000 (a massive difference) so I want to know what the hell are this crowd at.. I will be contacting them monday first thing. From reading this thread I dont expect an easy conversation, but If I get no answers. I am cancelling Direct Debit straight away and not paying a penny until I get a real reading where I am present.

I am presently going to count how much my meter changes when I turn on the water for an hour, and the same for heat, so I can gage how much units I actually use, and from there I can easily enough work out how much I should be paying..

What amazes me with this thread is that this going on for about 3 years or more from the length of the thread, but noone has met up and formed an action group. We all live within throwing distance of each other.. Has noone went to the AGM and spoke about this with the management group? Why are they being re elected each year when they ignore you on these matters??

I would love to hear more thoughts on this.

Regards,
J

Completely agree! I'm SICK of outlandish bills (they really must believe I live in Siberia) - Nevermind getting them in my mailbox when they've already charged me.

It is crazy that people living in this residential area have put up with the situation without even attempt to make a joint complaint whatsoever for 3 years straight!

:mad:

johnnymorgan

Yes its a mad situation. They are a subsidary of Bord Gais, just very badly run.. They sent me a valid vat number eventually. I have cancelled my DD with them and wont pay anything until I am satisfied with what they tell me.. I am still waiting for them to come back on some things.. I wont be chasing them up anymore.. If they want their money they can come to me.