British Gas/debt collector want payment I do not owe

Yorkie006

Hi,
long story short, several months ago I moved out of a rental property that was supplied by British Gas. I gave final meter readings, closed both energy accounts and paid final bills. 
Fast forward to now and I have just received a letter sent to my old address (RM redirection in place) from a debt collectors demanding a payment of debt to BG.
Turns out that after I moved out, because nobody contacted BG to set up new account, they automatically opened a new account in my name because 'I was the last person to have an account at that address'. Judging by the amount owed, someone is definitely using electricity there, the amount is a lot more than my bills used to be.
I do not appreciate being chased for debt that is not mine. I contacted BG and they told me to contact the debt collectors. When I contacted the debt collectors, they told me to contact BG. Neither of them was very helpful, debt collectors explained that they can't just cancel the debt, they need BG to cancel from their end. BG were very rude, hang up on me several times and told me to take it up with the debt collectors. I tried to explain that I already contacted them but BG just told me to contact debt collectors again and get them to cancel, or to just pay the amount owed. No apology or anything that would actually help clear the whole thing up.
I have checked my credit report and the new account set up after I moved out is showing as defaulted, which is obviously not good. How do I get this mess sorted? I was planning on applying for a balance transfer credit card in a couple of months but that is now at risk due to this default. The first I knew there was an account in my name was when the demand letter arrived (no bills from BG or anything else).
Thanks!

fatbelly

Formal complaint in writing to B Gas.

Give them 8 weeks then escalate to

https://www.energyombudsman.org/raise-dispute/british-gas

Brie

If you moved out of a rental and your tenancy was actually finished the responsibility for bills, utilities, council tax etc are down to the landlord.

If you moved out of a rental but your tenancy ran for another week or two you were still responsible.

It is entirely possible that if the second scenario is what happened that your landlord may have happily made use of the empty place to send in some workers to renovate, paint, whatever hence the high bills.  

You might try contacting your LL and asking when someone else moved in so you can limit what you owe.

Meanwhile if you had a mail redirect on and never got one bill from BG then I definitely agree you have cause for complaint.  There should have been a couple of attempts to contact you minimum before sending the debt to collectors.  

Yorkie006

@Brie
Good point but no.

I was at the property to collect last bits of mail and get meter readings on the last day of tenancy before returning the keys (no sign of any work being done or anyone being at the property). BG told me they created new account in my name because nobody contacted them to set up a new one and I was the last person responsible for energy at the property so they simply put my name on the new account (the account number is different than the number of the closed accounts). The property has working smart meters so they know energy is being used. They may have sent letters addressed to 'occupier' or similar (those would not get redirected though) and whoever is using the energy ignored them so BG took it up on themselves to add my name on the account and send debt collectors. They did not send bills in the post in the past (all online) but normally I'd get an email asking me to log in to see it - no emails received since the final bill. When I log into my BG account both old accounts show £0 balance and correct closing date. The account with the debt is not shown.
It really baffles me that a company can just create a new account in name of someone who they know is not responsible for the bills simply because the new tenant (or owner/landlord in case of empty property) does not get in touch to set up account in their name after the tenancy ended...

FreeBear

Yorkie006 said:
It really baffles me that a company can just create a new account in name of someone who they know is not responsible for the bills simply because the new tenant (or owner/landlord in case of empty property) does not get in touch to set up account in their name after the tenancy ended...

Sounds like an abuse of personal information. Perhaps send a complaint off to the ICO.

Brie

Lodge a complaint with BG.  The basis will be that they had no right to create an account given that you no longer live there.  Provide a copy of your tenancy agreement or whatever that shows that you are no longer responsible for the property as of X date.  Give them the landlord's name as the person who should be named on the account.  

Let the complaint run for the required period (14 days? can't remember) and then escalate to the ombudsperson.

When you make your complaint make it easy by having a nice linear account - on this date, X, on the next date, Y.  The ombudsperson won't care about waffle about rights or wrongs, just the basic facts.  

FreeBear

Brie said: Let the complaint run for the required period (14 days? can't remember) and then escalate to the ombudsperson.

Eight weeks or until they issue a deadlock letter. Which ever is first.

BG might say they can't accept a formal complaint (have heard of them doing that in the past). You simply tell them they don't have a choice in the matter. If BG continue to refuse, escalate to the ombudsman.

Qyburn

Yorkie006 said:

It really baffles me that a company can just create a new account in name of someone who they know is not responsible for the bills simply because the new tenant (or owner/landlord in case of empty property) does not get in touch to set up account in their name after the tenancy ended...

I wonder is this is a side effect from the various "free energy" schemes being promoted on Telegram and elsewhere. People being advised to tell the supplier they've moved out, then ignore any "to the occupier" letters from then on.

Yorkie006

Update:
I submitted a complaint (through Resolver - I like to have everything in writing).
On 8th August I had an email from BG confirming that the debt is not mine. But I am still being chased by the debt collectors (most recently yesterday) because BG did not inform them of this and they will not stop chasing me until they are told to stop by BG. I forwarded them the email I received from BG but the debt collectors will not accept it as a proof... So another complaint lodged.
I have also contacted the letting agent responsible for managing the property and asked them to please ask the landlord to sort this out (the property is still vacant/listed on Rightmove etc) or to at least confirm to the debt collectors the date my tenancy ended (as the debt is for period after I moved out). They told me it's not their problem and they will do nothing to help.
I'm starting to rip my hair out...