British Gas

Review of the Week

'Can't see it getting a lot better'

04-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with Frisco Pubs boss and podcast legend Heath Ball to get his take on the week's news, from duty changes and utilities profits to the weather.

Pub fights £22,000 electricity bill that could shut premises

27-Oct-2017 By Fred A'Court

A pub husband and wife team are fighting a £22,000 electricity bill that they fear, if unresolved, could force the closure of their pub by Christmas.

Multiple operator fears bankrupty from paying back-dated gas bills

24-Dec-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

A multiple operator said he fears he will become bankrupt after he has received more than £60,000 worth of backdated bills from British Gas.

PMA helps resolve £3,000 British Gas bill row

30-Aug-2013 By Ellie Bothwell

British Gas has agreed to pay more than £3,000 to resolve an electricity bill dispute with a Buckinghamshire licensee after the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA) intervened.

British Gas to stop selling auto-rollover business energy contracts

17-Jul-2013 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas will stop selling auto-rollover business energy contracts from 1 September 2013.

A third of businesses do not have money to cover tax liabilities

03-Apr-2013 By Jordan Chamberlain

Nearly a third of hospitality businesses (29%) have admitted they do not set aside the money they need to cover their tax liabilities, according to research commissioned by British Gas.

Paddington licensee 'may have to sell lease of pub' to pay British Gas energy bill

14-Nov-2012 By Adam Pescod

A Paddington licensee fears he may have to sell the lease of his pub in order to pay a £19,000 energy bill from British Gas.

Licensee secures £1,400 electricity VAT rebate after PMA intervention

26-Oct-2012 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has received a £1,400 VAT rebate from British Gas for electricity used in private accommodation after intervention by the Publican’s Morning Advertiser (PMA).

Businesses are missing out on opportunities to cut energy bills

13-Apr-2012 By Adam Pescod

Nearly half (47%) of businesses, including pubs, are overlooking simple opportunities to cut their energy bills, despite more than two thirds (68%) making operational efficiency their top priority in 2012, according to new research by British Gas.

Licensee in £46k energy dispute with British Gas

26-Jan-2012 By Adam Pescod

British Gas is working to resolve a dispute with a licensee in Cumbria about a £46,000 bill after intervention by the PMA.

British Gas apologises in meter reading dispute

18-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas has apologised for an ongoing meter-reading issue which has resulted in a South Yorkshire licensee being sent bills ranging from £19,000 to £40,000 a quarter, since April this year.

Pub host struggles to pay £13k utility bill

25-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

A Warwickshire licensee has advised others not to “bury their head in the sand” over utilities bills as he struggles to repay British Gas for two years’ worth of electricity.

Host gets apology from British Gas

18-Aug-2011 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas has apologised for charging a licensee £20,000 after telling him that his pub "looked like it used a lot of electricity".

£2.5m British Gas fine 'not enough'

04-Aug-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees have welcomed the £2.5m fine issued to British Gas for not handling complaints from small businesses and domestic users appropriately.

British Gas slated over 97% bill hike

26-May-2011 By Gurjit Degun

A licensee has vowed never to deal with British Gas again after he received a renewal supply contract offering a 97% increase.

British Gas admits error and pays out £300

15-Apr-2011 By Gurjit Degun

British Gas has promised to credit a licensee up to £300, admitting it made an error, after an intervention by the Publican's Morning Advertiser.

Pub hosts suffer bill blows

15-Sep-2010 By John Harrington

Licensees are still suffering the after-effects of receiving huge out-of-the-blue utility bills, with monthly repayments soaring to "unmanageable"...

British Gas told to pay licensees £2k

10-Sep-2010 By John Harrington

British Gas Business has been ordered to pay a £2,000 "goodwill" payment to licensees who received a "service shortfall" over several years.

Licensee's gas bill probed

27-Aug-2010 By John Harrington

British Gas has put a licensee's account on hold while it investigates an out-of-the-blue gas bill of £10,543. Peter Saxon, of the freehold Swan...

British Gas sends shocking £14k bill to pub

25-Aug-2010

Another licensee was shocked to receive a huge electricity bill after British Gas claimed he had been underpaying for four years. Tim Gittins...

Customer service row for British Gas

01-Jul-2010 By Gemma McKenna

Two licensees in dispute with British Gas over bills have accused the energy supplier of totally ignoring their complaints. Edinburgh host Brian...

MA helps licensee with shock bills

31-Mar-2010 By John Harrington

British Gas has promised to help a licensee — whose electricity bills increased four-fold — after the Morning Advertiser got involved. Bills at...

MA intervenes to sort British Gas blunders

24-Feb-2010 By Gemma McKenna

British Gas has offered a £5,800 refund, plus account credits, to a licensee after the Morning Advertiser intervened in the case. Multiple operator...

Ombudsman demands apology for pub

11-Dec-2009 By John Harrington

The Energy Ombudsman has demanded an apology from British Gas for the way it treated a licensee who was hit with a £12,000 bill.

Pub hosts hit by shock £12k electricity bill

20-Nov-2009 By Gemma McKenna

A licensee couple who received a water bill for £37,000 in March have just been hit with a shocking £12,000 electricity bill. Shannon Wells and...

Host hit by shock electricity bill

24-Sep-2009 By John Harrington

Another host has been sent a bombshell electricity bill — this time for £8,900 — after British Gas admitted under-estimating consumption. An...

British Gas helps with 'bombshell' bill

10-Sep-2009 By John Harrington

British Gas has vowed to help a licensee hit with a 'bombshell' £11,868 electricity bill after the MA intervened.

British Gas to offer flexible payment options for pubs

01-Apr-2009 By Ewan Turney

More than half of small leisure businesses (52%) are delaying paying energy bills as long as possible, a new survey has found.

£74-a-day electric bill for new hosts

26-Sep-2008 By John Harrington

Hosts were charged a staggering £74 per day for electricity at a 40-cover pub after being stuck paying inflated "out-of-contract" rates. BizzEnergy...

British Gas error decimates trade

08-May-2008 By John Harrington John Harrington@william-reed.co.

Licensee takes action on 'appalling' bills A licensee suffered 18 months of hell after a billing blunder meant he couldn't afford to heat his pub...

Warning over 'win back' calls

18-Jun-2007 By James Wilmore

Licensees are being urged to be wary of 'win back' calls from British Gas which could leave them tied in to two contracts and facing penalty fees....

Healy Group spared soaring gas charges

09-Aug-2006 By John Harrington

A multiple operator that faced massive gas bill hikes after changing supplier following a "cold call" from a utilities agent is set to save around...

Pubs warned to check their gas bills

01-Nov-2005

Licensees are being strongly advised to check they are not being overcharged thousands of pounds for energy bills due to an error by British...