British Gas Electricity Bill

kdelw

Hello all,
Few years back I lived in the property for couple of years (2008-2010). As we moved in to rented property the landlord said that there are problems with BG (not billing the property) and we were not allowed to change the electricity supplier at all.
When we moved to the property we phoned BG to register with them, we were advised there that our property is on pre-paid card meter, we did say it's not, but the customer service adviser said it is definitely. Since then (2008) we have never received any bills from them. We have moved out of the property in 2010 and until yesterday we have not heard anything from BG.

Yesteday I have received the bill for over £4k, but it's stating for the whole property - not specified which flat (there were 2 flats at this property) but also they have wrong dates on it as they want me to pay from 2008-2012! - when I've moved out beginning of 2010.

Do you think they will keep records of phone conversations from 2008 when were willing to be honest with them and pay as normal, but clearly they didn't want to accept the information when we were saying that the electricity is not on pre-paid meter, can they force me to pay that? Also, on the rental contract there are 2 other people renting the flat with me, but they haven't received a bill.

all together:
The bill is for whole property - not specifying Flat 1 or Flat 2,
The dates are wrong as I didn't live there past 2010,
There was more people living there with me,
There was no bills coming to the property at all etc
How did they calculate the amount of money we owe them?

Thank you for all the advice.
Karl

OhReally_2

kdelw wrote: »

Hello all,
Few years back I lived in the property for couple of years (2008-2010). As we moved in to rented property the landlord said that there are problems with BG (not billing the property) and we were not allowed to change the electricity supplier at all.
When we moved to the property we phoned BG to register with them, we were advised there that our property is on pre-paid card meter, we did say it's not, but the customer service adviser said it is definitely. Since then (2008) we have never received any bills from them. We have moved out of the property in 2010 and until yesterday we have not heard anything from BG.

Yesteday I have received the bill for over £4k, but it's stating for the whole property - not specified which flat (there were 2 flats at this property) but also they have wrong dates on it as they want me to pay from 2008-2012! - when I've moved out beginning of 2010.

Do you think they will keep records of phone conversations from 2008 when were willing to be honest with them and pay as normal, but clearly they didn't want to accept the information when we were saying that the electricity is not on pre-paid meter, can they force me to pay that? Also, on the rental contract there are 2 other people renting the flat with me, but they haven't received a bill.

all together:
The bill is for whole property - not specifying Flat 1 or Flat 2,
The dates are wrong as I didn't live there past 2010,
There was more people living there with me,
There was no bills coming to the property at all etc
How did they calculate the amount of money we owe them?

Thank you for all the advice.
Karl

Why not call them and ask? :cool:

I've never known suppliers send separate bills to each occupant

Perhaps I should ask my supplier to send my 8 & 10 year olds theirs - I reckon they use the majority of our electric playing with their Wiis & PS4s morning , noon & night.

2013yearofthehouse

Was it just your name that you gave them when you tried to register or did you give them your flatmates names also?

Is the bill estimated?
Do you have meter readings from when you lived in the flat?

Are you able to contact your old landlord?

Have you contacted BG to explain the situation and see if they will amend the bill? Either roughly with estimates, amended dates and split between 2 flats or more accurately if you have meter readings.

kdelw

OhReally wrote: »

Why not call them and ask? :cool:

I've never known suppliers send separate bills to each occupant

Perhaps I should ask my supplier to send my 8 & 10 year olds theirs - I reckon they use the majority of our electric playing with their Wiis & PS4s morning , noon & night.

We will call them, but I thought I will collect some valuable information in here first (if someone was dealing with this before). Also, I didn't mean them sending separate bills for each occupant, we used to get bills with all our names as recipient, but they only contacted me.
It's not BG directly, but a debt collector and I think we will try to speak to BG first.

kdelw

2013yearofthehouse wrote: »

Was it just your name that you gave them when you tried to register or did you give them your flatmates names also?

Is the bill estimated?
Do you have meter readings from when you lived in the flat?

Are you able to contact your old landlord?

Have you contacted BG to explain the situation and see if they will amend the bill? Either roughly with estimates, amended dates and split between 2 flats or more accurately if you have meter readings.

It was so many years ago, but I believe we gave them all our names, if not - we have a copy of rental contract, with dates and all our names. We only have meter reading from when we have moved in.
The letter comes from a debt collector so it doesn't say anything about estimated bill etc. just says that I have 4k to pay, which is annoying as we did want to put it straight as soon as we moved in to the property.
Ill sit on it till Tuesday and try to speak to BG.

spiro

BG or the DCA will go after the first person they track down. It is then your to track down your former flatmates to get their share off them, the supplier won't be interested.

dogshome

Apologies for being a bit late into this one

OP contacts BG at start of tenancy and gives moving in date/ meter read, also advises BG that the meter is a Standard model, and not a PAYGO which BG thinks it is.

After supplying power for the 2 years of the OP's residency without billing for it, BG wake up after a further after 4 years and realise the customer was right about the meter type and it's BG who were wrong

It's such a dead cert for relief under the "12 month backbilling Agreement", I'm surprised BG didn't invoke it when calculating the bill
The OP needs to write a letter headed Complaint, demanding BG re-bill only for the Final Year of the tenancy, and of course adjust the figures to reflect the correct End of Tenancy date

wavelets

Nothing is a dead cert under the 12 month back billing voluntary code
Each case is looked at on it's own merit.

The fact Karl only appears to have mentioned the matter once when originally signing up and then just used the gas, 4 Gs worth!!!, and never paid a penny nor appears to have tried, probably won't look good on review.

Looks pretty desperate too trying to find some means to not pay e.g. not fully correct address, debt collector only chasing Karl, etc.

maisie1234

So, if your name is on FIRST you are the one any debt collector contacts... Is that legal? Mus remember that when my son starts university and shares with others.

wavelets

maisie1234 wrote: »

So, if your name is on FIRST you are the one any debt collector contacts... Is that legal? Mus remember that when my son starts university and shares with others.

Every one on the bill is jointly & severally liable.
The supplier will chase the first person they find for the full amount (but may pursue others until such time as they are paid in full)

Best advice for your son is to keep his name off the bill entirely

... oh and ensure he shares with people who aren't as big as him