Refunding standing charges?

EngStudent

I've had a quick search but haven't found anything similar. I've got a couple of questions. It's long but I feel the background information is neccessary. I don't have gas so it's solely for electricity.

I moved into this flat in September, a few days later the estate agent's after-service gave me a call to sort out utilities. They told me the previous tenant was with nPower (and therefore current supplier), so I changed to ScottishPower and thought nothing more of it.

A few weeks later I got a bill from British Gas Business, who told me there were my supplier. I can only presume this happened because when I moved in the estate agent told me they'd given British Gas a reading the day before I moved in. Could British Gas have taken on my flat this way? To quote an e-mail from them,

Please be advised that as the previous tenant in your property had registered his account under business rates, the new account that was opened for you would therefore also be a business account.

Secondly, because I'd been put on British Gas Business, this included a standing charge - of £0.90/day. I e-mailed them before Christmas about possibly reducing this, to which they still haven't replied. I replied to the e-mail telling me it'd been forwarded to the relevant department and they told me it takes up to 28 days to reply, and it's been a lot longer.

I've had to pay BG what I owe them (altogether ~£180 from mid September to late November, which is when SP became my supplier), including £62 standing charges. I made partial payments early on (their instruction while it was changed from business to domestic usage). After Christmas they sent a final bill, which I did nothing about as they still hadn't replied.

A week or so later they sent another final bill, telling me I had 10 days to pay otherwise they'd pass my debt onto an external debt collection agency. I deducted the standing charges and sent a cheque with a note explaining the situation. Less than a week later I received a 'new' final bill, again explaining that I had 10 days to pay! It was exam time so rather than worry I just paid it.

Is there any way the standing charges could be partially refunded? If so, through which channels? I'm at Uni all day so ringing their 08 number from a mobile would cost me a fortune. Should I contact the complaints department and see what they say? Afterall I've had no reply from their business department.

Thanks.

spiro

SOmething must be wrong here, estate agent says supplier is NPower so you change. BG Business contact you because previous tenant was on a business tariff, is the flat above a shop? If so the flat and business could have been confused.

Business tariffs are for fixed terms. Use saynoto0800 (or something like that) to find a 01/02/03 number for them.

EngStudent

spiro wrote: »

SOmething must be wrong here, estate agent says supplier is NPower so you change. BG Business contact you because previous tenant was on a business tariff, is the flat above a shop? If so the flat and business could have been confused.

Business tariffs are for fixed terms. Use saynoto0800 (or something like that) to find a 01/02/03 number for them.

Hi,

Nope, the flat is in a block of flats. I've noticed a few other people had bills from BG Business as well (all flats were vacated in summer, new tenants all round). For some reason I doubt all the previous tenants were on a business tariff!

I'd forgotten about saynoto, will have a look and give them a ring.

Thanks.

t0rt0ise

I have raised complaints with British Gas recently and once they acknowledge receipt of it they are very good and call with updates as and when. I complained once by signed for letter which was dealt with quickly. My second complaint by email was ignored and then claimed never to have been received despite my receiving an auto email response immediately. So letter is best. Address is on their website.

My second complaint has now been dealt with and involved a recalculating of the bill on a different tariff with consequent refund.