Advice Please - Britsig Gas On Credit File

James0101

Just looking for a bit of advice of how I stand with this.

I moved into my home 6years ago. I then rented the property through a local Estate Agent who obviously switched on all the energy supplies. The contract with the Estate Agent ended after around a year and I went my own way with the landlord.

Anyways, to cut a long story short. I pay my energy bills quarterly and always have done in the 6years I have lived here. I know I should set up a Direct Debit, but to be honest I just ring up and pay by card each time they due.

As I've had a few things on at home in the past twelve months, I got behind with my BG account. They made no attempt to chase me for the money and it just rolled over which it has done for the last 4/5 payments. Fine I thought, I'll just ring up and pay the balance off at end of year and then set-up a direct debit in New Year.

To my horror, I checked my credit file and they have list my account as "delinquent" and have me down as 12 payments late!! They have never informed me of this at all! Send them an e-mail about this and the guy replied saying "as you moved into the property 6years ago, we were the gas supplier for that property so you automatically become responsible for it, its in our terms and conditions".

Now, is this right? Are they allowed to share my data even though I never signed to be with them when I moved here and never informed me they have shared my data with credit agencies?

And yes I know, I shouldn't have got behind and I have since set-up a Direct Debit to clear my account since I found this out (its for around £500).

Any advice appreciated to help me, if possible, get this off my file!

dogshome

I'm afraid BG are correct, and you would be in the same position no matter who supplied you - When you move you are automatically a 'Deemed' contract with that dwellings Utility supplier/s, but as soon as you have registered your residence at the new home, you are free to move to another supplier

Hopefully you will be soon have cleared this debt, so prepare the ground to get a better deal - Look at the past bills and work out how many Kwh you use a year of Elec, and Gas?
Pop these figures into a Switch site, I always include "switchwithwhich" in my searches, and find a better deal - these are usually where you pay by Direct Debit and opt for Online billing

macman

Yesd, you were in a deemed account with the existing supplier from the day you moved in and used the services, no signature is necessary. It's your job as occupier to register-nothing to do with the EA.

jalexa

James0101 wrote: »

To my horror, I checked my credit file and they have list my account as "delinquent" and have me down as 12 payments late!! They have never informed me of this at all! Send them an e-mail about this and the guy replied saying "as you moved into the property 6years ago, we were the gas supplier for that property so you automatically become responsible for it, its in our terms and conditions".

Now, is this right?

IMO that statement is not right (as an explanation why they have you listed with a Credit Reference Agency). It is correct regarding the "deemed" supply but is (IMO) not directly relevant to the question you ask.

You need to dig deeper to find out who provided British Gas with your date of birth without with you cannot be sufficiently identified for an entry to be created.

*If* the answer is that you provided it, then the context of that provision might need to be examined. A common "subterfuge" is to ask it for "online" security. I would question the legality of a third party providing British Gas your DOB without your explicit authority.

There is a mismatch between the descriptions "12 payments late", "last 4/5 payments" and "no attempt to chase".

You need to square that circle to get meaningful help here.

Wywth

James0101 wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advice of how I stand with this.

I moved into my home 6years ago. I then rented the property through a local Estate Agent who obviously switched on all the energy supplies. The contract with the Estate Agent ended after around a year and I went my own way with the landlord.

Anyways, to cut a long story short. I pay my energy bills quarterly and always have done in the 6years I have lived here. I know I should set up a Direct Debit, but to be honest I just ring up and pay by card each time they due.

As I've had a few things on at home in the past twelve months, I got behind with my BG account. They made no attempt to chase me for the money and it just rolled over which it has done for the last 4/5 payments. Fine I thought, I'll just ring up and pay the balance off at end of year and then set-up a direct debit in New Year.

To my horror, I checked my credit file and they have list my account as "delinquent" and have me down as 12 payments late!! They have never informed me of this at all! Send them an e-mail about this and the guy replied saying "as you moved into the property 6years ago, we were the gas supplier for that property so you automatically become responsible for it, its in our terms and conditions".

Now, is this right? Are they allowed to share my data even though I never signed to be with them when I moved here and never informed me they have shared my data with credit agencies?

And yes I know, I shouldn't have got behind and I have since set-up a Direct Debit to clear my account since I found this out (its for around £500).

Any advice appreciated to help me, if possible, get this off my file!

12 late payments in 6 years, for a quarterly billed customer?

It sounds to me that's 50% of the bills youve been late on over the last 6 years! :eek:
(not just the last 12 months you suggest)

What do you mean, they haven't chased you? Normally if a quarterly bill is not paid on time, a red reminder is automatically sent.