Problems with British Gas, any advice greatly received!

ChrisB83

Hey guys

First time poster here, but long time reader of the forum.

I live in a block of 4 flats, yesterday I received a letter from British Gas with my name on it but addressed to another flat in the building that isn't mine. It was a bill for over £900 electricity. Now this is where the fun starts. I do not have a credit meter in my flat, I have a pay as you go meter as that's what was here when I moved in. The meter in question is in the flat below me, I have spoke to the tenants in the below flat to warn them about this also as they have only lived there for 2 months at most! So we know it's not them or myselves that have racked up this huge debt. Also I live on my own and have lived in my flat for about a year and a half, I work all day 5 days a week, so there's hardly any electricity running so there is absolutely no way I could have made up that amount of electricity debt in the first place.

My concern is obviously British Gas coming after me for this money when I do not even live in the flat that this is in relation to, and also why is my name on the bill in the first place? It makes absolutely no sense!

I'm confused and a little worried by the situation, so any advice as to what I should do is appreciated. My phone line is down till Monday evening so I can't call British Gas till then to tell them that it's not my flat, but from past experience I honestly can't just see them taking my name off the bill even though it is not and never was my responsibility.

Please help!

Cardew

Welcome to the forum

I would write(not phone) to BG explaining the situation and request(demand) a statement in writing saying that it is not your debt. Personally I would even send it recorded delivery.

Phoning is often a waste of time in these situations - the call operators usually can't be bothered with 'complicated' cases and it doesn't get resolved. Then the worst case scenario is the case gets passed to a Debt Collection Agency.

Joyful

The first thing I would do is call with your meter serial number and get BG to check Ecoes( the industry database) to see where it is attached to. This will speed things up and it will be passed to the appropriate team. It looks like the properties are mixed up. Back this up in writing.

SwanJon

Ditto Cardew & Joyful, but if you can get all 4 serial numbers and the flats they belong to that would speed things up.
Even include the date the people downstairs moved in.
You could start the ball rolling through their website and follow up with a letter