British Gas just taken £285 DD for property I moved out of a year ago!

Joyful

I agree with you Antispam. The problem here may be that the new customers are disputing their start read. If they can have figures to prove this then previously accounts will be rebilled.

Cardew

Firstly, there is no doubt that BG cannot use a DD to take money from your account without giving you prior notification.

I don't think that the 12 month back-billing rule applies in this case. It seems probable that BG are correcting what they contend was an inaccurate bill.

Whilst you will get the money refunded from the bank - regardless of the merits of BG's claim - you do still need to sort matters out with BG or it will reflect on your credit record; which was your concern in the opening post.

pyueck

Antispam wrote: »

I think its reasonable to expect when one leaves a property to pay what is owed. However a utility company should in a reasonable time send a final bill, it shouldn't take them months or years assuming owner leaves forwarding address etc. This is just my view

Woah Woah!!!! I paid the final bill by credit card (£400) and gave meter readings when I moved out. In what way haven't I paid for what I owed? You are acting like I simply upped and went as I am sure a lot of people would if they were told you owe £400 despite having already paid £60 a month DD. Yesterday out of nowhere I got almost £300 taken out my account with no justification given by British Gas, just in what way am I in the wrong?

Premier_2

pyueck wrote: »

... In what way haven't I paid for what I owed?

You need to ask the supplier that
You should resaonably expect them to supply a full and clearly detailed bill explaining why they believe you owe them more money.

pyueck wrote: »

... Yesterday out of nowhere I got almost £300 taken out my account with no justification given by British Gas, just in what way am I in the wrong?

As already explained, and I understyand you have done, that being the case you are entitled to a full and immediate refund under the terms of the DD guarantee.
But remember, as also explained, your recovery under the DD guarantee does not imply you don't owe the money. DD is simply a method of payment, and doesn't look at the rights or wrongs of the underlying contract.
Your reimbursement under the terms of the DD Guarantee is simply for a breach of the rules of that scheme - a breach which the banks are obliged under the terms of that scheme to accept the word of the payer as true.

pyueck

Premier wrote: »

You need to ask the supplier that
You should resaonably expect them to supply a full and clearly detailed bill explaining why they believe you owe them more money.



As already explained, and I understyand you have done, that being the case you are entitled to a full and immediate refund under the terms of the DD guarantee.
But remember, as also explained, your recovery under the DD guarantee does not imply you don't owe the money. DD is simply a method of payment, and doesn't look at the rights or wrongs of the underlying contract.
Your reimbursement under the terms of the DD Guarantee is simply for a breach of the rules of that scheme - a breach which the banks are obliged under the terms of that scheme to accept the word of the payer as true.

I phoned british gas, they said they didn't know and would look into it. They haven't got back to me or offered to provide me with a bill. My online account can't be accessed as it says I left over 6 months ago. The supplier contrary to what you may think cannot just say you owe 'x' and sorry we don't know why but you just do.

How would you feel if you had paid the final amount, got a HUGE amount taken out your account a year later, queried it and not got an adequate response and then be told on this forum that I should pay what I owe. I am surprised more people are not standing up for me here, don't people feel I have been pretty poorly treated?

Cardew

pyueck wrote: »

I am surprised more people are not standing up for me here, don't people feel I have been pretty poorly treated?

You started this thread asking for advice, and that is what people are attempting to give; expressions of sympathy hardly help.

It has been explained that the Bank(not BG) will refund the DD payment. However they would do that even if it were a legitimate demand and BG had notified you that they intended to take such payment.

Rightly or wrongly BG feel that you owe them £285 and that needs to be resolved.

Is it possible that BG have been attempting to contact you since you left? It is pretty certain that BG would have sent you a final bill after you paid by credit card - did you get that?

It could also be that there has been an error on your closing meter readings, or the new tenant/landlord are trying to land you with a bill for their use - not unknown.

tomthered

NeverInDebt wrote: »

Consumer direct

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/EnergySupplyandPost/energysupply/managingbills/


I haven’t had a bill for ages – do I still have to pay?
Consumers are legally bound to pay for their utilities. However, the Limitations Act 1980 prevents charges being recovered if the electricity or gas was used more than six years ago. In Scotland this period is five years.
Suppliers should at least offer a payment plan that allows you to repay any debt over the same length of time that it has built up. In other words, if you have not had a bill from your supplier for three years then, when a bill does finally appear, you should be able to spread the repayments over three years. However, if you accept a payment plan then you will not be able to change your supplier until you have cleared the outstanding debt.
However, as a result of the ‘super-complaint’ submitted in April 2005 to the energy regulator, Ofgem, energy companies have been told that, as of July 2006, they should no longer bill for any energy used by consumers more than two years previously where the company themselves has failed to provide a bill. Energy companies are not expected to bill for any amount that dates back longer than a year.

The Limitations Act 1980 stops creditors pursuing a debt that is older than 6 years. This is negated when the creditor has chased the debtor within that 6 year period by letter or doorstep visit. It is also negated if the debtor has phoned or contacted the creditor company in some way to ask the outstanding balance or questioned about it.

This is info provided to me by one of our solicitors when chasing a customer who tried to avoid an outstanding debt we had already chased. The only time it applies is if there has been no contact to and from either party within that 6 years, then the debt is unenforceable.

pyueck

tomthered wrote: »

The Limitations Act 1980 stops creditors pursuing a debt that is older than 6 years. This is negated when the creditor has chased the debtor within that 6 year period by letter or doorstep visit. It is also negated if the debtor has phoned or contacted the creditor company in some way to ask the outstanding balance or questioned about it.

This is info provided to me by one of our solicitors when chasing a customer who tried to avoid an outstanding debt we had already chased. The only time it applies is if there has been no contact to and from either party within that 6 years, then the debt is unenforceable.

There is no debt, I closed the account and paid the final bill in full. What there is is a charge from my account which neither I nor the supplier can explain. I have phoned British Gas for an explanation and none has been given. I have no idea what the amount taken from my account relates to? What more can I do, keep ringing them back to say why aren't you chasing me for money I never owed?

GEEGEE8

I'd be livid! £285 just taken, that would mean I couldn't pay my bills if that happened to me.

Hope you get it resolved!

oldwiring

markharding557 wrote: »

You should cancel direct debits with companies when your custom is ended

That's good advice once you are sure.