I’m furious after a British Gas worker LAUGHED at my name – as I desperately asked why they charged me £300 extra
A FURIOUS British Gas customer has told how a call handler laughed their head off after he told her his surname during a phone call over a bill.
Ian Deadman, 31, had the representative scream "but you're not dead" after he desperately tried to find out why a whopping £300 had been added to his gas bill.
The Stagecoach bus driver from Southwark, south east London, said the comments were particularly hurtful at a time when he along with millions of Brits are struggling to pay their bills.
He told the Sun Online: "She said 'your name is Deadman but you're not dead'.
"She was proper taking the p*** out of my name... she absolutely shredded me.
"All I was trying to do was change my meter from a monthly one to a pay as you go and she just laughed."
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Ian initially shrugged it off, hitting back at the call handler saying he was "alive and kicking" which British Gas claim was the comment that left the rep laughing.
But on reflection he said the remarks were "absolutely terrible", especially after waiting on hold for 25-minutes.
The hacked off dad-of-four added: "Any other time I would probably shrugged it off but I feel like they're ripping me at the moment.
"As a business like that, dealing with my money, charging me and my home - I just don't think it's appropriate."
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Ian fired off an email immediately after the May 11, 2022, incident.
He later got an apology from British Gas saying they were "really sorry" for the comment.
The Centrica-owned energy titan - who are forecast to make £1.4BILLION in profits this year as bills rocket - insisted the call handler did not intend the comment to be "malicious".
But Ian rubbished the excuse saying the representative was "blatantly taking the mick out of me".
The snide comment comes at a bad time for Ian whose wife, 29, has been forced to give up work because of her mental health.
The change in circumstances has also forced Ian to seek a grant from British Gas as he's now only doing part time shifts, taking home just £250 a week for a family of six.
The issue of his surname comes up "the whole time" and Ian admits his kids, aged 12, 10, 7 and 2 get it in the ear from bullies at school.
The dad says his nippers should be "proud" of their name and own it and not let nasty comments get them down.
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A British Gas spokesperson said: “We have spoken to the customer to apologise for any offence caused and assured him that feedback will be given to the call centre agent he spoke to.
"We have also confirmed that his billing is correct and up to date and we have booked an appointment for him to have his meters exchanged to prepayment meters as requested.”
