B. Gas keep sending bills but don't even supply the gas to the property

redkite89

A friend of mine who's been with Npower for the last 4 years and before that with Eon, had a gas bill from B. Gas for £670 in October. I telephoned B Gas and pointed out they didn't supply any power to the flat in question and they agreed and I thought the problem was solved. However another bill arrived in early Nov this time for £720, I phoned again, BG apologised and said the problem should now be sorted. Unfortunately it was not and another bill arrived 10th Nov, this time for £670 same as the first bill. Another phone call and again I was re-assured the bill must have been in the system and just ignore, we can see we do not supply the gas to the flat.

The next bill received, 16th Nov, was a "bill long overdue" and was for £670. He ignored this bill. Then on the 26th Nov he got a "risk of disconnection" bill for £685 that we "must pay immediately and listing extra charges he would have to pay like application for a warrant, execution of the warrant etc, these extras came to another £250 which would be added to the bill unless it was paid immediately.

Now the friend is a pensioner who awlays pays his bills on time and is getting quite upset with all these B. Gas bills and the threat of warrants and I'm getting fed up have having to spend a least 30mins on the phone to B Gas each time I phone them. The last phone call, today, they asked me to supply them with the serial number of the gas meter even though they know they don't supply gas to the property. They had no answer when I asked why nobody had asked for the serial number on previous calls.

All the bills are addressed to "the Occupier", the address is my friends correct address, the customer ref number is the same on all the bills, my friend has never been a customer of B Bas and has been at the property for 5 years.

I'm really irritated with B Gas for putting people through this sort of hassle, and their inability to solve this simple problem. Anyone any ideas as the best way of going forward with this, I think I'd really like to sue the !!!!!!s for harrasment.

Cardew

Write, don't phone, to BG Complaints!

pooch

And get your "friend" to do it! :D

redkite89

Have emailed them at

customercomplaints@britishgas.co.uk

Ken68

Ask for compensation, Red....at least £20 per sent bill plus your phone charges and time and stress and anxiety to your friend. Say..£100, maybe £200.. But in writing and keep a copy.
Any further bills etc is extra money in the bank.

t0rt0ise

Emails are not that great as they can get lost or never arrive etc. Best to send signed for post so that you know it's arrived. You could suggest to them that this now constitutes harrassment and you will be considering taking further action.

macman

redkite89 wrote: »

Have emailed them at

[EMAIL="customercomplaints@britishgas.co.uk"]customercomplaints@britishgas.co.uk[/EMAIL]

Emailing won't work. Write headed 'Complaint' as already advised, and sends it RD.
The 8 week clock is then ticking.

jalexa

macman wrote: »

Emailing won't work.

My experience is that email may well work better than snail mail, particularly if the supplier's complaints email address generates an auto acknowledge.

I believe that the Royal Mail "Signed for" service is potentially flawed. The mail travels in the same mailbag as normal mail. My experience is that where mail is delivered to organisations in large quantities, often to a Box number, it is not uncommon for the mail not to get "signed for" (or for Royal Mail not to update the record).

The "secret" is to follow up mail or email submissions which do not get acknowledged within the specified time period. IMO telephone is the best channel for that follow-up.

redkite89

Think I'll keep it simple for the moment and see what the response is to the email, there's not been any auto acknowledgment from B Gas.


What's the 8 week clock macman?

Ken68

You've done enough Redkite...don't help them to help themselves, if they screw up again, more compensation. As long as you have written and have a summary of events.