desperatly need help British Gas

spiritwings

I am in desperate need of advice regarding British Gas.
In April of this year my direct debits were cancelled by BG the reason stated that my bank account had been closed. this is NOT the case, I am still using and operating said bank account. Letters and phone calls have ensued since then, with BG point blank refusing to reset up the DD's or take ANY payment on my account whatsoever. I have been in contact with one of their consumer complaints officers, who is basically refusing ANY offer I make he wants payment in full NOW.
This morning I have had 2 letters, one stating they are in the process of gaining a warrant of entry to cut off my gas (*i live in a private rented listed building so they're not allowed to put a prepayment meter in) and also another letter demanding a payment of £315 for my electric. (The gas bill is £151) as a divorced single parent on income support i cannot afford to pay these amounts in full which I have explained to them but CAN afford a joint payment of £80 per month for both accounts, they are refusing to accept this and say i have to pay double that amount. I have spoken to the job center who say they will by all means put me on the fuel direct scheme but they would take out of my benefit whatever BG want me to pay which would basically leave me with a minus figure every month for income support and my income would reduce at such a rate that I would not be able to pay my other bills and be able to feed my 3 children. I do not get child maintenance at present but the CSA is looking into this for me as my ex works full time but hasn't declared it but that's another matter.

I have an address for the head of complaints at BG which I am in the process of writing a letter to and will be sending it recorded delivery in the morning.
I have just had another phone call from Trevor Middleton at the customer complaints dept and basically he is REFUSING to let me make any kind of payment on my accounts, I have been given more different amounts for what I allegedly owe BG and he ended up yelliung and shouting down the phone at me!! I am sat here in tears because they are threatening to cut off my gas and electric if I don't pay but they are REFUSING to let me pay!!!!
I have offered and offered to make payments of £80 a month in total for both accounts but he is just point blank refusing these and I am at my wits end. My health is suffering (i have an underlying health condition and this is just making it 100 times worse and I just don't know what to do about this situation anymore.

I desperatly need some good advice as to how to proceed as like I say, all offers I have made have been refused

littletommytucker

Do you mean you can afford £80.00 on both accounts a total of £160, or your can afford a total of £80.00 for the two?

littletommytucker

Sorry.. I re read and realised you do mean a total of £80.00. The longest time you could expect to pay back the money you owe British Gas would be one year (£40.00 a month) and I’m sure you use must use more than £20.00 a month of gas and electric? So you must appreciate where they are coming from? £80.00 isn’t enough and if you really can’t afford any more than that they you need your unlimited credit facility taking away and a pre paid meter fitting?

Joyful

If you go on Fuel Direct you will pay a small amount for your outstanding balance plus whatever amount you use for your energy. How can this be unfair? A payment plan needs to clear a balance in a set time so it sounds like your offer may not be covering much of the balance. This is where either a PP meter or Fuel Direct comes in. The payments are then structured and the company is guaranteed that your balance does not increase.

As you are in a listed property I do not believe this stops a PP meter going in as all they are doing is replacing the meter in the same place. You need to accept one of these options ASAP to stop your debt increasing with charges.

Rikki

Why didn't you save the direct debit amount they should have been collecting and then you would have had a lump sum to pay them?

kippen_noedel

It's too complicated for me to give advice other than much of which has already been posted, you should however ask them about their Essentials Tariff in conjunction with Fuel Direct.

markharding557

spiritwings you have 3 children do you not get child tax credit(should be around £140pw for 3 and child benifit (around £60pw for 3) you didn't mention these.
i think you need take a more careful look at your budget.
if you are paying loans or credit cards you should reduce or if needed default on payments to these,things like food,gas,electric,water,mortguage and any kind of rent or tax arrears must come first

newlysingle_2

I used to work in the BG collections dept, some people can be insensitive there, I always tried to help. I would phone BG up today and advise you want to go onto fuel direct. Give them your national insurance number and date of birth- which they use to corresponde with the fuel direct team at the benefits agency. They will take payments that are alot lower than you are offering. There is nothing stopping you paying the debt off at the same time if you want to. As soon as you have advised them that you want to go onto fuel direct- as long as you contact the benefits agency, with a copy of your last letter, it will stop all further action on your account. They will not go for a warrant as all notes have to go to court with the company. Hope this helps.

P.S. BG have brought in a new incentive for staff to collect higher payments- cash bonus, brilliant for there customer services

wornoutmumoftwo

British Gas have a trust in place to help people who have got into arrears, http://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/

They will help providing you can prove that you can pay your current usage. I used it once and it really helped me out.