British Gas reviews reveal a lot about customer satisfaction across the board. Customer service standards are just one aspect of the British Gas experience. Prices, billing, account management and how they handle complaints all add up to make or break the customer experience. Find out what British Gas customers really think about this enduring energy giant.
Pros
- Scores higher than major rivals on customer review site Trustpilot.
- Scores high for bill accuracy on Which?.
- Easy to switch and offers great guarantees, getting 5/5 stars from Citizens Advice in these areas.
Cons
- Scores 2 stars on Which? for value for money.
- Citizens Advice scores it 2/5 in terms of its level of complaints.
- Reviews and Citizens Advice suggest getting in contact with them can be difficult.
⚖️British Gas Reviews: An Overview
On consumer review website Trustpilot, British Gas has an overall score of 3.2 out of five. Out of the more than 60,000 reviews, 28% are one-star ratings, the lowest rating possible on the site. It might seem quite negative, but British Gas is actually hitting above its weight when compared to other UK energy giants, such as E.ON and SSE.
Negative reviews often visit the same topics of poor customer service, long call waiting times and issues submitting meter readings. Some customers also reported problems with the installation and functions of British Gas smart meters.
Trustpilot is, it should be noted, known as a forum for voicing complaints. In the most recent Which? energy survey, which offers a more impartial analysis, British Gas received an overall score of 62% and ranked joint 18th out of 25 energy companies based on a poll of over 7,000 individuals.
📞British Gas Customer Service
Customer service is an area where British Gas has proven to be consistently strong. However, while many customers speak highly of the customer service agents on the British Gas phone lines, others have not had the customer service experience that they would have liked.
“I've been a customer for 30 years. I overpaid my gas bill by £900+. I've been trying to get my money back for over a month now. What a joke after 3 hours on the phone over 4 phone calls still no joy. No one knows what they're doing and have no idea how to treat a customer.”
Time spent waiting to get through to a British Gas call centre is a source of frustration for many customers. It’s not all bad news though. Some reviews show that British Gas customer service staff, once you're able to get through to them, give impeccable service on the phone:
¨Keisha in customer services made a problem with my meter so easy to correct. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the efficient, polite, helpful, understanding and reassuring way she approached and solved my issue.¨ J, with British Gas
¨Great service! Friendly, helpful and happy customer service experience.¨ Vi, with British Gas
The mixed nature of British Gas reviews for customer service is reflected in its Which? score in these areas. In the most recent Which? survey, taken in September 2020, the provider scored 3/5 stars in both customer service and complaints handling.
💸Tariffs and Prices
Which?'s latest customer survey gave British Gas received just two out of five stars for value for money. Five other suppliers also received this score, and three more received just one star, so it's not exactly the worst performer.
The British Gas standard tariff would cost the average household in London with average energy consumption of about £1,145.49 per year. The energy price cap is currently set at £1,138, which means this British Gas tariff is more expensive than the limit!
When it comes to British Gas HomeCare cover, some customers were dissatisfied with what they pay for boiler services and central heating repairs. Reviews repeatedly come back to the same frustration: renewal quotes are expensive compared to prices for new customers taking out exactly the same product.
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🧾Bills and Account Management
British Gas does fairly well in customer reviews with regard to how easy or difficult customers find it to understand their energy bills. Which?'s survey gave British Gas a score of three out of five stars for bill clarity. For bill accuracy, the supplier achieved four out of five stars!
📢Complaint Handling
In the Which? annual survey, British Gas achieved a score of three out of five for complaint handling. We had a look at British Gas's complaints data and found that in the last quarter of 2020, the provider managed to resolve around half of its complaints within one working day. A respectable 92% of customer complaints, however, were resolved within eight weeks.
The most common complaints about British Gas concern making bill payments and being on the right tariff. There was some unhappiness amongst long-standing, loyal British Gas customers about paying expensive tariffs while new customers are offered far cheaper deals, but unfortunately this is what happens if you take no action when your contract ends - no matter who your provider is!
“Would have been good if they contacted us every so often just to ensure we were on the right tariff. However i logged a complaint and this was quickly resolved and they apologised.” James, with British Gas
Some British Gas customers also complain about customer service, both on the phone as well as on the live web chat service. Nevertheless, representatives of British Gas are quick to respond to many of these negative reviews to try to resolve customers’ issues, which is a promising sign for those thinking of signing up.
Complaints FAQs
How do I make a complaint to British Gas?
If you need to file a British Gas complaint, the easiest way to do so is by contacting the supplier on 0333 202 9802 for credit meters or on 0330 100 0303 if you're a prepayment/PAYG customer. British Gas will aim to solve the issue as soon as possible.
My initial complaint to British Gas is still unresolved - what do I do next?
If you're not satisfied with how the complaint has been handled, you can then escalate the complaint to the Customer Services Director's dedicated team on 0333 202 9802. The team will review your complaints and take the necessary steps to resolve them.
I am unhappy with the way British Gas resolved my complaint - is there anyone else I can contact?
If you are still unsatisfied with the resolution, you can then request a “deadlock letter” from British Gas. This letter serves as written confirmation that British Gas was unable to resolve the issue. You can then refer your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman. If the provider declines to issue you a deadlock letter, you can still refer the complaint to the Energy Ombudsman after eight weeks have passed since you first raised the complaint.
I had a smart meter fitted today. The engineer was very professional and helpful. I'm a bit disappointed that British gas don't have a feedback to let them know what amazing engineers they have.
See more See lessBritish gas was amazing today. I had a slight problem today as my whole electricity shut off due to it being low on the monitor. But the person I spoke to helped me quickly fix it.Thank you very much.
See more See lessDean Walker service engineer 96050 Worcestershire attended an earlier flood at our home (5 Sept 21) he gave us confidence in his knowedge and his immediate ability to rectify the boiler problem. Mr Walker is a credit to British Gas.
See more See lessDean Walker service engineer 96050 Worcestershire attended an earlier flood at our home (5 Sept 21) he gave us confidence in his knowedge and his immediate ability to rectify the boiler problem. Mr Walker is a credit to British Gas.
See more See lessThe worst energy company in the UK that I have ever encountered. I am 71 years of age. With an appalling call centre in South Africa, if that is you can ever get through to them. They are, in my opinion, a greedy disgrace.
See more See lessDIABOLLICALLY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. I was switched to British Gas because previous electricity supplier PFP Energy went bust. Since the date of the switchover on 02/11/21 our economy 7 heating has not come on. Freezing cold house for over a week and no resolution in prospect. Due to a number of medical conditions my partner is considered to be extremely vulnerable. So far have made 4 separate phone calls to BG customer service totalling 4.5 hours. I have been lied to , fobbed off , and cut off. These people are totally incompetent. With the last phone call , i thought i was actually getting somewhere and an engineer visit was arranged for today - he never turned up !!! Their online live chat does'nt work. Their online complaints form does'nt work. There complaints email address is'nt monitored !!! Have tried contacting them through Twitter - as yet no satisfactory reply. How can a company the size of British Gas be SO BAD ?
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