British gas closed my account

inquiry

I live in a Victoria House of 3 self-contained flats. In November 2019I received a email from British gas saying that they are sorry to see me leaving. The flat above me accidentally gave the wrong metre number when they moved in and consequently I got an email to say sorry that you are leaving. I happen to see the British gas engineer when he was at the metres and I told him what happened and he said he would correct it and that I should bring them as well and tell them. So I rang British gas and told them nothing has changed I am still the owner of the property and I have not moved. They said that is ok I don't need to do anything and they will continue to debit my account as usual and nothing will change. they still weren't taking out my direct debit so I rang them again and they said the same thing that they will reinstate it and I don't need to do anything. And still nothing changed. I then received letters for new occupier. so I rang them again and told them I've already told them twice and spoke to the engineer that nothing has changed it was a mistake that someone else cut me off. Still this was not rectified and then I started receiving overdue bills addressed to the occupier. It had made me very ill and I was very stressed about it. I felt I couldn't ring them again I've done all I can so a year and a half on I owe £600 and it has put me in real hardship and I cannot face explaining it all again. For a time I assumed they would continue with my direct debit as they assured me originally when I rang and told them nothing has changed. this has made me very ill and I do not have the ability to ring them again. What can I do? 

Robin9

You write a letter headed COMPLAINT - don't phone.  Give all the details  - keep emotion out of it.  |If you can take a photo of the correct meter.
Wrong meter details ae not unknown in blocks of flats.

Please it's meters 

Bacman

Just because a direct debit isn't taken doesn't mean you can't put the money aside for it as you will have to pay what you use at some point.

As to what British Gas did, they are liable under Ofgem for the wrong switch and compensating you:  https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal/compensation-if-there-s-energy-switch-problem

inquiry

Robin9 said:

You write a letter headed COMPLAINT - don't phone.  Give all the details  - keep emotion out of it.  |If you can take a photo of the correct meter.
Wrong meter details ae not unknown in blocks of flats.

Please it's meters 

Robin9 said:

You write a letter headed COMPLAINT - don't phone.  Give all the details  - keep emotion out of it.  |If you can take a photo of the correct meter.
Wrong meter details ae not unknown in blocks of flats.

Please it's meters 

Yes we understood they got the wrong metre. But I've phone them 3 times and every time they told me they will reinstate it. They record phone conversations. I'm not good at writing this all down in emails. Urghh

niktheguru

you've done a decent enough job writing it in a forum post. You just do the same in an email or a letter. You cant bury your head in the sand for a year without a supplier as you'll be on a deemed contract paying higher amounts for your utilities and this will just make you more unwell with anxiety.

From what you say this is clearly the fault of British Gas. You need to URGENTLY write a letter of complaint (or get someone to help you) stating the details of when you called them, what happened and how you have tried on multiple attempts and been told that the incorrect switch was reversed. You should then ask them to put you back on your correct tariff, sort out a payment plan for the energy used, and that they should compensate you considerably for the hassle, upset and their failures.

Good luck.

Hasbeen

inquiry said:

Robin9 said:

You write a letter headed COMPLAINT - don't phone.  Give all the details  - keep emotion out of it.  |If you can take a photo of the correct meter.
Wrong meter details ae not unknown in blocks of flats.

Please it's meters 

Robin9 said:

You write a letter headed COMPLAINT - don't phone.  Give all the details  - keep emotion out of it.  |If you can take a photo of the correct meter.
Wrong meter details ae not unknown in blocks of flats.

Please it's meters 

Yes we understood they got the wrong metre. But I've phone them 3 times and every time they told me they will reinstate it. They record phone conversations. I'm not good at writing this all down in emails. Urghh

LOL. Its a METER not a measurement. 

inquiry

niktheguru said:

you've done a decent enough job writing it in a forum post. You just do the same in an email or a letter. You cant bury your head in the sand for a year without a supplier as you'll be on a deemed contract paying higher amounts for your utilities and this will just make you more unwell with anxiety.

From what you say this is clearly the fault of British Gas. You need to URGENTLY write a letter of complaint (or get someone to help you) stating the details of when you called them, what happened and how you have tried on multiple attempts and been told that the incorrect switch was reversed. You should then ask them to put you back on your correct tariff, sort out a payment plan for the energy used, and that they should compensate you considerably for the hassle, upset and their failures.

Good luck.

Ok thanks. I will do that and let you know. 

MWT

inquiry said:

...I got an email to say sorry that you are leaving. I happen to see the British gas engineer when he was at the metres and I told him what happened and he said he would correct it and that I should bring them as well and tell them. So I rang British gas and told them nothing has changed I am still the owner of the property and I have not moved.

Was this all on the same day that you got the email or was there a delay between the email and making the phone call?

inquiry

MWT said:

inquiry said:

...I got an email to say sorry that you are leaving. I happen to see the British gas engineer when he was at the metres and I told him what happened and he said he would correct it and that I should bring them as well and tell them. So I rang British gas and told them nothing has changed I am still the owner of the property and I have not moved.

Was this all on the same day that you got the email or was there a delay between the email and making the phone call?

A delay before the phone call because I had told the BGas engineer when he was here. So I followed it up afterwards

inquiry

inquiry said:

MWT said:

inquiry said:

...I got an email to say sorry that you are leaving. I happen to see the British gas engineer when he was at the metres and I told him what happened and he said he would correct it and that I should bring them as well and tell them. So I rang British gas and told them nothing has changed I am still the owner of the property and I have not moved.

Was this all on the same day that you got the email or was there a delay between the email and making the phone call?

A delay before the phone call because I had told the BGas engineer when he was here. So I followed it up afterwards

Originally I thought it was a scam because I didn't tell them I was leaving so I ignored it until I saw the engineer and found out what happened

niktheguru

you do know that you usually have 2 weeks after someone has initiated a switch as a "cooling off period" to stop the switch from happening. After that period it happens, but if it has been done incorrectly the supplier has an obligation to sort it out once notified.