British Gas - moving house bill - and threat of cost of debt collection

cobster

I moved in to my house on 17 July.  The gas and electricity is with BG.  It was my intention to move the utilities.  The bill from BG was not clear and indicated that it was charging for usage before I took ownership of the property.  It took them a while to grasp that I was not responsible for bills pre 17 July.  However, the final bill had an opening balance as at 18 July of £8.34.  I disputed this as even though I took ownership I didn't spend time at the house until the following day.  Many discussions later and the opening balance has been removed but added in as the bill for 8 September.  Exact amount.  Anyway, I'm pleased that I'm moving to bulb because BG are a joke.  
Yesterday evening I received an email saying I needed to pay my final bill (which I feel is still in dispute) by 9 October OR " we will pass your details to a debt collection agency who will be in touch to collect the money from you. We will also charge you £28.0000 to cover the extra work we'll have to do."  £28k!!! Where do they get off with this kind of threat?  Can they actually do this or are they trying to intimidate me?  I'm appalled.

Robin9

It's not £28k but £28    (.0000 is too many noughts for 000's)

Letter headed COMPLAINT - don't phone, don't email.

cobster

I saw that after posting (grrr). Do you think they've added the extra 0's to confuse people? You rarely see any prices given as £28.0000 (for £28).

Gerry1

If you don't register with the incumbent supplier when you move in you'll be on an expensive 'deemed' tariff and may inherit usage charges from the previous occupant.  You can't transfer electricity and gas utilities, you have to initiate a switch away from the incumbent.

It has to work that way: the alternative would be that supplies were ceased when an occupier moved out.  You'd arrive at a new home that might well be cold and dark, and you'd be panicking to get energy restored before the pipes froze !

Make an immediate payment of the standing charges and the energy used since you gained possession, then complain if they say that any more is owed.