What's eating my gas?

Fire_Fox

Rev wrote: »

Sorry. I didn't mean not to answer. Truth is I have no idea. I didn't read the metres. I so know the last gas bill that came in was in credit by a few £. But the last six months or so were spent in the hospital with my mum and tbh bills were the last of my concern. I paid what was due on a Monday on the way to the hospital or set up a direct debit. As above. I didn't close the account and open a new one. I just switched it to my name.

Right, AFAIK you cannot switch the same account to a completely new name, the old occupant (mother or their representative) closes and settles one account and the new occupant (you) opens a new account. That should definitely have been done by the executor/ administrator within probate, readings should have been asked for and supplied, a final bill should have been raised and paid by the estate or debt written off if no estate. This close/ open account thing even happens when one tenant leaves a houseshare, but two or three others stay put.

Do you have the same account number as your mother had (you will have the same supply or meter number)? Ring the supplier and ask them what was done, did you get a NEW account in your name or an executors account that they did not explain they were transferring the supply to, ask why they didn't ask for meter readings. Don't remind them that you lived in the house before, you are asking about your mother's bills as previous bill payer and your bills as current bill payer.

IMO get someone to read the meters and read your bills if you don't understand them. Next to any meter readings there should be codes for estimated or actual, customer or supplier readings, those are important. You need to know if the readings when your mother was alive were estimated, just because a bill seems to be in credit does not mean it is if the estimates were wildly off. If they were and you have got the same account number you may be paying off your mother's debt which would explain the sudden hike in costs.

You do not have to pay someone else's debt, if there was no money or assets in your mother's estate the debt can be written off, this may reduce your current bills by hundreds of pounds if you are lucky. If you moved out today and I moved in to your house I would not pay your debt, it's the same thing.

Hope that makes sense.

Rev

Yes. It's the same account number.

Will ca them on Monday and see what happened.

amcg100

It seems to me that you have just about managed to get by with your joint income, but now that you are on your own it's impossible. No - body can live on ESA and afford to centrally heat even the smallest of homes. It is just not economically possible. I have been in this situation myself and have had to go without gas, electricity and water for periods, - it's not pleasant, but you simply have to switch everything off until you can afford to pay for what you are consuming.

Otherwise, seems like good advice from other posters, but the only way to improve your situation is to improve your income , and that probably means a job of some kind.

Rev

amcg100 wrote: »

It seems to me that you have just about managed to get by with your joint income, but now that you are on your own it's impossible. No - body can live on ESA and afford to centrally heat even the smallest of homes. It is just not economically possible. I have been in this situation myself and have had to go without gas, electricity and water for periods, - it's not pleasant, but you simply have to switch everything off until you can afford to pay for what you are consuming.

Otherwise, seems like good advice from other posters, but the only way to improve your situation is to improve your income , and that probably means a job of some kind.

Yeah that's what I'm doing. Going without. And I know I need a job I don't want to live like this. I'm just really struggling with anxiety right now. As soon as I get that under control I will be job hunting. I've just started counselling so am hoping it will be sooner rather than later.

I do appreciate all the advice.

closed

compare how much gas the fire uses (gas not money) to how much the central heating does before changing habits, heating one room (that you're using) is usually far cheaper than heating several. typical gas fire on medium setting should be about 13p/hour if you're on a good tarrif, centrally heating (a whole house) will cost much more than that.

Fire_Fox

Rev wrote: »

Yes. It's the same account number.

Will ca them on Monday and see what happened.

Let us know how you get on, we will help as much as we can. Don't feel alone with anxiety, many of us on MSE with the same or other mental health issues.

((hugs))

Rev

Called BG.

Apparently because I was living in the house with my mum the debt is mine too as I was using the gas. They said when that happens they just switch the name on the account.

WestonDave

Smooth move by BG in terms of protecting their position but wrong - you don't gain debt by association! Her account, her debt and unless there is money in her estate to pay it (which should be paid before anyone inherits anything) the debt dies with her. Go back to BG and tell them to sort it - if needs be, make an appointment with the CAB and get some help.

Fire_Fox

Rev wrote: »

Called BG.

Apparently because I was living in the house with my mum the debt is mine too as I was using the gas. They said when that happens they just switch the name on the account.

I don't believe this is correct, to avoid this confusion I did suggest you didn't remind them you were living there. If this were true we'd have suppliers everywhere chasing teenage university students for their parents defaulted bills instead of installing prepay meters or setting debt collectors on the parents.

You were not the named party on the old bill and you were not the resident homeowner/ head of household either, really akin to a lodger and lodgers do not become liable for resident landlord's utility bills. I still think the debt is part of the estate, the old account should have been closed and new account opened in your name with readings. Be sure to read your meters regularly from now on, this helps establish your usage patterns compared with your mother's use.