Being taking to court for extortionate Gas and Electric bill - please help.

LuisDiaz

kazwookie said:

OK they say you haven't paid anything.

How much has been going  out of your bank account as a DD each month, look at your bank statement, if this money has been going out each month you need to check what account number / sort code / ref it has been going to, (look in your bank under DD's)  has the money been going to your account, or are the details someone elses account?

Right, I've found my bank statement from July 2024.

I can see a payment of £175.16 taken by the utility provider ...I will need to check the other statements (if I can find them) but this proves I have been making payment as part of the new deal with them, right ? There are some letters and numbers next to the name of the provider but I cant tell what the account number or sort code is ...shall I write the whole thing on here ?

Also, Kazwookie, thank you, I feel a little better as this proves I have been making payment and they are wrong to take me to court, right ??

cannugec5

LuisDiaz said:

Hello,
I am writing this post in hope for some help and guidance -  I must also say I am extremely stressed with what I believe, sadly, are suicidal thoughts. Any help may be beneficial to me and my family, please do be kind.

Sometime last year I was going through a crisis with redundancy looming at work, after giving over a decade of my blood, sweat and tears to my employer, I was put on notice and went through months of agony and uncertain future. Thankfully, I managed to secure another role in the same company, but the whole saga and trauma took its toll, especially as I was earlier hit by Covid and then long Covid soon after, so health had sadly deteriorated and the stress meant my mental health was not in the best place.

Sadly and unbeknown to me, a well known gas /electric provider (I have omitted their name as I am not sure if I can say on this post) had charged me extortionate charges for Gas + Electric - they claimed they were owed -£3,600! 

I believe this was a error, as I had always paid via direct debit,  had always been in credit and never been in debt to them, ever!

Through several calls and Internet Web messages, I was eventually informed that my account had been ''moved to new system, they cant access old system and had lost bank details''.

They informed me I was on a high rate (I wasnt before) but had now moved me to a new rate and my DD was re-established.

I thought this was the end of the situation, though of course wasn't happy about the additional stress and anxiety they had caused me.

Sadly....it has got worse.

I've now received a ''Claim Form'' from ''Civil National Business Centre'' and this looks like they are taking me to court for the amount of  ''£4,982.22'' which they believe is owed to them.

I am totally broken. I honestly don't know what to do.

I have worked extremely hard all my life for my family - I have always paid my bills on time and have always setup direct debits for the ease of ensuring I was never late on my bills.

I am really not sure what to do. Can anyone help ?

This sounds to me like one of the errors in the migration of British Gas accounts to their new system. 

If that is the case, then it may well be entirely their error. 

As others have suggested, you need to find readings from before the problem and now from statements and by having a look at the actual meter now. By deducting one from the other you can work out how much you have used over the period. 

You need to check that the meter numbers on your bills are the same as the meter numbers on the actual meters. 

You need to check your bank statements that Direct Debits were taken. 

It might be helpful if you could post a copy of the Claim Form that you have been sent ( hiding personal details) so that people can assess what stage it is at and better advise you what to do. 

MikeJXE

How long have you lived at the property ?

How often do you have meter readings ?

Put the dates and readings on here and someone will tell you how much you have used

look at your bank statements and tell us what you have paid over what time period 

LuisDiaz

kazwookie said:

OK they say you haven't paid anything.

How much has been going  out of your bank account as a DD each month, look at your bank statement, if this money has been going out each month you need to check what account number / sort code / ref it has been going to, (look in your bank under DD's)  has the money been going to your account, or are the details someone elses account?

Hi Kazwookie,

So I've managed to find a bank statement - I usually only use 1 account for all my bills and there is a direct debit being collected by my utility provider for the some of £177.16 !!!!

