British Gas cancelled my direct debit and says it's my fault!

PennineAcute

Takmon wrote: »

Well if they are running a household and don't even have an emergency fund that is a serious warning sign to start with. The fact this causes them "financial hardship" is enough alone to say their finances are out of control.

......

To be in control of your fiances the minimum requirement is to:
-Know income and outgoings
-Have a Budget
-Have an emergency fund
-Check regularly that all payments are correct

It's so easy to work it all out and have separate accounts for bills, spending etc so you can see within seconds if everything is correct that there is no excuse not to be organised with your money. It's even more important when an £800 bill will cause you financial hardship.

Excuse me indeed, but I am in control of my limited finances, but have no emergency fund. I have no emergency fund due to the fact I am on £85 a week and what little I have coming in, does not stretch to putting away for a rainy day.

Yes, I would like an emergency fund - dryer is making a funny noise, and is no doubt getting ready for the big dryer maker in the sky - but I cannot. However, my bills are paid and I do not have prepay meters.

dogshome

Now all the Holier than Thou responders have shot their bolt, maybe we can get back to FraserR's problem.


The Ofgem rule about debt, other than where fraud has taken place, is that the
the supplier should set up a re-payment plan the that customer can afford, and as the initial problem lays with BG they don't have a strong position in the negotiations


I would still like to know the billing history

Takmon

PennineAcute wrote: »

Excuse me indeed, but I am in control of my limited finances, but have no emergency fund. I have no emergency fund due to the fact I am on £85 a week and what little I have coming in, does not stretch to putting away for a rainy day.

Yes, I would like an emergency fund - dryer is making a funny noise, and is no doubt getting ready for the big dryer maker in the sky - but I cannot. However, my bills are paid and I do not have prepay meters.

So your saying that your essential Bill's and outgoings are exactly the same as what you get in income?. So you could not even spare 1p a week to put away in an emergency fund?.

Many people say they are in control of their finances but when you ask them to tell you their exact weekly/monthly essential outgoings to the penny they struggle. Then what are the chances that these outgoings match to the penny how much they have coming in?.

[Deleted User]

dogshome wrote: »

Now all the Holier than Thou responders have shot their bolt, maybe we can get back to FraserR's problem.


The Ofgem rule about debt, other than where fraud has taken place, is that the
the supplier should set up a re-payment plan the that customer can afford, and as the initial problem lays with BG they don't have a strong position in the negotiations


I would still like to know the billing history

The levels of debt repayment are set , not by what the customer "alleges "they can afford , but by the amount of the debt.. Usually suppliers will start t think about a debt repay and a prepayment meter well above £500..£2000 debts are very common.
I m not sure what the maximum/minimum debt repay is nowadays, suppliers can make their own rules of the min/max..
It used to be from a minimum of £3.50 a week to a max of £16 a week , with the weekly repay based on how much is owed in the first place .£2k would be the max £16 a week
If they listened to what a debtor said they "could afford " they would say £1 a week because thats all they have left after paying their smartphone contract, lease car contract , credit card interest rates,etc .
Disconnection would be a better process and it would ensure less people would end up taking suppliers as a soft touch building up huge debts in the first place..

maisie_cat

We are long overdue a sticky to explain the difference between cash payments and consumption.
We get these threads time & time again. Long before spreadsheets I kept a little notebook and read my meters, I had very little money and needed to keep my eye on everything. It's so easy now with spreadsheets to read the meters monthly and work out consumption versus payments.
When it starts to creep against you either make a manual payment or put it away somewhere.
BG may have screwed up the DDR, but the OP should have noticed so it that sense it is the OP's fault for not noticing.
Set up a payment plan, if they accept that they screwed up the DDR they ought to be amenable.
Look at it this way, you've had an interest free loan from BG

RelievedSheff

I would not be at all surprised if BG look at fitting a prepayment meter to recover the £800 debt. It is a not inconsiderable amount of money to pay back.

Given that the OP didn't notice that the funds were not being taken by BG then they don't appear to have much of a handle on their finances so a prepayment meter might be the best option all round to get this debt paid off, but that would mean you are not going to get the best priced energy tariffs.

Simplycito

dogshome wrote: »

Now all the Holier than Thou responders
...

Who are the "Holier than Thou responders" you are referring to, specifically?

Just because other MSEers express an opinion that may not accord with yours, no need to be so insulting/condescending towards them.

Be nice to all MoneySavers

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Takmon wrote: »

Well if they are running a household and don't even have an emergency fund that is a serious warning sign to start with. The fact this causes them "financial hardship" is enough alone to say their finances are out of control.

They also admitted they had no idea that the payment was not being taken and have no idea how much their energy usage costs them per month so that shows they have no budget.

To be in control of your fiances the minimum requirement is to:
-Know income and outgoings
-Have a Budget
-Have an emergency fund
-Check regularly that all payments are correct

It's so easy to work it all out and have separate accounts for bills, spending etc so you can see within seconds if everything is correct that there is no excuse not to be organised with your money. It's even more important when an £800 bill will cause you financial hardship.

And in one trip to the Hospital your emergency fund is gone! It is better to keep control and others informed. Not all have vast wealth.

Takmon

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

And in one trip to the Hospital your emergency fund is gone! It is better to keep control and others informed. Not all have vast wealth.

That certainly wouldn't be true for myself. I get full sick pay and the insurance policy I get from work means I get a daily amount when I'm I'm hospital.