British gas threats

Robin9

adamck -  have you had a final bill from Bulb for your old property and have you had any bill from Bulb for your new one ?

[Deleted User]

adamck said:

ive recently moved into a property and received letters from British gas stating I owe them money.

they have estimated some usage and placed the property on a temporary tariff for a period of a couple of months.
i have no credit agreement with them, they don’t know who I am and I have never agreed to any services or provided any meter readings.

adamck said:

I transferred my original supplier to the new property.
so I’m still with Bulb, who I’ve been with for years.
my contract is with them, and I pay them.

I’m not sure where this estimated bill has come from as I have my supplier the last reading from my last house and the new reading from this house.

as far as I’m concerned, british gas have signed me up to their tariff and billed me for an estimated amount of energy, completely without my knowledge and don’t even know who I am.

i don’t really want to just hand out £128 to someone because they said I owe it them!

Hi,

so, contact BG, tell them when you moved in and give them the reading you gave Bulb for your new house, also give them today's reading and ask for an up to date bill, that should get the estimated bill sorted out.

You say you've been paying Bulb, who are not your supplier, so you will have a credit balance with them.

If you decide to switch to them they may give you a refund and start afresh or transfer the credit to your new account.

macman

Sometime I find it hard to believe that the deemed contract system has been in place since December 1990. Most people will have moved house since then...
And submitting a meter reading from the new property to an account at the old property is not going to work either: it will either result in a rejected reading and an estimated bill, or a very large bill instead

MWT

macman said:

Sometime I find it hard to believe that the deemed contract system has been in place since December 1990. Most people will have moved house since then...
And submitting a meter reading from the new property to an account at the old property is not going to work either: it will either result in a rejected reading and an estimated bill, or a very large bill instead

Sadly it is often the supplier that is to blame, they don't make it clear enough to their customers that they can't just set up a new account, but that they need to switch.

Here is what Bulb say for example, it isn't bad, but could still be clearer as it says you can 'take them with you...'

[Deleted User]

Hi,

well that info from Bulb is clear enough for the OP.

MWT

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

well that info from Bulb is clear enough for the OP.

... as long as people read beyond the first paragraph...

Ectophile

What is my position here legally?

It's all covered by the Gas Act and the Electricity Act.  The moment you used any energy, you became a customer of the existing supplier to the property.  If you haven't contacted them, you are on a "deemed tarriff" (which will be the most expensive one).

mattyprice4004

You have to liken it to walking into Tesco and taking something off the shelf - once you decide that product is yours, you're their customer. 
You used energy before the switch was completed, the supplier was BG so you owe the money for what you have used. 

Hasbeen

adamck said:

Hi all.
hoping some some advice.
ive recently moved into a property and received letters from British gas stating I owe them money.
they have estimated some usage and placed the property on a temporary tariff for a period of a couple of months.

i am not with them, nor have I ever been with them or agreed to any credit or tariff.

they have now sent a letter to the occupeir (their spelling not mine) demanding payment or they will send a debt collation agency round.

What is my position here legally?
i have no credit agreement with them, they don’t know who I am and I have never agreed to any services or provided any meter readings.

where do I stand?
surely they cannot send a debt collection agency round for a demand of payment to someone who isn’t a customer and has no credit agreement?

All good advice as usual on reading all.

But when I first read the OP my first thought was another newbie who does not know the correct procedures?

As per the numerous posts previously from first time buyers / renters etc. 

But Op joined in 2006 and has many previous posts. So not just from newbies.

Perhaps MSE should have a dedicated thread in the energy forum with step by step instructions. Q&A etc to help these new and other posters, rather than the same continuous comments / questions, replies to new OPs and others who are now newly responsible for their energy needs?

Deemed contracts, estimated readings, actual readings, direct debits, actual yearly usage, estimated yearly usage, looking at comparison site pounds rather than actual standing charge and price per Kw etc., etc. to name a small few. The list is endless and is confusing to some.

Perhaps something could be put together to help people if they are new to being responsible for utilities?

Talldave

Excellent idea @Hasbeen.