British Gas "debt"

vianaut

Hi, I am hoping that someone reading this will have enough knowledge of the legal side of things to point me in the right direction. Basically, my parents own a shop unit which they rent out. This was tenanted, and under the lease, the tenant was obliged to meet all utility payments. The tenant vacated in February 2010. At this point, my Dad wrote to British Gas, explained that the tenant had vacated, provided a meter reading and a forwarding address for the tenant. He asked for anew account in his name to meet the vacant costs until a tenant was found.

A new account was opened in his name and he began to pay the standing charges for the unit. Unfortunately, in May last year, my Dad had a massive stroke. He is now unable to communicate at all. Despite him having written to BG, after he was taken ill, BG began to chase him for over £3,000 of gas arreras, owing by the tenants, who had now left. Somehow the name on the tenants account was chnaged to my dads. Despite my dad being extremly ill and in hospital, I took the time to respond to BG, provding them a copy of dada original letter and a copy of the tenants agreement. It the n went quiet. A few months later, we received letters from Westcot credit services threatening acion over unpaid gas - again the amount due by the tenant. I wrote again to westcot and sent all of the correspondence previously sent to british gas. Westcot then wrote to say they had closed their files and would not pursuing the debt any further.

In March this year, my mother received notice of action for unpaid BG debt (smae amount again), this time from Credit Resource Solutions! She sent them all of the corresponsdence sent to BG and Westcot and received no response. This week she has received a 7 day warning of court action for failure to deal with the debt.

Surely this cannot be right. The debt is not theirs to pay. My mum is under enough stress and pressure dealing with the disability of my father, let alone her own health issues and this is nothing more than harrassment. It has been rpoven many time that the tenant is liable for the outstanding £3,000, we have provided readings, forwarding addresses etc and this was accepted by Westcot, so how can it now bw pursued by another company?

I am sorry for the long psot, but I really need some advie on how to proceed, as I need to get this closed once and for all as I don't think my mother can take much more. Many thanks in advance

Cardew

Frankly I would let it go to court and claim expenses after the case has been dismissed.

bengasman

1. This is wrong; the your parents do not owe that money.
2. It is quite common for BG to threaten customers with court and sending debt collecting companies for non-existing bills. Don't let it worry you, they are bluffing and try to bully your parents into paying money on behalf of someone else.

Send a written complaint, snail mail or email, to their complaints department about the repeat occurrence of this fatuous bill. Contact ombudsman on behalf of your parents with a complaint about the outrageous behaviour of BG. BG just had a 2.5 million pound fine for dealing with problems badly, so you should find the ombudsman quite willing to believe you.

If BG are dumb enough to let it go to court, it will also solve the problem for you as the court will not be impressed about getting their time wasted on something like this and send BG packing with the tail between the proverbial legs.

vianaut

Thanks so much for confirming. I couldn't quite believe that it is correct for them to be acting in this way. Just one more thing, if I have to refer it on, will I need to report this to the ofgem or the OFT? I have issued another letter to them again reiterating that this is not owed by my parents and pointing out that they are ignoring correspondence and cc'd BG in as well. Hopefully, we can get this finished once and for all! Thanks again

Cardew

bengasman wrote: »

1. This is wrong; the your parents do not owe that money.
2. It is quite common for BG to threaten customers with court and sending debt collecting companies for non-existing bills. Don't let it worry you, they are bluffing and try to bully your parents into paying money on behalf of someone else.

Send a written complaint, snail mail or email, to their complaints department about the repeat occurrence of this fatuous bill. Contact ombudsman on behalf of your parents with a complaint about the outrageous behaviour of BG. BG just had a 2.5 million pound fine for dealing with problems badly, so you should find the ombudsman quite willing to believe you.

If BG are dumb enough to let it go to court, it will also solve the problem for you as the court will not be impressed about getting their time wasted on something like this and send BG packing with the tail between the proverbial legs.

It is now in the hands of a Debt Collection Agency and they may well take it to court for that amount - hopefully anyway.

Also bear in mind that this is a business account(or should be)

useless_git_requires_wife

Don't worry.....there is no chance the debt collectors will take you , or the real debtors, to court. Just pieces of paper.


You need to proceed with a formal complaint against BG. Phone them and ask them what their complaints procedure is. If it is not resolved verbally, then it moves to a written complaint, then 'deadlock' (if still unresolved), then the ombudsman....who will almost certainly find in your favour.

Best wishes and try not to worry about it.....it will be resolved in time.

British_Gas

Hi vianaut
I am very sorry to hear about the problems occurring here. I'm not sure how this has happened but you are right that it needs to be sorted out as soon as possible.

If you could email the address of the property and the British Gas account number (the debt collectors will likely have assigned it their own reference which I would not be able to use) if you have it to hand to PAYGE_MSE_contact@britishgas.co.uk then I will make sure it is all invesatigated for you.

Thanks

bengasman

British_Gas_company_representative wrote: »

I am very sorry to hear about the problems occurring here. I'm not sure how this has happened

You must be quite new at your job then.
BG have done it twice to me, and in both cases I didn't owe the money. Unless of course the op and I are the only people where BG started threatening "by mistake".

Gerrard_8_lfc

bengasman wrote: »

You must be quite new at your job then.
BG have done it twice to me, and in both cases I didn't owe the money. Unless of course the op and I are the only people where BG started threatening "by mistake".

The BG rep is only trying to help, yet again you have a hissy fit . Let the rep do there job without sarcism