British Gas chasing me for business account!!

NickJ79

Hi, wondering if anyone can help?! I signed a lease on a new flat in April. The flat was completely brand new as it used to be offices and was converted. Anyway, I was between flats for 2 weeks and didn't properly move in until the beginning of May. My landlord sent me a letter stating that the electric was provided by EDF and to get in touch with them to agree a tariff. With all the hassle that comes with moving I didn't actually get around to phoning EDF until the beginning of June. When I did they told me that the supply wasn't with them, it was with British Gas! So I called them and they said yes, I was with them as a business customer! I explained that I'm not a business and the flats were previously offices but they weren't having any of it and said it doesn't matter, i'm still liable. They now want £81.43 off me for roughly around 4 weeks supply! Where do I stand on this, i've read up about deemed contracts etc but I don't feel that British Gas are being fair charging me as a business customer.

naedanger

NickJ79 wrote: »

Hi, wondering if anyone can help?! I signed a lease on a new flat in April. The flat was completely brand new as it used to be offices and was converted. Anyway, I was between flats for 2 weeks and didn't properly move in until the beginning of May. My landlord sent me a letter stating that the electric was provided by EDF and to get in touch with them to agree a tariff. With all the hassle that comes with moving I didn't actually get around to phoning EDF until the beginning of June. When I did they told me that the supply wasn't with them, it was with British Gas! So I called them and they said yes, I was with them as a business customer! I explained that I'm not a business and the flats were previously offices but they weren't having any of it and said it doesn't matter, i'm still liable. They now want £81.43 off me for roughly around 4 weeks supply! Where do I stand on this, i've read up about deemed contracts etc but I don't feel that British Gas are being fair charging me as a business customer.

If you are unhappy complain in writing (or record your phone calls and keep a note of their date and time). After 8 weeks if you are still unhappy complain in writing to the Ombudsman, and add to your complaint any failures in BG's administration of your complaint e.g. if they don't tell you about your right to complain to the Ombudsman or are slow in responding or fail to respond etc.

If you need to take your complaint to the Ombudsman they will decide based on what they think is reasonable.

All that said you might want to check how much you have lost by being on the business rate. It may not be worth your time complaining if they have agreed to now put you on a domestic tariff.

Also shop around, you may be able to save more by moving to another supplier.

JJ_Egan

Presume the deemed contract was business and OP failed to do anything hence the bill as a business .

[Deleted User]

The flat has to be reverted back to domestic status.Thats a long winded thing which will need proof of domestic status by a council tax letter. It was really up to the landlord to switch to domestic from business status before renting it out, or at least informing the new tenant of the set up.Just as in domestic an accurate start reading should ve been lodged with BG Business.
Business supply is always on at least a one year contract and is set in stone.To even move from the one year contract with any supplier notice must be given three months before the contract ends..Business tariffs may be ok but their standing charges can be high.You will be liable for at least 4 weeks standing charges. One small unit I dealt with were paying £440 a year standing charges alone , and using no gas .Your problem is caused by the landlord.British Gas domestic and British Gas Business are completely separate so dont waste your time phoning domestic. I don t think the Ombudsman services will cover BG Business

naedanger

sacsquacco wrote: »

I don t think the Ombudsman services will cover BG Business

The Ombudsman does cover small business customers.

In any event the OP's argument is that the contract should be a domestic one. On that basis the Ombudsman will need to consider the OP's complaint, assuming it gets that far.

[Deleted User]

naedanger wrote: »

The Ombudsman does cover small business customers.

In any event the OP's argument is that the contract should be a domestic one. On that basis the Ombudsman will need to consider the OP's complaint, assuming it gets that far.

Ok, so OP can get advice from O.S, but at the moment hes moved into a former business premises and that`s what the contract is set up for so its a waste of time arguing the toss what should or should nt be.Procedure must be followed to switch to domestic status if he wants to have the freedom to switch around at will.Otherwise its best to sort out the start reading problem and standing charges and go from there and stay on business rates. I see many people living in domestic flats and homes on BG Business and they prefer it .OP may only be there short term so it may not be worth the hassle. Landlord is at fault for not knowing who his property is in contract too. Its a contract, and its set in stone.

naedanger

sacsquacco wrote: »

Ok, so OP can get advice from O.S, but at the moment hes moved into a former business premises and that`s what the contract is set up for so its a waste of time arguing the toss what should or should nt be.Procedure must be followed to switch to domestic status if he wants to have the freedom to switch around at will.Otherwise its best to sort out the start reading problem and standing charges and go from there and stay on business rates. I see many people living in domestic flats and homes on BG Business and they prefer it .OP may only be there short term so it may not be worth the hassle. Landlord is at fault for not knowing who his property is in contract too. Its a contract, and its set in stone.

You say there is a contract, but where is the evidence? Has the OP signed one? There are occasions when a contract may be deemed to exist. However it seems unlikely to me that a business contract can be deemed to exist when someone moves into domestic premises regardless of their previous use.

However I agree it is a waste of time arguing, except with BG and then the Ombudsman.

macman

Why would anyone prefer to be on a business tariff, where they will pay 20% VAT rather than 5%?

NickJ79

Hi, I haven't signed any contract with British Gas or agreed any tariff etc. They took my name when I called and now have put this onto the account set up by my landlord when his offices were here. I have a letter from British Gas saying that I must pay this bill as per the terms of my contract but I haven't signed or agreed any contract with them so how can I be liable? Surely when the landlord relocated his offices he should have either closed the account or transfered it to the new address?

JJ_Egan

If you had contacted BG when you moved in then it could have been sorted and that's the top and bottom of it .

naedanger

NickJ79 wrote: »

Hi, I haven't signed any contract with British Gas or agreed any tariff etc. They took my name when I called and now have put this onto the account set up by my landlord when his offices were here. I have a letter from British Gas saying that I must pay this bill as per the terms of my contract but I haven't signed or agreed any contract with them so how can I be liable? Surely when the landlord relocated his offices he should have either closed the account or transfered it to the new address?

You could be liable under a "deemed" contract. If you move into premises and use any energy you are "deemed" to have entered a contract. However it is not clear to me that you can be deemed to enter a business contract in domestic premises.