British Gas - requesting more money from rental accommodation that I vacated September 2023.

KatieElizabethE

Hi, I moved out of my rental accommodation on 19th September 2023. I made sure to take actual meter readings on my last day at the property. I provided this to British Gas and shortly received my final bill which was taken out of my bank account a week later.

On 21st May 2024 I received an email from British Gas advising that my final bill (from the rental accommodation) was due. To be honest, I thought it was a scam as I knew I had settled this at the time. I've since made several calls to British Gas but still haven't resolved this issue and I don't want this bill to impact my credit score etc.

What I don't understand is even if I had paid bills up to that point on estimated readings, the final bill was based on actual readings and would have taken into account all the gas and electricity I had used up to my last day in the property. How can they suddenly request more money?

Not sure what I should do next, any help gratefully received.

Thanks

Katie

molerat

It is probable that as they had been using estimated reads they have recalculated those to more accurate estimates for each period based on the final read.  With the amount of changes to prices over the period it would be likely that the exercise would result in a change to the final bill.  How much are they asking for ?

KatieElizabethE

So just looking at my British Gas billing info. After I paid the final bill in September 2023 they sent a 2nd final bill in November indicating that I was in credit £60. Then no contact until March 2024 when I was then advised I was £72.28 in debt, then in June £60.01 in debt. It's a complete mess!

Mark_d

Your bills should state the meter reads which were used to generate the bills, and whether these reads are actuals or estimates.  Your bills should also show the payments you made to British Gas.  Looking at this information you should be able work out what's going wrong.

MeteredOut

As well as the question above re. actual or estimated readings, did the bill on 19/9/23 state "Final Bill"?

DisabledDan

KatieElizabethE said:

So just looking at my British Gas billing info. After I paid the final bill in September 2023 they sent a 2nd final bill in November indicating that I was in credit £60. Then no contact until March 2024 when I was then advised I was £72.28 in debt, then in June £60.01 in debt. It's a complete mess!

I wonder if they have kept you on as a current customer somehow, so you were in credit £60 then they continue to apply standing charges but no usage.

wild666

If you gave the supplier a final reading they should have worked the bill out on the reading that you gave them. You moved out so that should be a final bill and no more payments should be taken after the final bill payment is taken. Put in a complaint and ask them for a deadlock letter after 8 weeks if it isn't sorted. Fully detail your complaint to OFGEM and they will possibly say it's an oversight on their behalf and offer you compensation. 

MeteredOut Said: 

As well as the question above re. actual or estimated readings, did the bill on 19/9/23 state "Final Bill"?

My final bill from BG in 2018 didn't say final bill, I owed £14 on the bill and they took it about 7 days after they produced the bill. I did have smart meters so they could read the meters remotely.