British Gas

CarBuyer

Hi All


I've recently left British Gas because they cost a fortune. I left them on 19 September. I was told by both the new supplier and, separately, BG that I would be receiving in the post a final gas bill.


On 3 October 2018, a direct debit of £115 left my account, decimating the funds. I called BG and asked what this was for and they said it was the final bill. I said I did not have enough money to make that payment and, in any event, I had not received the final bill. They said they had sent out the final bill and expected I had received it. They said they would send it out again. In the meantime, they said I needed to ask my bank to re-call the direct debit and then make the final payment. They said the final bill would set out methods of payment.


I waited a week and received nothing so I called BG again. They said they would send the final bill out again.


Yesterday, I received the final bill. It was for £115. I checked my credit rating on Experian and BG have recorded a late payment with 1 month overdue on the gas (notwithstanding the fact that I had not received the final bill until 1 month after I closed the account anyway).


I called BG to make the payment in full (which I have now done) and to query the late payment record on my credit rating. They said they have followed the correct procedures internally and will not remedy my credit profile.


Question 1: is this right?


I can see both points of view, but it doesn't 'feel right'. On the one hand, they would say that they have sent out the final bill (whether this is in fact left their building or got lost in the post or whatever is another matter - from their perspective, they've 'done their bit').


On the other hand, I didn't receive the final bill until 1 month after the account was closed, by which time the payment was overdue.


The fact they direct debited my account on 3 October without notice is, in that sense, irrelevant - if direct debit is an option, fine - but they say methods of payment are set out in the final bill, and if the final bill hasn't been received how can I know that that is a method of payment? Clearly, between BG issuing the final bill in September and then again in early October and then me receiving it this week, something has gone wrong.


I'd welcome views / opinions.


Question 2: if this is right, what is the effect on my credit profile and likelihood of obtaining future credit? I have no other late payments, have never defaulted on any credit arrangement, and have two credit accounts which are closed and are faultless.


Cheers

Willing2Learn

CarBuyer wrote: »

… Question 1: is this right?


I can see both points of view, but it doesn't 'feel right'. On the one hand, they would say that they have sent out the final bill (whether this is in fact left their building or got lost in the post or whatever is another matter - from their perspective, they've 'done their bit').


On the other hand, I didn't receive the final bill until 1 month after the account was closed, by which time the payment was overdue.


The fact they direct debited my account on 3 October without notice is, in that sense, irrelevant - if direct debit is an option, fine - but they say methods of payment are set out in the final bill, and if the final bill hasn't been received how can I know that that is a method of payment? Clearly, between BG issuing the final bill in September and then again in early October and then me receiving it this week, something has gone wrong.

If it were me, I would submit a written complaint, clearly stating the order of events, confirming that you never received a bill until October and that you had settled the account immediately, once the final bill had been received. It could be argued that you have been treated unfairly, with the way that information has been recorded on your credit file.

If the complaint is not upheld, then you would have the option of escalating to the ICO.

[Deleted User]

CarBuyer wrote: »

Hi All


I've recently left British Gas because they cost a fortune. I left them on 19 September. I was told by both the new supplier and, separately, BG that I would be receiving in the post a final gas bill.

Are you not setup for online billing? It will also be available there as well

On 3 October 2018, a direct debit of £115 left my account, decimating the funds. I called BG and asked what this was for and they said it was the final bill. I said I did not have enough money to make that payment and, in any event, I had not received the final bill. They said they had sent out the final bill and expected I had received it. They said they would send it out again. In the meantime, they said I needed to ask my bank to re-call the direct debit and then make the final payment. They said the final bill would set out methods of payment.

You did have enough money to make the payment otherwise the DD would have failed - it would also be the same date as your usual DD.


I waited a week and received nothing so I called BG again. They said they would send the final bill out again.


Yesterday, I received the final bill. It was for £115. I checked my credit rating on Experian and BG have recorded a late payment with 1 month overdue on the gas (notwithstanding the fact that I had not received the final bill until 1 month after I closed the account anyway).

