Bl**dy British Gas and direct debit

[PupInAPram]

This month after literally decades of taking my direct debit out after my pay day, they randomly and with no warning moved it to a week earlier and took it out 2 days before pay day. I tried to change it back in the app so that I don't get caught again next month, but I can't access my DD management at the moment due to BG moving to a new billing system.
After waiting from 559th in line to chat to an advisor, I'm told that they can't help because they can't access my account due to BG moving accounts from one system to another.
I'm also told that I can't complain as it's BG policy?
F**k you very much BG. Never missed paying in full and on time for 30 years. Thanks for being so considerate!

Oh, that's annoying. You should switch to another supplier, that'll show them.

Come to Octopus, they're great, loads of features in the app where you can see where you are with bill, direct debits etc and you can get any excess credit back in a couple of clicks.

Use my referral code and we both get £50 bill credit.

https://share.octopus.energy/loved-moon-894

Of course you can complain, they can't tell you you can't complain! I'd complain, and also complain that they told you you couldn't complain.

Check the direct debit guarantee too, I'm sure they can't just randomly move the date forward. www.directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-explained/direct-debit-guarantee/

@youveturnedupwelldone that is an incredibly helpful link. Thank you!

Not to minimise this at all, because many people would be pushed into hardship by this, I worked for a competitor in Brighton, so you can work out who it is without me saying. This happened to us and it was a known fault across the whole customer base and we would be correcting and compensating internally. We asked our customers not to complain because it would take them out of the automatic compensation loop and actually be longer. If you were 559 or whatever in the queue then I imagine this has happened to everyone of there millions of customers well at least the ones who pay by DD.

Can you imagine how long it would take to deal with all those complaints? I can tell you, it would be years. It may be the person you spoke to was clumsy in explaining the process, that it was a known error rather than telling you you couldn't make a complaint. If it has caused you hardship, i.e bank charges lpcs from other payees then emailing a copy of them should get them restored. We decided to compensate all our customers a fixed amount as it was quicker for them to be reimbursed and then we only had to deal with the very few that it had cost more.

Can I ask if you have ever changed supplier? Staying with British Gas for 30 years might not have been in your best interest financially after the markets opened up. I am with Octopus, brilliant company and I used to work for an electricity company both before the markets opened and after too.

Also with Octopus and happy with them. Easy to see an up to date balance after submitting readings and you can adjust your direct debit payments through the app.

@PupInAPram when you moved to the new billing system did your billing date change at the same time ? Hence your our payment date changed too?

When I was moved to the new system my billing date moved from 30th of the month to 19th, and subsequently the payment date changed (and was detailed on the bill as is required)

I asked to have the billing date put back to the 30th but was told it wasn’t possible to change it.

If they can't let you move the date of your direct debit by two days, they are not the company for me. I'm going to switch.