Fuming at British Gas.

securityguy

bylromarha wrote: »

No, I appreciate the final bill will come out of the house sale money, but paying a bill of £571 without question or challenge is something which I'm not prepared to do.

Although if there's a house worth of money on the table, you might consider putting five hundred quid down to experience and moving on. "It's the principle of the thing" is often the opening line to long and unsatisfying wrangles.

McKneff

There may have been a running standing charge to.

But I agree with security guy, it could go on for months and months.

dzug1

You've still been heating the house whilst it's been empty surely?

Frozen pipes could have worked out very expensive if you haven't.

Errata

bylromarha wrote: »

No, I appreciate the final bill will come out of the house sale money, but paying a bill of £571 without question or challenge is something which I'm not prepared to do.

Assuming you're an executor, you have legal responsibility to settle the estate in a proper manner. This includes reading all meters on completion day of the sale of the property so final bills can be paid, which you didn't do.

bylromarha

Errata wrote: »

Assuming you're an executor, you have legal responsibility to settle the estate in a proper manner. This includes reading all meters on completion day of the sale of the property so final bills can be paid, which you didn't do.

True, I didnt. I was weeping too much when I last left the house in March to have meter readings even cross my mind. Oh, and on completion day a month later I was 170 miles away from the house living in my own home with my own family.

Which I'd have expected British Gas probate dept to understand.

bylromarha

securityguy wrote: »

Although if there's a house worth of money on the table, you might consider putting five hundred quid down to experience and moving on. "It's the principle of the thing" is often the opening line to long and unsatisfying wrangles.

I've never paid £500 and moved on and put it down to experience.

I've never paid £50 and put it down to experience.

I took a large company to the small claims court aged 18 - I don't do being shafted by companies when I know they are acting unethically.

No standing charge or anything like that.

Like I said before, BG deal with grieving relatives every day. I was locking up the house I grew up in for the last time - I will never have to do that again. I didn't know what that felt like or how I would be, or where my brain would be at with it. BG deal with people doing this on a regular basis, so have all manner of responses. A prompt in February for a meter read during the phone call they made to me would have been helpful to have avoided this situation happening now.

The fact that they are unwilling to use the current meter reads from the new owner to bill to instead of their estimates based on mums consumption last year shows what a money grabbing company they are, rough riding over the people who have the misfortune to be their customers.

fluffymuffy

Have you followed their Complaints procedure? http://www.britishgas.co.uk/help-and-advice/contactus-personal-details/complaints/gas-electricity.html
If you write to complain first, you can eventually get it as far as the Ombudsman. I'm sure BG would love you to share your progress with this.

Goldiegirl

securityguy wrote: »

Although if there's a house worth of money on the table, you might consider putting five hundred quid down to experience and moving on. "It's the principle of the thing" is often the opening line to long and unsatisfying wrangles.

I agree, I'd pay from the estate and move on with my life.

The OP was obviously very unhappy to leave the house for the last time, so I don't really understand why they want to have a wrangle with British Gas regarding the house which will cause even more upset and anguish.

When I sorted out my parents estates, I just wanted to get it done, and start moving forward again, not continuing with things that upset me.

pauletruth

maybe phone the new owners and ask for there opening readings bg can't ask for more than what was used worth a try.

Joyful

Most people will keep the heating on low in an an empty house over the Winter. Also often families move into properties when they are waiting to be sold. An energy company cannot know if that is true or not unless the person organising probate keeps in touch and then closes the account with a meter reading.

I can understand you were upset at the time but it was your responsibility. The only thing you can do is ask the new owners to submit meter reads. If you then disagree with how much each of you are billed for it becomes a third party dispute between you both.