Address discrimination??

TozMiles

At the moment, we are on pre-payment meters for both gas & electric - and have been for as long as we've lived here (My wife 9 years or so & me 5 years)..
We changed to British Gas with the view to changing to Direct Debit (after being told there would be no charge, and no problem doing so) but this morning when my wife rang to arrange it she was told that it wasn't possible due to a credit check on our address..
She hadn't got as far as giving her bank details etc, or indeed mine so it seems that where we live is stopping us from saving money by paying Direct Debit..
Is this real?? Is it legal?? Is it fair??
Surely a check should be on a person, and not bricks and tiles.. Especially as the pre-pay meter was here when she moved in..
Any help would be greatly appreciated.. The British Gas bloke suggested a credit check, which she's since signed up for, but doesn't tell you anything anyway..
Thanks

Cardew

Try and insure your house and contents in certain inner city areas and look at the premium compared to say rural Norfolk.

Ditto car insurance.

So I would be pretty sure it is legal. Fair/ethical is another matter, but all they seem to be doing is taking extra precautions.

I suspect credit Card companies and Banks as well as firms offering HP agreements also take into account the Postcode

TozMiles

that when we originally spoke to British Gas about changing, the address should have been checked then but I suppose our business was enough to take that risk.. Once we're in we're in..
No ethics there, I'm pretty sure of that.
May speak to a few of the others and see what the general opinion of checking people not addresses is..
Thanks for your help though..

chanz4

Whats your credit rateing like?

TozMiles

chanz4 wrote: »

Whats your credit rateing like?

We didn't foresee any problems to be honest.. No credit cards, I have a loan and overdraft but really can't see why they won't let us Direct Debit..
The credit check thing will be cancelled before the free trial is up, that's for sure..

TIMMY85

Credit checks are done by person not address. It is your credit history not your homes.

SwanJon

I'll back up what Timmy has said - also that you don't need bank details for a check. They need your address history for the last 3 years, full name and DoB (and your permission).

chanz4

Unless it flags up as been subject to a revenue protection investigation against the address.

TozMiles

There's never been a problem before, as far as we are aware.. Certainly not with us anyway, and various insurances etc over the years has never flagged up an issue.. We've been here longer than 3 years, and can't understand the issue..
May ring them up myself, and try to get to the bottom of it.. Or take my business elsewhere..
Thanks guys!!

chanz4

I cant say too much, but their is a reason why they are stopping you than what you have posted.

TozMiles

chanz4 wrote: »

I cant say too much, but their is a reason why they are stopping you than what you have posted.

I'm totrally baffled by it, that's for sure and must be missing something.. I've been here 5 years, my wife 9 - they do their checks on the past 3, makes no sense.. Phone calls to be made when I get home from work today..