Potential old British gas debt

Graham1982

Hello everyone:

In an effort to keep my financial affairs in order I am revisiting, at least in my mind, past instances where debt could have arisen. My credit file is clean and clear and there are no CCJs.

Alas, sometime ago I was in a relationship with someone who was in arrears with their gas bill. I believe I asked the gas provider to put the bill in my name and I would pay it off, in both an effort to err...pay it off, and not have a pre-payment meter installed at the property.

In any case the company refused because they said the debt journey (not verbatim) was such that it was past the point of negotiation/payment plan.

I say believe as I believe this to be the case and I therefore believe I didn't put the bill in my name.

Prepayment meter installed, and this knocked off a small amount from the debt from each recharge.

We both then left this property and I setup and paid properly the energy at subsequent properties.

My question is what if there is an outstanding debt on the account at that old house (there would have been), how would I know if the debt is in my name (doubtful). I don't really want to phone said energy company and kick a hornet's nest if there is no need.

At this point I would like to restate that this is not a "asking for a friend situation and neither am I being disingenuous, I simply cannot remember, although I think it is very unlikely) that this debt was in my name.

Thoughts?

Graham

TripleH

Many years ago I rented a room in a house with a prepaid gas metre. I paid £11/month for gas in my flat, in this house we paid £10/ week plus for gas. Never realised I was most likely paying off someone else's debt (also didn't help that the thermostat was in the room of an idiot who insisted on having the heating turned up high but his window open...

It maybe that the debt remained at the property forces long asvthe prepaid metre was installed

fatbelly

My initial thought is don't go digging - if they want money from you they'll write.

You wouldn't necessarily know if the prepayment meter had cleared the debt.

How long ago was this?

Exodi

If this is so long ago you can't remember, it's likely the debt is statute barred anyway, so I wouldn't worry.

Graham1982

Hello everyone:

The house was vacated in late 2014. My issue is that I am working abroad and at some point will return to the UK and wish to buy a property. What I don't want to happen is that a mortgage is refused because I haven't paid this debt.

However, it would appear that as the debt is with the meter as someone has suggested, perhaps British Gas are happy to deduct it from the person in the house now. As selfish as that is, I wouldn't know how to solve this and is it isn't/wasn't my debt in the first instance, perhaps, as you say, I shouldn't go digging.

Thanks

Graham

fatbelly

Yep

I should also mention that if this did go on your file as a debt it gets removed after 6 years so would be gone now.

Graham1982

Hello @fatbelly

Sorry for the late response, I understand that the debt would effectively be wiped if it was instigated around 2014 but is there a way that if proceedings weren't instigated then could they effectively look back at an old record and start proceedings now?

i.e. I borrowed 1,000 pounds off of you, 10 years ago, however, you only decided to start recovery now, is that possible or is it statute barred given the age of the original debt.

fatbelly

It's possible to start a claim and then you would defend it on the grounds that the claim is statute barred under the The Limitation Act 1980 s5.

Graham1982

Thank you, as this is all academic at the moment I will just see what happens (as this is all a figment of my imagination so far).

EssexHebridean

You've said it succinctly in the post immediately above I think. Beware of looking for problems where none exist - that way can lie obsession... If BG said that the debt at the time was past the point of a payment plan etc, then there would have been no need for anything to be transferred into your name. Had it been, it sounds to me as though you would have ensured it was cleared anyway. Had it been in your name there would also have been at least some form of paperwork relating to this, and from the tone of your posts you don't sound to me like the sort of chap who would have thrown that out. I'm going to hazard a guess that there IS no debt in your name, but your overthinking it has created the possibility that there was. (Said with kindness - it's easily done!) 

TripleH

Can a debt put on a prepayment meter becomecstatute barred as long as the meter is in place as technically payments are still being made although not by the original party? (Not wanting to panic anyone, this is more hypothetical) plus I would assume whoever lifes there now would not have the prepay meter in place.