British Gas Trading - Supply of Electricity

PurpleMonkeyMan

Hello, I'm new to the forum and am hoping to get some advice regarding a debt recovery letter

I have recently received a letter from a firm of solicitors acting on behalf of British Gas Trading Limited stating a balance of over £2000 is owed for supply of electricity to a high street property I own that was unoccupied for some time. The letter is dated end of February but as I have been away I have only just received it. I have no knowledge of the debt but it is possible British Gas could have been a supplier during the void period prior to the current tenant. I understand a deemed contract may have previously been in place (the current tenant has been occupying for approximately 18months) but I have never been sent any bills or other correspondence either to my address or from the current tenant. The amount seems excessively high given there would be no usage, only standing charges. The letter only states an account number and amount of the debt with no specific details on any claimed charges.

The letter demands full payment by the middle of March which has obviously long passed. If disputed the letter also requests a response to the claim again by a date long passed and reserves the right to issue a court claim.

I am also away from the property where the letter was addressed for long periods of time so I'm worried other letters or claims may go missed.

I would appreciate any advice forum members can offer. My current instinct is to write stating I do not recognise the debt or any agreement with British Gas Trading Limited and asking them to provide more specific details of the claim but I'm also worried this may lead to further vague demands or worse an implied acknowledgement of the debt. If there are actual charges I owe in law due to a deemed contract I have no objections to paying them but this amount seems ridiculous.

Thank you in advance

sourcrates

Hi,


Debt collectors set these meaningless timescales in order to "encourage" you to contact them, in reality the dates they set mean absolutly nothing.

You are correct in your thoughts to write and dispute the debt, ask for more details, we have a template letter just for this purpose, it can be found here :


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter


Its specifically worded so as not to acknowledge the debt in question.

I would say send that, see what they come back to you with.

PurpleMonkeyMan

Thank you very much for the pointer. I'll get that sent off on Monday and report back.

D_M_E

Property unoccupied for some time.

1. Expect to pay standing charges for the period it was empty, allow about 30p per day for this per fuel.

2. Do you have the reading(s) from when the previous tenant left?

3. The bill you have been sent is also likely to include an estimate for what they think the property has used in the void period so you need to ask that a detailed bill be produced showing how the ginormous bill was arrived at.

Write a letter headed COMPLAINT to the supplier and tell them the property was empty from xxx to yyy and no energy used during this period - don't phone, write and back it up with email.

State that you want a revised bill, which you will pay and which should only be for the standing charges for the dates given.

Ask current tenant for their opening meter readings and supply those to supplier - if tenants did not read meters then there could be another problem.