Please help - CCJ & British Gas

grumpybum

Hi MSE Members,
I have a problem and I have no idea what to do....a few years back I got into some trouble with debts and got some CCJs.

When I sold my flat I paid off all my debts and settled the CCJs. When I moved, I got into a dispute with British Gas over the end reading after I had changed suppliers previously - they had cocked up a few years before and adjusted my bill but said that they could not adjust the reading, so when I left the flat, I was already in correspondence with them and refusing to pay (the bill was over £1000 for a one bed flat!! Bearing in mind I was at work all day as well....) the last correspondence I had from them was in response to a complaint about it and that they would reply within 10 days.

They never did.

Anwyay, I have since worked hard to reorganise my finances and do not use credit. Periodically, I receive letters from debt collectors for the British Gas bill but I reply saying that I do not agree that I owe the money and they should go back to BG...and then I hear nothing until a different collector contacts me and it starts all over again.

Having paid everything off some years ago, I ventured to order my credit record and have found that BG have registered a CCJ against my old address which means that I still have a 'dangerous' credit record despite all my hard work as this one is still live. I have no desire to deal with BG again they are simply too big a company and I feel like I am facing a giant! - that was a nightmare....where do I stand? This all started 05/06......

Any advice would be really appreciated as I have no idea where to start in getting it sorted and off my credit record...

McKneff

If it was May 06 and you live in England it should drop off your record in May 11
but you have to be sure of your dates, it is 6 years.

chanz4

Its may 2012 6 years from issue

McKneff

chanz4 wrote: »

Its may 2012 6 years from issue

doh:o and there's me an accounts clerk.

chanz4

Natwest take it lol

Tixy

What were the dates involved in this?
When did you move house? what is the date of the disputed debt?
When did you last write to BG and what did that letter say?
What is the date of the CCJ?

Was the CCJ registered at the address of that flat or an address after that but before your current address?
Did you ever officially give BG your new address? any proof of doing so? ie any letters from you to them at your next address etc?

grumpybum

Hi there...thank you so much for taking the time to look at this...I had no idea anyone would even bother! Very impressive....
Anyway, I will dig out the info on dates and post it so you can let me know what you think...I moved house in Dec 2006 - the last time I wrote to British gas, I had a letter stating that they would reply within 10 days and never heard anything after that - I just starting getting letters from debt collectors so advised them to go back to British Gas and ask them about the status of the case as I had made a complaint and never received a response.....every time I do that, they stop writing to me, and then I get a new debt collector write to me...

I got a letter today from Robinson Way in fact....?

All of the letters I wrote to British Gas were from actual addresses I lived at (I rented after I moved in 06 for a year - and moved again in 08 to the house I am in now). I can't remember if I told them officially - would it make a difference??

grumpybum

:eek::eek:What rights do these debt collectors have as they are a bit scary!!

chattychappy

grumpybum wrote: »

:eek::eek:What rights do these debt collectors have as they are a bit scary!!

No doubt British Gas would argue that it is scary how despite a court giving them a judgment, they still can't get their money!

If judgment has been given, then "by definition" you owe the money - it is beyond dispute. It is probably rather late now, but I mention the following for completeness for anyone else reading this thread. If you find out that a CCJ was obtained without your knowledge at an old address and you think you would have been able to defend the claim, then you can ask the court to set it aside pending a re-hearing. There is a fee for this (which can be waived in certain circumstances.)

grumpybum

To be fair, I didn't know a judgement had been given and they were never able to explain what the money was for - I lived in a one bed flat and worked full time, yet the bill for that quarter was over £1k!

As I say there had been a mess up when I changed suppliers which BG knew about, and I still have some of that correspondence (benefit of being a bit of a horder!)

I have read about an N244 set aside a judgement form as had I known they were taking me to court without explaining, I would have written to the court...but I dont know how this will effect me...someone said that I would have to pay a load of charges and I dont know if I could afford it

chattychappy

grumpybum wrote: »

but I dont know how this will effect me...someone said that I would have to pay a load of charges and I dont know if I could afford it

£80. If you can't afford it, you might not have to pay anything. http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/courtfinder/forms/ex160a_web_1010.pdf