British Gas about to disconnect supply!!!!!

Lisey_Loo

Hi guys,

Just had a letter put through my door from British Gas informing me that my gas will be disconnected next week!!!

I`ve been on IB for over 4 years and have told them that, therefore I can`t pay huge amounts off my bill.

I`ve been trying for over a year to get them to read my meter properly (there are 5 meters in the basement and no way of telling which is mine and which is the upstairs flat), no one ever keeps the appointment to read the meter, and trying to set up my DD which they cancelled by mistake!
Every time I ring them I get given conflicting advice, are they actually trained there at all??
I`ve been told that I have to be sent forms to complete so the DD can be set up, but have never received these forms.
Have just spent 75 minutes trying to get somewhere, spoke to 4 different people as the first 2 cut me off! The best advice was for me to let the gas be cut off, then try ringing them to get it reconnected, which would then cost me £250.

I live on my own in a flat, yet they say my bill is currently standing at £1275.00!!!!! I am scared stupid by the letter saying that they will be changing the locks and using forced entry!

I have tried ringing and going to CAB before about this, but the phone is never answered and the are always shut.

Not sure where I stand on how much they will accept as payment each month, they sem to think the lowest they can take is £106, which is something I cannot afford at all.

If anyone here knows anything that can help me with this situation, I`m really grateful.
Sorry for the huge essay...

Giddytimes

I used to work for a Utilities company(not BG) and it was always against regulations to cut off a gas supply completely, no matter how much was owed. I'm not sure if this has changed.
Suppliers normally force entry and fit a Quantum(card) meter instead. Which is not such a bad thing, the balance owed will be spread over a longer term so it shouldn't cost you as much per month as the DD amount they are quoting.

The only exception may be if you have a meter that is owned by a company other than Transco, as they may not offer the option of a quantum meter. However I still would not have thought they could cut you off completely, unless someone knows if the regs have changed?

Lisey_Loo

Thanks for that, I feel slightly relieved.

Have just rung OfGem, lady was very nice and said she will ring BG and get the account put in dispute which means it should stop the warrant etc.

She also thinks that I`m being over-charged for the gas, and that they are reading the wrong meter.

I`ve calmed down a little bit, but still not happy about the thought of strange men changing my locks and cutting off my gas, so I hope the nice OfGem lady kicks some !!!!!!!!!

leccylite

Be sure that you inform BG that you have been in contact with the regulator - just to make sure that the communications have been recieved.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

As the matter has reached such a serious point a wise move on your part would be to confirm the telephone conversations you've had with Ofgem in a letter to them. Also write to BG advising them Ofgem will be writing to them to put the account into dispute.

smartie1976

Lisey loo - check your Personal messages.

gotnobread

Hi Lisey Loo,

I used to work for BG.

You said you are having probs getting the DD set up but have you been making any payments by another method in the meantime? BG are within their rights to disconnect your supply if you are using gas but not paying. In practice, if you were in on the day the warrant was executed, you would have a pre-payment meter fitted (as Giddytimes says)... but be aware that if you don't pay and you're not in, you will definitely be disconnected and have the locks changed etc.

If no-one has read your meter then it is possible that the bill has been over-estimated (i.e. wrong). Another issue you mention is that the meters in your property might be crossed with someone else's. You can request a Trace & Label job to find out which meter is yours - ring the BG call centre and insist on speaking to a Team Manager. Ask them to hold debt action while the Trace & Label job happens - it would be a good idea to pay something towards your gas usage in the meantime. You do not need to fill in any paperwork to set up a DD, it can be done over the telephone using a system called AUDDIS - ask the Team Manager you speak to to do it for you.

The bill you mention sounds large but without an accurate meter reading it's impossible to say. What's clear is that, if you are having your account dealt with by a Team Manager pending a Trace & Label, and you are paying money towards your gas bill in the meantime, it wouldn't be beneficial to BG to disconnect your supply.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

Cheers,
Gotnobread.

saver_sam

Is this letter direct from British Gas or is it from an agency working on there behalf?

If they say they are disconnecting it next week does the letter say they have a warrant to enter your premises? Also if this is the case did you receive a human rights letter at least 2 weeks before informing you that they have applied to the magistrates court for a warrant and that you are entilted to go and represent yourself, as often if you go a magistrate, my hubby has found, may not sign the warrant as they dislike disputes.

Also is the basement where the meter a basement flat or just a basement?

I used to work for a Utilities company(not BG) and it was always against regulations to cut off a gas supply completely, no matter how much was owed. I'm not sure if this has changed.

. think this now depends on the time of year and being over the winter they may cut it off but in theory should install a prepayment meter and being on IB you should encourage them to get the payment down to as little as they can go, but make sure you can prove it or be in otherwise it may be set too high or ask about Fuel Direct (amount taken from income support i believe)

triffidfood

Just curious, but is there normally a charge for having a prepayment meter fitted (by British Gas)?

We were told there wasn't, had one installed 4 weeks ago but now wish to have it removed (you pay a higher tariff, so we've now discovered) .. in the mean time, our outstanding debt has inexplicably *doubled* (so much for supposedly paying it off via the meter, even over only 4 weeks it should still have gone down) so we're wondering if we were charged for installation after all.

Any ideas anyone? Do you normally have to pay to have these fitted?

Giddytimes

triffidfood wrote:

Just curious, but is there normally a charge for having a prepayment meter fitted (by British Gas)?

We were told there wasn't, had one installed 4 weeks ago but now wish to have it removed (you pay a higher tariff, so we've now discovered) .. in the mean time, our outstanding debt has inexplicably *doubled* (so much for supposedly paying it off via the meter, even over only 4 weeks it should still have gone down) so we're wondering if we were charged for installation after all.

Any ideas anyone? Do you normally have to pay to have these fitted?

You would have to pay costs if it went to court for them to fit it but if you requested the meter then it is free of charge. Was your last bill before the meter change estimated? It could be that when they took the meter out you had used more gas than they thought.

smartie1976

they are fitted free of charge, so the only thing that should be happening with the Prepayment meter is that the debt is assigned to the meter (at no less than £4 per I think), and so every time you charge your card the debt payment is taken upon insertion into the meter.
The debt repayment amount stays constant until the complete debt is repaid.

It is unlikley you can change back to a credit meter without having any outstanding debt paid off in full.
There is no charge to have a credit meter, but you may have to pay a security deposit.