British Gas nasty man?!?!

kate1976

Bit of advice please, my friend just phoned me in tears as she's just had a bloke from British Gas nearly knocking her door down, she said she couldn't answer it as she wasn't dressed (just got out of the bath) and he just started banging on the door and then her window shouting through the letterbox that he was from British Gas, she once again told him she couldn't open the door as she wasn't dressed but he just carried on and she said it then sounded like he was trying to open the door!

She's in a whole lot of debt, won't go through her sob story but she has struggled to pay her electric and this was probably disconnection? Can they do that when she has a child? She's terrified and I think the reality of her financial state has finally hit her after this.

She's totally broke at the moment (aren't we all) but is there anything she can do to stop this happening? I felt so sorry for her!

Also she said the guy got in a United Utilities van and not a British Gas one, any ideas on why that may be?

Thanks in advance.

Quentin

kate1976 wrote: »

this was probably disconnection?

If they have come to disconnect her, then she will know all about it!

And she cannot just refuse to let them in - they may go away, but will get a warrant of entry and return (refusing to allow entry then is a criminal offence)

kate1976

Quentin wrote: »

If they have come to disconnect her, then she will know all about it!

And she cannot just refuse to let them in - they may go away, but will get a warrant of entry and return (refusing to allow entry then is a criminal offence)

Thanks, can they break in if she's not there or does she have to be there? Will the police attend? She's stuck her head in the sand so much, she told me she's had several letters off British Gas but she's ignored them, (silly girl) She just sounded so scared on the phone and I really don't know how to advise her on how they'll act!

Quentin

kate1976 wrote: »

Thanks, can they break in if she's not there

Yes - if they have a warrant from the court. They must leave the premises secure after breaking in.

kate1976

Quentin wrote: »

Yes - if they have a warrant from the court. They must leave the premises secure after breaking in.

Oh goodness, she's not going to be happy about that when I tell her! Thank you for that!

needaspirin

Tell her to get down to CAB right now. She needs to take the letters she received from BG. If CAB can speak to them today BG may put a hold on disconnection until her debts can be sorted out.

kate1976

needaspirin wrote: »

Tell her to get down to CAB right now. She needs to take the letters she received from BG. If CAB can speak to them today BG may put a hold on disconnection until her debts can be sorted out.

Thanks for that but our local CAB is a half hour bus ride away and it closes at 12pm Will get her to go tomorrow, I just hope that's not too late!!

Cardew

They were probably attempting to fit pre-pay meters, not disconnect.

kate1976

Cardew wrote: »

They were probably attempting to fit pre-pay meters, not disconnect.

Oh gosh that's even worse, her electricity meter cabinet is behind her TV cabinet so that means when she has to top up she'll have to shift furniture about, least it'll keep her fit!! I have a gas pre-pay meter (not in debt with it, just had it when I moved here and never changed it) and it's so expensive, I think it's quite unfair that people on pre-pay tend to pay much more than normal meter users.

ceebeeby

Can you get over to see her, to offer her a cuppa and some comfort?

Coudl you drive her to CAB (do you have transport?)

Does she have anything she could sell to raise the money to pay off the debt?

kate1976

ceebeeby wrote: »

Can you get over to see her, to offer her a cuppa and some comfort?

Coudl you drive her to CAB (do you have transport?)

Does she have anything she could sell to raise the money to pay off the debt?

I am going to go see her later (got to wait in for landlord) but until then I'm hoping my 'telephone support' is helping her, she just keeps crying.

I don't drive unfortunately so I can't help her that way, I've asked her if there's anyone she can get to give her a lift but she doesn't want anyone to know, she's so ashamed of herself and as a sufferer of depression I can see this just knocking her down. She barely has anything to sell, she's sold loads already to pay off a few debts. I just feel helpless as I'm skint too so can't help her like that.