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gas bill but no gas

up till october 08 a freind lived in an all electric flat. she was sent bills from british gas and so she wrote to them several times explaining there wasnt any gas at the property. she invited BG to send an engineer to the flat to check. they didnt. now, over a year later, she has had a letter from a debt recovery service demanding £601-00 for unpaid gas. she contacted the debt recovery firm but of course they were quite aggressive and hung up on her. i have sent an email to BG explaining that should they not give her a written apology and call off the debt recovery people within 14 days she will start legal proceedings against both. is this the correct course of action? is there a better route to take?
thanks
baz

Comments

  • Errata
    Errata Posts: 38,230 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Yes - she needs to contact them herself unless you have her Power of Attorney.
    .................:)....I'm smiling because I have no idea what's going on ...:)
  • bryanb
    bryanb Posts: 5,034 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Was British Gas supplying her electricity?
    This is an open forum, anyone can post and I just did !
  • Premier_2
    Premier_2 Posts: 15,141 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 7 December 2009 at 11:13AM
    bazzaffc wrote: »
    ...she has had a letter from a debt recovery service demanding £601-00 for unpaid gas. ...

    She should invite them to either drop the case or take immediate court action to recover the alleged debt as it is denied.
    Therefore there is absolutely no intention to pay the amount claimed, or any sum at all, and to mitigate any possible further collection charges, the matter should be taken to court asap if the creditor belives the amount is lawfully owed.
    Without court action, the debt cannot be enforced.
    bazzaffc wrote: »
    ...i have sent an email to BG explaining that should they not give her a written apology and call off the debt recovery people within 14 days she will start legal proceedings against both...
    Best not to make threats you have no intention, or idea of how, to enforce. ;)
    "Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 2010
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