This is correct - since you are 1 month behind making the payment - even if you received the final bill in the post "on time" the same payment date would have applied as the original DD was taken on, so you would still be in the same situation whereby you "couldn't afford" it (despite the DD being successfully taken)


I called BG to make the payment in full (which I have now done) and to query the late payment record on my credit rating. They said they have followed the correct procedures internally and will not remedy my credit profile.

Correct

Question 1: is this right?

Yes as per above

I can see both points of view, but it doesn't 'feel right'. On the one hand, they would say that they have sent out the final bill (whether this is in fact left their building or got lost in the post or whatever is another matter - from their perspective, they've 'done their bit').


On the other hand, I didn't receive the final bill until 1 month after the account was closed, by which time the payment was overdue.

You were issued a bill, that you could also view online, or ask over the phone what the bill is, and the DD was taken. You took the choice to recall the DD, meaning BG didn't receive the payment in time and therefore received it late

The fact they direct debited my account on 3 October without notice is, in that sense, irrelevant - if direct debit is an option, fine - but they say methods of payment are set out in the final bill, and if the final bill hasn't been received how can I know that that is a method of payment? Clearly, between BG issuing the final bill in September and then again in early October and then me receiving it this week, something has gone wrong.

You would have a DD setup on your account for the normal billing cycle so they have taken as per that.

I'd welcome views / opinions.


Question 2: if this is right, what is the effect on my credit profile and likelihood of obtaining future credit? I have no other late payments, have never defaulted on any credit arrangement, and have two credit accounts which are closed and are faultless.

One late payment won't have much of a knock-on affect

Cheers

Answers above

[Deleted User]

Willing2Learn wrote: »

If it were me, I would submit a written complaint, clearly stating the order of events, confirming that you never received a bill until October and that you had settled the account immediately, once the final bill had been received. It could be argued that you have been treated unfairly, with the way that information has been recorded on your credit file.

If the complaint is not upheld, then you would have the option of escalating to the ICO.

A complaint won't be upheld - OP was late making the final payment despite the DD being taken.
OP decided to recall the DD, meaning no money was given to BG, therefore the payment was late.

Willing2Learn

I'm not arguing that the final payment was late. The original DD was recalled. What I am arguing is the fairness and rationality of the information that has been recorded against CarBuyer's credit file. (Fairness and rationality are two of the cornerstones of the British Common Law system). The final bill was paid immediately upon it's receipt. How can that be considered late (or fair) in marking the OPs file?

From BGs point of view they have acted in exact accordance of the regulations. From the OPs perspective, the decision to negatively mark the payment as late, is unfair, as the bill had not been received.

[Deleted User]

But not paid within the time-frame specified from the date of issue.

[Deleted User]

CarBuyer wrote: »

Thanks for the responses.


I don't quite follow the argument that it wasn't paid within the time frame specified - if the bill wasn't received until yesterday, how can I know what the 'time frame specified' is? Of course, as a matter of fact, it wasn't paid within the time frame, but knowledge of the time frame is needed.

Doesn't matter if the bill "wasn't received" - they sent it out and whether it was lost in the post or ignored, it was still sent. You could have asked over the phone what the final amount was made up of as well.

Also, the final bill was £115. Regular DD was set up for £48.95. So it was a bit of a surprise when £115 went out! Whether the fact I had money in the account or not is of no concern - more than double the "usual" DD was taken.

Exit charges for leaving a fixed-rate tariff before the end date? Estimated meter readings rather than actual? Again if you'd asked on the phone, they would have told you, and also if you asked they could have emailed you a copy as well.

As regards the DD recall, I was advised by BG itself to recall it as they said that methods of payment (one of which is an adjustment of the DD) were set out in the final bill, which had not been received on 3 October, and that (for example) credit card could be used instead of DD, which would have been more convenient to me.

If you had a DD setup then it would automatically take that payment method regardless, unless you cancel the DD before receiving the final bill

As I said, I actually have sympathy for the BG position. And I have no doubt that they think they have followed the correct procedures. It just seems a bit odd (to say the least) that they can claim to have sent out a letter and then, despite chasing for the final bill, start claiming late payment.

-spacefiller-

CarBuyer

Thanks Gary. Fair points.

CarBuyer

Ps thanks also to Willing2Learn and Wavelets for your comments.