British Gas business rates (help)

dill_2

I started a small business back in 2003, and was contacted by British Gas who I get my electricity from, to see if I wanted to go onto their business rate as I run a business from home. It seemed like a good deal so I agreed.
I have just received a bill from them for £1102.22

As this is the biggest utilities bill I have ever had in my life and I live in a one bed flar, I queried it with them and was told they hade made a mistake and had not been charging me the standing charge since 2003 and that I had to pay it.

I contacted Energy Watch and was told by them that this was happening a lot, and that I have no rights as I am on a business plan as opposed to a domestic plan.

Can anyone give me any advice as to what I can do, as I don't have that sort of money to pay them???

Should I threaten to take them to court so we can let a judge decide, as this is not my fault?
Dill

Choc

Have you told BG that you have spoken to energy watch?

spiro

The problem you have is the OFGEM and Energywatch got the big 6 suppliers to introduce a billing code a couple of years ago that initially stopping back billing for more than 2 years and then reduced it to 1. Unfortunately for you this only applied to domestic customers and not to business customers. Dont know why this was but is leaves you without that 1 year protection. You say you run your business from home but its only a 1 bed flat. The normal rule of thumb used by HMRC is do you use more than 50% of your electricity (or gas) for work related activites, if yes you should be on a business tariff and pay the higher rate of VAT, if no then you should be on a domestic tariff and pay the lower rate of VAT.

dill_2

Choc wrote: »

Have you told BG that you have spoken to energy watch?

I spoke to my personal business manager who said she would see what arangments could be made to pay them back and she said that she would ring me back.
I then asked for the number for Energy Watch which she gave me and guess what she didn't call me back.