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British Gas offering 65 discount for Direct Debit

I could not believe my ears. I asked for him to wait while I set up the recording. (He didn't like that. So he went away to check up the law. Maybe in India it's different. I explained in the UK that we do not even have to tell the other party that we are recording. He insisted that I am not allowed to.) Anyway, when he came back, he confirmed the 65 discount for paying by direct debit (after I have paid off the amount that I still owe). I even repeated it, and he confirmed it. And I did record it.

While I was waiting for him to come back, the recorded message kept saying that British Gas is the cheapest in the UK. Possibly after this meagre 7% discount, and probably if you agree to the paperless billing, direct debit, and whatever else, maybe there might be. It sounds a little like Ryan Air, but the other way round.

Is it right - this large discount? Maybe they plan to make 'mistakes' and accidentally take larger amounts from people's accounts. British Gas made mistakes about 10 years ago, and so I will never permit them access to my account.

Iain

Reply to
Iain
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Also, during the security questions at the beginning he asked for my date of birth. "But you don't have my date of birth - you don't need it!" He confirmed he didn't have it. (I didn't record that bit.) There's no space to put DoB under personal details online anyway. Bizarre.

Reply to
Iain

Probably part of marketing .. just an age check - "If under 18 tell them to bog off, if over 65 sell them a funeral plan.."

Reply to
Paul

Was it they who called you? If so, are you sure it really was British Gas? I've been getting a load of phishing calls lately, allegedly from utilities and the like with various "too good to be true" offers. They always start by asking my DOB (I now give a slightly wrong one -- can always say "oops" later if they turn out to be genuine). After much speel they want a credit card number, at which point I give them the elbow.

Chris

Reply to
chrisj.doran

Was it they who called you? If so, are you sure it really was British Gas? I've been getting a load of phishing calls lately, allegedly from utilities and the like with various "too good to be true" offers. They always start by asking my DOB (I now give a slightly wrong one -- can always say "oops" later if they turn out to be genuine). After much speel they want a credit card number, at which point I give them the elbow.

=========== Yes, it definitely was British Gas. I phoned them to pay my bill. Ah - I've checked their Data Protection registration details. British Gas (under British Gas Trading Ltd) is registered, under Purpose 11, for "Trading / Sharing in Personal Information".

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I'm making further enquiries about this.

Iain

Reply to
Iain

Most of them offer lower rates for DD so the saving depends on how much gas/electric you use. The savings are usually very substantial.

Reply to
Andy Pandy

Check the T&C for the deal. They may have loads of get out clauses to avoid giving you the discount.

Reply to
Mark

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