gas or electricity old debt

simster69

can anyone please answer this question for me? we have been trying to change electricity supplier from British gas for about 2 years but every-time we try we get letters saying there is an outstanding balance from your supplier so we rang British gas ( up to date about 20 - 30 calls ) every-time we spoke to someone they said there is no outstanding money owed then recently we tried again and was told the same ( no surprise ) but this time a manager explained that there was £172 approx owing from 2006 this was the time when we left British gas the first time to try another supplier at that time no one mentioned any money owed and British gas were obviously happy for us to leave then in 2009 we returned to British gas again no mention of this £172 we supposedly owe so i asked this manager to outline to me this money owed and send proof that we owed this amount which he said he would but ever since that ( 2 months ago ) nothing was ever proved and no contact was made to myself until recently we received an email explaining that this money was owed and it was their fault they did not add it to our account 6 years ago and as a good will gesture they will deduct 10% from the amount and start deductions from our pre pay meter at £6 a week starting on 29th January 2013 but still no proof i owe this amount can someone please tell me is this legal have i got the right to have proof before they start deductions? whats to stop them doing this to me again and again? thanks

Wywth

simster69 wrote: »

can anyone please answer this question for me? we have been trying to change electricity supplier from British gas for about 2 years but every-time we try we get letters saying there is an outstanding balance from your supplier so we rang British gas ( up to date about 20 - 30 calls ) every-time we spoke to someone they said there is no outstanding money owed then recently we tried again and was told the same ( no surprise ) but this time a manager explained that there was £172 approx owing from 2006 this was the time when we left British gas the first time to try another supplier at that time no one mentioned any money owed and British gas were obviously happy for us to leave then in 2009 we returned to British gas again no mention of this £172 we supposedly owe so i asked this manager to outline to me this money owed and send proof that we owed this amount which he said he would but ever since that ( 2 months ago ) nothing was ever proved and no contact was made to myself until recently we received an email explaining that this money was owed and it was their fault they did not add it to our account 6 years ago and as a good will gesture they will deduct 10% from the amount and start deductions from our pre pay meter at £6 a week starting on 29th January 2013 but still no proof i owe this amount can someone please tell me is this legal have i got the right to have proof before they start deductions? whats to stop them doing this to me again and again? thanks

If you have never acknowledged the debt since 2006, it would be statute barred by now

However if you agreed to having the debt added to your PPM, then you have acknowledged the debt.

Of course they need to prove a debt if you deny it. I don't know why you have left this for so long. Raise a complaint, and then they have 8 weeks max to resolve it, else you can take it to the ombudsman.

Or, based on what you have posted, you could probably get any amount written off under the 12 month back-billing code.