British Gas wrongly took over my supply

Twolittlebears

So as the title states, British Gas have wrongly taken over my electricity supply.

The house directly next door to my home is social rented/housing accossiation. (I own my home so have nothing to do with the housing accossiation). When their property was stood empty recently from July to Oct, the housing who own it have tried to change the energy suppliers over to British Gas. Instead they mistakenly used my door number. I only noticed of this issue 4 weeks ago when I started receiving British Gas letters at my address but addressed to my new neighbour.

I handed the letters to my neighbour and she couldn't understand why she was receiving bills when she is on a meter. Nor could she understand how/why British gas have her name and were billing her when she isn't with them.

I thought I best login to my accounts as I knew this would effect my accounts. N power supply my electric (well did) and British Gas supply my gas. Both my accounts had been closed without my request/knowledge and the new accounts at my address were now in my new neighbours name.

I contacted npower who told me that there was a request from British Gas in July to take over my electricity supply. I explained I didn't request this and they told me it seems to be what is known as an erroneous transfer. I was advised to contact British Gas and explain the situation to them. Npower told me they could take the supply back and bill me like I never left however they had to put a request in to British Gas to get the supply back. I thought this mess up would get resolved between the two companies until a few days ago I received a letter from Npower stating British Gas have refused to let them take the supply back.

I spoke to British gas who tell me they rejected the transfer because I am now in a contract with them and there is an outstanding bill to pay. I will not be paying this bill because I didn't request for British gas to supply my electricity. This is not my error so I will not be held accountable for it, I want it rectified and my accounts back to how they originally were.

I have spent hours on the phone over the last 4 weeks trying to get this sorted and I am still no further forward. I am stressed with it all.

Npower have told me to keep ignoring the British gas electricity bills and to raise a complaint which I have done. I spoke to British Gas again yesterday, I explained the situation clearly but the advisor misunderstood and has now closed my gas account. I told him he has misunderstood me, explained It all again and that I want my gas account open. He said he would open it as he incorrectly closed it. However after speaking to another advisor today, my gas account remains closed.

I have spoke to the tenancy management who own the property next door to me. He came out to speak to me and appologise for their error. We both couldn't understand how this mix up could be done so easily. British Gas also have my new neighbours name as the housing association have passed her details over. This isn't their position to do that? Surely it is up the tenants themselves to change supplier from the day they get the keys?

I've wasted so much time trying to sort this mess out. I am beyond mad about it all now since British gas are refusing to let npower take back the supply. I now how to wait up to 21 days for the complaints team to get back to me. I feel it's getting dragged out for some reason. Should I now take this further?

Hasbeen

Perhaps pay what you now owe to British Gas for your usage and they will swop you back?

Gerry1

Conduct everything in writing, not by telephone, so that you have a written record. Post a letter marked COMPLAINT - ERRONEOUS TRANSFER to the British Gas CEO whose details can be found at the ceoemail website (search for it).

Email a copy to the normal customer service people. Request a deadlock letter by return, stating that you will be going to the Ombudsman, and do that after eight weeks from the original complaint, or upon receipt of a deadlock letter. Keep a record of all you've done and who you've dealt with, and claim compensation for your time and trouble.

Twolittlebears

Thank you. I asked British Gas for an email address yesterday so I could put this black and white but I was told they don't have an email address now, only telephone and web chat. The advisor didn't suggest writing to the CEO. I will search for the address online.

N power have been very helpful in telling me to raise the complaint and then take the complaint to the ombudsmen.

Who would I claim compensation from for the time and trouble? It's been a genuine mistake made by the housing accossiation next door. They should be helping to resolve this problem. British Gas are the problem as they are holding me ransom, expecting me to pay an electricity bill when it isn't my error. I won't be paying it, I have told them this too. They are claiming I am now in a contract hence the reason why they rejected npower to take the supply back. I am not responsible for someone else's mistake. It is so frustrating to say the least. I have never heard of anything like this happening before until I searched erroneous transfer today.

Gerry1

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/problems-with-your-energy-supply/youve-been-switched-to-a-new-energy-supplier-without-your-agreement/

Penelopa.Pitstop

Twolittlebears wrote: »

Thank you. I asked British Gas for an email address yesterday so I could put this black and white but I was told they don't have an email address now, only telephone and web chat. The advisor didn't suggest writing to the CEO. I will search for the address online.

N power have been very helpful in telling me to raise the complaint and then take the complaint to the ombudsmen.

Who would I claim compensation from for the time and trouble? It's been a genuine mistake made by the housing accossiation next door. They should be helping to resolve this problem. British Gas are the problem as they are holding me ransom, expecting me to pay an electricity bill when it isn't my error. I won't be paying it, I have told them this too. They are claiming I am now in a contract hence the reason why they rejected npower to take the supply back. I am not responsible for someone else's mistake. It is so frustrating to say the least. I have never heard of anything like this happening before until I searched erroneous transfer today.

You still used electricity during this time, so are expected to pay. If the price is higher, then request refund of difference between tarriff you had with previos provider and new provider. If you don't pay, they will start to chase you for debt and it will be even worse.

And it wasn't really BG who made the mistake, it was housing association.

Twolittlebears

I understand it wasn't British Gas who made the mistake. I have been advised to ignore the electricity bills from British Gas, my usual supplier can bill me like I never left. I never made this mistake so I should not be held accountable for someone else's error. I want my accounts back to how they should be and pay the correct supplier. They can't chase me for debt whilst my account has an ongoing erroneous transfer complaint. They have to correct this issue.

Twolittlebears

This whole mess up has gone from bad to worse. I have just spoken to British Gas again and they now tell me my gas account has been closed since 2nd Dec. There was a request to transfer over to Bulb energy. I have not done this and don't know who has.

So N power are trying to get my electricity supply back from British Gas which transferred on 24th July due to a neighbour error.
British Gas are requesting to get my gas supply back from Bulb Energy which was transferred on 2nd Dec.

I am so confused how my gas supply got changed recently.

Gerry1

Twolittlebears wrote: »

I have just spoken to British Gas again

You need to get this in writing ! It'll make the compensation claim look bigger and better.

Bendo

Penelopa.Pitstop wrote: »

You still used electricity during this time, so are expected to pay. If the price is higher, then request refund of difference between tarriff you had with previos provider and new provider. If you don't pay, they will start to chase you for debt and it will be even worse.

He doesn't ower British Gas anything, if they do what they are supposed to and put it back to the original supplier, he will pay the original supplier for the usage.


He needs to invoke the complaints proceedure now and stop wasting time speaking to useless customer service advisors.