DRO and British Gas - Nightmare!

coinxoperated

I am currently in the process of starting a DRO with CCCS which will include my electricity arrears to british gas (roughly £2k)

I'm now waiting for CCCS to ask me for the £90 to get the application submitted. I know they are really busy.

In the meantime, I am being totally harrassed by British Gas after I offered them £1 a month. I include my budget sheet and other information from CCCS so they can clearly see that I can't afford any more.

British Gas are now arguing with me as they feel that until the DRO is in place, I should have a pre-payment meter fitted and start paying back the debt, which I am point blank refusing to do. Not only does this go against the DRO which hopefully will be sorted in a couple of weeks, my electric meter is currently in a flat above me which I can't access freely, so having a pre-payment meter won't be acceptable.

I'm currently only paying £1 a month to my electric (useage and debt) as I assume the whole lot will be put into a DRO?

Should I start paying the monthly useage? (£70! electric only flat) or should I just stick to my guns, pay only £1 a month until the DRO goes through and then set up the direct debit for the monthly useage and the debt included in the DRO will just sit in a seperate account? I'm so confused on what to do If I start paying the £70 a month for my consumption, they will just keep knocking this off the debt rather than put it towards what I'm using, so therefore this is a preferential payment??

coinxoperated

any help would be appriciated!

caz2003uk

I had debt with British gas, but had already gone through the rough treatment with bailiffs turning up unannounced to fit pre-payment meters!

TBH though going on pre-pay meters was the best thing that could have happened for me.

The DRO will not be for current usage, only for debt! You must continue to pay your current usage for all utilities as these are not yet a debt!

British Gas wouldn't accept £1 a month from me either, even when it was a letter addressed from the CAB so Im not surprised they are being insensitive towards you!

Obviously they can't take what you dont have but you must pay for your usage! Bearing in mind thats £70 a month for electric only and no gas...thats pretty average anyway.