Never billed and now this - BG

seadee

Hello and greetings.
I wonder if anyone can point me in the correct direction for some help with with my query.

Background

A couple of years ago I noticed that my monthly DD to British Gas had not been taken out of my bank account. So I called them up and they said "You have moved - you must have asked us to stop it"
Well I had done neither and after many calls it turned out one of my neighbours had moved and they had got the details wrong. All very apologetic and "We will sort it out"
Then came a "final bill" - more phone calls, case escalated - and "don't worry we will sort it out"
Then I started getting the bills for my neighbour - yet more calls to sort this.

Move on some 6 months and I had still to have a correct bill with the correct meter number and reading on it. I had supplied this on a number of occasions to them.
One day I saw a meter reader at my neighbours and asked if he was coming to read mine "No - BG don't supply your gas"
More calls and emails and further promises that all would be well.

About 9 months ago my meter started to be read again, although I had not had any bills or communication from BG.
Then at the end of last year I had two calls from BG saying that there seemed to be a problem with my account. I pointed them in the direction of previous emails/calls/letters and they agreed that this had been going on "for some time" and that not to worry "they would sort it out"

Yesterday I got a "first" gas bill through the door for a few quid short of three grand.

Questions

Can they bill me for the past two years (I recall something about only being able to get back one year but I may be making that up)?
Do I have to pay it in a lump sum or can I come to some sort of arrangement with them?

If you have ploughed through this then well done and hope that you may have some useful advice.

EDIT - the title should perhaps have been "Not billed for some time" as I have been a BG customer for 15 years

Rusty!

I expect the back-billing rule would apply in this case, since you made efforts to get it sorted. Should that be correct then they can only bill you for 1 year.

spiro

Have to agree with previous post. What period does your bill cover and how many readings does it show? Start of bill (months/years ago) and recent (last week/month)? Post start and end dates of bill and lets see how much we can start you request for 'billing code' reduction for.

seadee

spiro wrote: »

Have to agree with previous post. What period does your bill cover and how many readings does it show? Start of bill (months/years ago) and recent (last week/month)? Post start and end dates of bill and lets see how much we can start you request for 'billing code' reduction for.

Both - thanks for the above - I will try and post the info later or tomorrow when I have all the details, and believe me I do have them all, to hand

Cardew

I also would agree with the above - I would be pretty confident that the Billing code would apply and you will only be liable for 12 months backbilling.

However £3,000 in a couple of years?? surely that must be a mistake?

An important point is that from now on insist that they confirm in writing everything they state on the telephone, and you do the same.

1oneandonly

Im not sure of the above however you can offer them a settlement figure if you paid in full...they should give you discount off they bill if you decided to do this. The other option is tell them you want a paymt arrangement which they can also do.....from 6 mths to 18 mths.
Back billing is common. However it seems to me the mistake is there fault you should get a reasonable discount off that bill. Go to the complaints department if you get no joy with the advisor.

tripled

I would also ageree the 12 months backbilling rule should apply in this case - put the complaint in writing and be prepared to take it to the ombudsman. I hope you have a record of the emails/letters, as they may be needed if it goes that far.

Vestra

Have you received any bills during this period even if they are wrong?

seadee

The last bill I had was November 07 - and it was not for my meter so I contacted them and guess what - they would sort it out.

The bill they have now sent covers the period April 07 (estimated reading) until March 09 (estimated reading)
There are a couple of actual readings in that period.

There is also an estimated reading from May 07 which says "Estimated when you changed how you pay" - well since BG had cancelled my DD in the previous December no idea what that is about

Perelandra

As Cardew says, £3,000 sounds a lot in any case- do you have the number of units used on the bills to calculate this figure (and for what period of time)?

I'd probably check the meter readings at the time before all this started (which presumably you were happy with?) to the readings on this recent billing to check that nothing odd's happened there either.

seadee

Thanks for everyone's input.

Just a quick update

Spoke to Consumer Direct - very helpful and then to BG themselves, last week,

Appears I have been involved in an erroneous transfer.
Got my complaint number and nice man said he would be back in touch first thing this week.

Ah well, and I believed him.

Still a few days to go until my 14 days are up to chase them up.