British Gas : Is this legal?

jackieD63_2

I moved into my flat 3 years ago and have been getting bills for a previous tenant. I used to send them back in the post with not at this address written in big letters on the envelope but they kept on sending them. I then emailed British Gas and explained that the person named did not live here, I got no reply and still the bills kept coming. Earlier this year I recieved a letter with Urgent stamped on it so I opened it and it said they were going to disconnect my gas supply as over £6,000.00 was owed. As it was not in my name I checked my meter serial number which didn't match the number on my bill, I checked my neighbours meter and the numbers matched. I then phoned British Gas and told them but they still kept sending me the bills. After many phone calls they sent someone round to check which meter belonged to which property and then sent the bill to me in my name and my meter number. I phoned them again and was told not to worry as it was their mistake and I wouldn't get any more bills. Two days later I received a letter asking me to fill out a form as My bill was a business account and it needed to be changed to a domestic account. I called them again and asked when the account was opened and what name it was opened in. The account was opened 2 years before I moved into the property and the name it was opened in was different to the name on the bills I had been receiving. They admitted that they must have changed the name on the bill twice and then changed the meter serial number but not to worry as they would sort it out. I came home from work today and there was another letter stating that if I didn't pay the bill in 5 days they would start charging late payment fees. Anyway, apart from being totally hacked off about it all, I'd like to know if it is actually legal for a company to change the name on an account and the meter number. Surely it can't be and where do I go from here....any help much appreciated!

Joyful

Who are you paying for your gas? Check with them that they are billing you for your meter serial number and the correct Meter Point Reference number for your property. If all is okay then you can give this information to British Gas.

As you were previously getting bills for the previous tenants did you ever give your name to British Gas and give meter readings?

dogshome

Forget the phone
WRITE to BG setting out the history of this account, and head the letter
COMPLAINT

macman

So when did you actually register for a supply with BG yourself? It's your job to do this when you occupy the property.
Otherwise BG have no way of knowing when the previous tenant vacated.

Atidi

dogshome wrote: »

Forget the phone
WRITE to BG setting out the history of this account, and head the letter
COMPLAINT

The supplier should only discuss an account with the account holder (or, on occasions, someone the account holder has legally appointed)... which in this instance does not appear to be the OP.

undaunted

Regardless of whether or not you contacted them when you initially moved in you appear to have done so repeatedly since. They've had more than reasonable opportunity to sort it out so, 8 weeks having passed since you first made them aware of the problem pass it to the Energy Ombudsman & let them try & sort it out instead (This should stop any further hassle for you in the meantime & will cost BG about £350 ombudsmans fee plus any nominal compensation you may be awarded for your trouble)