New house, problems with Gas Bill and British Gas

mark_ashley

Hi, hope everyone is well. :beer:

Just wondering if anyone knew the ins and outs with an issue Im having with everyone's favorite BG!

Basically, bought a house end of august (been for sale empty for a while) and rang BGAS straight away to ask what I needed to do as it was my first house.

Gave them the readings, asked about tariffs as I wasn't going to be in the house as me and my partner were re-furbing and they suggest one which we were happy with as it meant we only paid for what we used. I then removed all gas appliances and all wiring except one socket for drills etc.

The electricity has been fine until recently when the meter seems to have started playing up just as I have moved to Co-op but that's another story.

The gripe is, every subsequent time I contacted them (beginning about a fortnight after the initial contact) They had my gas reading at 15147. I told them it was 15347 when I moved in. They said O.K and adjusted.

This would happen every month; they send me a bill for 200 units, I'd explain it was (and still is) 15347, and has remained so including last week when they sent someone to read it.

It has only tonight become apparent that when ever I told them it was 15347, they sent the 200 units difference in a bill to the old owners who told them they wont pay, so it gets bounced back to me... But I'm suspicious that they gave readings when they moved out but did not do so during the time it was left empty (heating still on) and up for sale.

Now BGAS says its a civil matter and for me to sort out with old owners and they will do nothing about it. I don't know the old owners and due to DPA I cant find out where they have gone. But what I do know is that from the outset I have been honest and open and can prove the date I moved in and obviously they know when I called and what has been repeated from the outset. Surely common sense must prevail, its not like the reading has ever changed on every occasion I have called them!!

Its very annoying, especially as it would seem although they say "we cant accuse anyone of lying and cant get involved" surely the fact they are trying to get the money off me clearly shows they are claiming I used the gas?

Any ideas or thoughts welcome, sorry for the long post, been searching but cant find much in the way of help!

Cheers, Mark.

mark_ashley

Edited due to my poor poor grammar whilst recovering from footie!

dude89

mark_ashley wrote: »

Hi, hope everyone is well. :beer:

Just wondering if anyone knew the ins and outs with an issue Im having with everyone's favorite BG!

Basically, bought a house end of august (been for sale empty for a while) and rang BGAS straight away to ask what I needed to do as it was my first house.

Gave them the readings, asked about tariffs as I wasn't going to be in the house as me and my partner were re-furbing and they suggest one which we were happy with as it meant we only paid for what we used. I then removed all gas appliances and all wiring except one socket for drills etc.

The electricity has been fine until recently when the meter seems to have started playing up just as I have moved to Co-op but that's another story.

The gripe is, every subsequent time I contacted them (beginning about a fortnight after the initial contact) They had my gas reading at 15147. I told them it was 15347 when I moved in. They said O.K and adjusted.

This would happen every month; they send me a bill for 200 units, I'd explain it was (and still is) 15347, and has remained so including last week when they sent someone to read it.

It has only tonight become apparent that when ever I told them it was 15347, they sent the 200 units difference in a bill to the old owners who told them they wont pay, so it gets bounced back to me... But I'm suspicious that they gave readings when they moved out but did not do so during the time it was left empty (heating still on) and up for sale.

Now BGAS says its a civil matter and for me to sort out with old owners and they will do nothing about it. I don't know the old owners and due to DPA I cant find out where they have gone. But what I do know is that from the outset I have been honest and open and can prove the date I moved in and obviously they know when I called and what has been repeated from the outset. Surely common sense must prevail, its not like the reading has ever changed on every occasion I have called them!!

Its very annoying, especially as it would seem although they say "we cant accuse anyone of lying and cant get involved" surely the fact they are trying to get the money off me clearly shows they are claiming I used the gas?

Any ideas or thoughts welcome, sorry for the long post, been searching but cant find much in the way of help!

Cheers, Mark.

Unfortunately BG are right in this instance as they can't take one customers word over another's without proof. So they are correct that it is now a 3rd part dispute.

Every time you ring up and tell them your meter reading they adjust the closed account accordingly. They the previous customers query the new bill and give their meter reading which then sends you a new bill. a vicious circle.

mark_ashley

Yeah I understand about them billing the old owners and I appreciate they have to stay neutral. My objection is why this wasn't highlighted to me at the beginning when it could have been possible to do something about rather than waiting till now when I have no chance of finding old owners. That and the desperation that I feel I have done everything possible to inform them of the readings, and if they are not to trust what's being told then surely they should make it their responsibility to send someone to check in the first place?

I just don't know where to go from here as I will be damned to pay someone else's bill!

MK55

you need to provide proof i.e. picture or if not take it up with previous person. company take your word over another customers deemed unfair

mark_ashley

U think they would accept a photo as proof? I could go out now and take a photo and send it to them, the reading is no different from when I bought the house. They seem to be saying though that the reading when I bought the house was not the reading when they sold it!