British Gas Charging a Standard Order- Wtaht can I claim Back?

hannahbroad

Hi
I am sending this on behalf of the company I work for.
We took over a building back in 2006, where we used the gas for a periud of around 3 months (british gas came and took the meter readings as per the invoice). It now transpires, the gas invoice from British gas was addressed to the old company and under a fault which we are unsure about, we never received this.

Over a course of 5 years, we had the Meter but didnt use it as it began to wear, so we decided to stop using the meter and buy Gas cylinders to heat the warehouse instead.

Only recently, we decided to phone up British Gas to see if we can have a new meter put into the warehouse and start using them again for this. After phoning them, they had no idea who we were as the the debt was under the old companies name.

Once they realised my company should have been receiving the invoice, we were hit with a big £4000 bill. Around half of this is the gas charges, but the other half is the standing order charge they have been charging us for not paying.
The invoice shows the different meter readings British Gas took over the 3 months, which we have taken their word for as it was so long ago, we cannot confirm when they came.

However, we do not agree with the standing order charge we have been charged for not paying the invoice, as it would have been addressed to another company, and was not delivered to us.

I would like to know if there is a chance we could recover the standing order charges against the invoice and how. What information or evidence do we need to recover this.
If this is not possible, could you advise why it is not possible and what British Gas would need to send us as proof we received the invoice.
I would also have thought that this invoice would have been chased for payment by their Credit Controllers and Im sure the old company would have directed them to us.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you

Hannah

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Did your company inform British Gas that you no longer wanted them to supply you with gas? From what i can remember unless you tell them to disconnect the service then you will still get the standing charges as they are still supplying you with gas whether you use them or not.

Probably best to visit the utilities board.

Gothicfairy

I think they mean standing order charges ( ie not paying the payment plan through the standing order that might already have been set up, kinda like bounced DD charges ) for not paying the bill rather then standing charges for the meter ??? Or at least that was what I read after the second go around

bod1467

OP says standing ORDER not standing CHARGE. OP infers that the charge is related to not paying the bill, not the standing daily charge for having the gas service provided.

OP - can you clarify exactly what you mean? If you mean standing CHARGE then this will be due unless your company specifically informed BG to disconnect the service.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Fair enough i may have miss-read it but either way if they failed to inform BG of them stopping using it then they are still going to get billed