Help British Gas Billing and Breaching my Data

Me1205

Hello,
I need help. British Gas has over charged me for gas and electric bills. I challenged them, they acknowledge one (gas) because they had condemned the gas boiler but was still charging me £288.00 for 6 weeks and reduced that bill to £57.00. Now I am struggling to sort out the electric bills of £378 for 6 weeks. Further more,  I have complained to them and we reached deadlock, I then took it to the ombudsman, they found that BG has a smart meter which is not true because my new supplier put smart meters in in December 2019 and these bills are from November 2018. 
During the process of the complaint, BG past my debt on to debt collectors, who access my details and past my information on to BG. I did not give them my details because I had asked for my services to be transferred the same day I took the keys. The transfer happened in January 2019, however, in April 2019, the debt management company access my data on behalf of BG. They told me in an email that they had found who I was and will address me accordingly. 
ICO is now telling me that companies have a right to do so. I have debated and will continue to debate that that is the case if they are looking for someone who have disappeared and they are unable struggling to get payment, so have to resort to looking for the person (s).
I need help with locating the correct department of person who is willing to listen and see the evidence that I have to help me fright these companies who think they are above the law.
1. There is no way I could use over £300 pounds of electricity in 6 weeks
2. Companies do not have the right to access or get others to access individuals personal data 
3. As a result of them accessing my data, I had other companies calling and writing to me asking about debt I had many years ago and telling me that I made payment recently and need to contact making payment.
This cannot be right. Any advice and support is appreciated, I really need some help. I am grieving the loss of my sister and a very dear friend, working from home and support my child with home schooling. Things are difficult at the moment mentally.
Erica 

matelodave

Have you (or had you) been sending in meter readings and checking your accounts before this "debacle". I does appear that like so many others you have probably not been doing so and have been accepting estimated bills and they've finally caught up.

Most suppliers will either sell off their debts after a period or get a deb collection company or agency to chase them up. Once you take on credit from whatever source then your data is liable to be sent to a credit reference agency who will then allow others to check on your creditworthiness and credit history - so it's perfectly legal and not above the law.

I'm not being unsympathethic but I guess that your situation is somewhat similar to hundreds if not thousands out there who haven't kept on top of their bills, meter readings and payments and now find that they've caught up. TBH a lot of them will also be grieving the loss of loved ones, possibly from what is going on and thousands are also supporting their families & children with home schooling, jobs losses and other problems and will also be having problems mentally.

If you've already been to the ombudsman and dont agree with his finding then possibly your only recourse might be to eithet have a word with the CAB or a solicitor but you may not get very far if the ombudsman has already made a decision

Gerry1

Me1205 said:

I did not give them my details because I had asked for my services to be transferred the same day I took the keys.

Oh dear, that's one of the worst mistakes you can make.  You always need to register with the incumbent company as soon as you get the keys, otherwise you'll be on a 'Deemed Contract' tariff which is incredibly expensive.

Rather than seeking to stop the tide coming in, you need to ask for a payment plan and to make sure you're on the cheapest available BG tariff.   Even with a smart meter, read the meters on the wall every month, keep records and do the sums to see how you're doing.  Make sure there are no estimated readings !

Right now you may be blocked from switching because you have a debt, but BG aren't the cheapest supplier so you'll need to switch away from them as soon as you are free to do so.  Apply for the Priority Services Register if you qualify, ditto for Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments etc.