British gas, final bill

flarty

Hi

After moving into my first home last September i phoned british gas and had the prepayment electrical metre removed and had a standard metre installed, at the cost of a security deposit of £200, which i would get back as long as i made no late payments in the first year. well last month i decided to switch suppliers since my bills were scandalously high to EDF/sainsburys.
I phoned to see where i stood in regards to this deposit, and was told that it was used to clear my remaining electrical balance and ill be forwarded a cheque for any outstanding. When i finally received the cheque, it was a little light to say the least, so i phoned up to enquire why i had received so little where i was informed it was used to clear the remainder on my gas as well. Then surprise surprise i get a final bill for the gas through my letter box this morning.
After being on the phone for 50 minutes (30 was on hold.) i was told the deposit was subject to VAT (i didn't know security deposits were subject to VAT). So i said ok but that still doesn't add up, so i enquired about the rest she then told me it was due to an outstanding balance on the prepayment metre. I informed the rep that the house was a repossession, and i had the metre installed before moving in. So she then comes back to say that it wasn't an outstanding debt on the prepayment metre but because i have not been with them for a year i am not entitled to the full amount i paid. 50 minutes to find this out thank god its an 0800 number.

Just wondering where i stand since back in febuary i was told there would be no problem in having the full deposit returned to me, to being told my accounts had been paid in full, to having a final bill today.

Bar from getting hold of previous calls where the above has been discussed i don't know what to do. or what i am entitled to.

any help please.

Thanks

spiro

The security deposit is just that a security deposit to ensure you dont fail to pay your bills on time for the next 12 months. If you have the bills on time or change suppliers they should refund the £200 or offset it against your final bill.

The deposit is not subject to VAT but the bill will be so if you use £200 of gas then the bill will be £200+VAT minus your £200 deposit which leaves the VAT on £200 outstanding.