British Gas final bill...8 months after moving

Mortigi_Tempo_2

British Gas claiming I owe them money for a property I moved out from in January. It started at £35/month d.d. which shot up to £120 around December. It was electric heating so I didn't grumble too much at the time especially knowing we'd be moving out soon anyway.

Last week I noticed the direct debit still on my online banking. With the last time they took money from it being in January I deleted it. Since then I had an email last week and a bill (dated February) through the post this morning. They've conveniently deleted the online account information, as it has been over 6 months.
I don't see how they can quite happily ignore it for 8 months then just because an inactive direct debit got cancelled they want over £300!

Where do I stand? Is there anything at all I can do to fight my corner, bearing in mind they've deleted my account information online, and I obviously can't request an official meter reader to go back in time to a property I don't live at...

ic

If you used it, you owe it. If your DD had gone up to £120, that suggests they were recovering a debt in addition to your actual usage (i.e., you actually used say £80 per month, and were paying £40 off your debt each month). If you didn't close you account with final meter readings, you'll still owe that outstanding debt. Did you take final meter readings?

Mortigi_Tempo_2

I submitted a meter reading on the last day I was at the property, and then heard nothing more about that account until last week.

The main problem is, I can't go back and check what my usage was because they've deleted it from my account!

macman

But the latest bill will show the closing and opening readings. Does the closing reading correspond with yours? Did you ask them to close the account at that date?
It's normal to retain your readings until such time as you get billed-and they have at least a year to do that.