British Gas Debt

funklet

Hi,

My wife's ex husband stayed in the former marital home and run up a debt on Electricity and Gas. British Gas eventually put in a card meter to recoup the debt. There was a court order for him to move out and this was enforced before the debt was paid. During the sale the buyer contacted British Gas and was told that they could not obtain new cards unless the debt was paid. The buyer advised that they would not complete unless they could obtain new cards. We contacted British Gas and they advised we could pay the debt, the sale was in the following days so we had no choice but to pay the debt which we did by FPS.
We do not have an account with British Gas and therefore no terms and conditions. Who was responsible for the debt and can British Gas legally withhold new cards and therefore utilities to the new owner of the house?

Any help is much appreciated.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

The only person responsible for the debt is the account holder, I presume the ex husband.

I don't believe for one second BG would have told the buyer they couldn't obtain new cards unless the debt were paid; that simply isn't true.

BG don't care who pays the debt, and don't get involved in third party disputes. If you want your money back, I can only suggest a small claims action against the ex husband.

spiro

When your wife moved out of the house did she write to BG and advise them of this fact and that her husband would be solely responsible for the bills? If she failed to do this should would need to prove the retrospectively so avoid being associated with the debt. That said I could expect an energy supplier to have a debt repaid when the owner (who had a debt) sells the house in the same way as a loan company would.

dogshome

Hmmm - This is the third posting that reports BG demanding the 'New' occupier
of a dwelling pays off the debt of the previous occupant - It seems that there is Law, and British Gas who are a Law unto themselves.

MK55

suppliers will wipe the debt but want proof of new person moving in. Which they will have told your new purchasers. I assume this gave them cold feet and they came to you with this side of the story.

You will have to get the money back from ex husband

Joyful

When someone moves into a house with debt BG will ask for a signed tenancy agreement and possibly previous addresses. If these add up then the debt will be wiped. I assume the problem is the house was being sold so there was no way they could get this debt wiped until they had bought the house as they would then have proof of new ownership.

undaunted

I don't think they could refuse to supply a new owner or tennant of a property just because the last occupier owed money but you've paid them now so they are unlikely to give it back.

If thats what you want I would have thought you'd have to sue the ex husband for it.

No information on the account should have been given to any third party, eg the buyers. If you can prove this you could probably complain to the Information Commissioners as a breach of the data protection act

chanz4

undaunted wrote: »

I don't think they could refuse to supply a new owner or tennant of a property just because the last occupier owed money but you've paid them now so they are unlikely to give it back.

If thats what you want I would have thought you'd have to sue the ex husband for it.

No information on the account should have been given to any third party, eg the buyers. If you can prove this you could probably complain to the Information Commissioners as a breach of the data protection act

A company can refuse to supply, however I dont think the op is telling all. Did they register as a new occupier?