I am so angry, cross, annoyed but also a little delighted, as this surely proves I have made payment towards the bill and they are wrong to take me to court ? Am I correct in saying this ?? I will need to check my other statements but honestly you dont know what this means to me...I have been feeling so down and upset......thank you!!!! I dont want to get ahead, so I'll wait for your response ...

the description of the payment reads ''Utility Provider'' followed by a reference ''BGX00......'' and their are loads of texts and numbers...shall I post the whole thing on here ?

HampshireH

Do you have an online banking account? You'll be able to view all transactions on there if you set that up.

Likewise your utility company. If you use the online account it will show last payment date 

elsien

Good news that you can prove you have been paying something.
It would also be helpful if you’re able to post meter readings, as requested above because even with the direct debit there may or may not be a shortfall. 

LuisDiaz

elsien said:

By the way, it’s fine to use the companies name.

Setting you up on a new tariff is not the same as setting up a new direct debit when the old one was cancelled. That’s what you need to check.
Do you not have any emails at all confirming the new arrangements? 

Hi Elsien, that's a really good shout, I will try and check if there are any emails confirming being setup on the new tariff !! Thank you so much. 

LuisDiaz

LuisDiaz said:

elsien said:

By the way, it’s fine to use the companies name.

Setting you up on a new tariff is not the same as setting up a new direct debit when the old one was cancelled. That’s what you need to check.
Do you not have any emails at all confirming the new arrangements? 

Hi Elsien, that's a really good shout, I will try and check if there are any emails confirming being setup on the new tariff !! Thank you so much. 

And I forgot to say...it is British Gas :-(

MikeJXE

If you do online banking all your statements should be on there

LuisDiaz

cannugec5 said:

LuisDiaz said:

Hello,
I am writing this post in hope for some help and guidance -  I must also say I am extremely stressed with what I believe, sadly, are suicidal thoughts. Any help may be beneficial to me and my family, please do be kind.

Sometime last year I was going through a crisis with redundancy looming at work, after giving over a decade of my blood, sweat and tears to my employer, I was put on notice and went through months of agony and uncertain future. Thankfully, I managed to secure another role in the same company, but the whole saga and trauma took its toll, especially as I was earlier hit by Covid and then long Covid soon after, so health had sadly deteriorated and the stress meant my mental health was not in the best place.

Sadly and unbeknown to me, a well known gas /electric provider (I have omitted their name as I am not sure if I can say on this post) had charged me extortionate charges for Gas + Electric - they claimed they were owed -£3,600! 

I believe this was a error, as I had always paid via direct debit,  had always been in credit and never been in debt to them, ever!

Through several calls and Internet Web messages, I was eventually informed that my account had been ''moved to new system, they cant access old system and had lost bank details''.

They informed me I was on a high rate (I wasnt before) but had now moved me to a new rate and my DD was re-established.

I thought this was the end of the situation, though of course wasn't happy about the additional stress and anxiety they had caused me.

Sadly....it has got worse.

I've now received a ''Claim Form'' from ''Civil National Business Centre'' and this looks like they are taking me to court for the amount of  ''£4,982.22'' which they believe is owed to them.

I am totally broken. I honestly don't know what to do.

I have worked extremely hard all my life for my family - I have always paid my bills on time and have always setup direct debits for the ease of ensuring I was never late on my bills.

I am really not sure what to do. Can anyone help ?

This sounds to me like one of the errors in the migration of British Gas accounts to their new system. 

If that is the case, then it may well be entirely their error. 

As others have suggested, you need to find readings from before the problem and now from statements and by having a look at the actual meter now. By deducting one from the other you can work out how much you have used over the period. 

You need to check that the meter numbers on your bills are the same as the meter numbers on the actual meters. 

You need to check your bank statements that Direct Debits were taken. 

It might be helpful if you could post a copy of the Claim Form that you have been sent ( hiding personal details) so that people can assess what stage it is at and better advise you what to do. 

Hi cannugec5 ,
It is British Gas.

Sorry...is that readings from the statements ? Or the old metre system installed on my property ?
And I will post the Claim Form, please bear with me. 

Thank you so much!!