British Gas - Unlawful Charges (BW legal)

Barnet_Pimpernel

I was a British Gas customer for many years.

During the escalation in energy prices, I switched to a SVT (Standard Variable Tariff).

I switched to another provider as British Gas charges were too high.

British Gas sent me invoices for cancellation charges on my accounts with them.

I wrote to them to point out that these charges weren’t legal on an SVT and they still had a credit of £475 on my account.

I’ve had 2 emails acknowledging that the charges were not to be chaged by, 7 months after switching, I’m getting threatening letters from their agents, BW Legal, still chasing the cancellation fees and I still haven’t had a penny of my credit balance paid back.

Anyone else have this problem? How do I get them off my back?

gpman

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6655324/british-gas-unlawful-charges-bw-legal

As you say, there are no early exit fees applicable to those on the supplier's default tariff.

As your supplier has charged you early exit fees, are you sure they do not relate to the early cancellation of whatever tariff you were on before you opted to transfer to the supplier's SVT tariff?

Have you raised your issue as a formal complaint with your supplier? If so, what was their response?

If you disagreed with their response, did you escalate the matter to the Energy Ombudsman? If so, what was their response?

If the response given by the supplier was that they agreed you should not have been charged the early exit fees, do you have a revised final bill reflecting that amendment?

If not, what have you done about that?

If you do, have you alerted the supplier that their debt collection agency is seemingly attempting to collect a debt relating to a previous, unamended final bill?

Edit: If your final bill reflects the credit value of £475, have you received that? If not, what have you done about that?

What are the debt collection agency chasing you for if the final bill indicates you do not owe any money.

Barnet_Pimpernel

My previous fixed tariff expired and transferred to an an SVT. So, no, they do not related to a previous tariff.

as per my post, I have raised this with British Gas twice and received an email both times confirming that no charges are permitted on SVTs.

Still waiting on the Energy Ombusman response.

I agree that its bizarre that I’m being chased when they have owed me for 7 months.

gpman

Don't forget to tell the EO you are expecting the following as a minimum outcome:

1. British Gas to call off their debt collectors.
2. BG to ensure any adverse markings on your credit file by them or their debt collectors relating to this complaint are removed or corrected
3. BG to issue you with a new final bill removing the early exit fees that they have advised you do not apply.
4. BG to refund you all credit on the account. (That looks like £475 plus the value of the early exit fees)
5. BG to pay you additional £40 Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSoP) compensation for failing to refund you your credit balance within 10 working days of the final bill.
6. BG to pay you additional £40 Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSoP) compensation for failing to have completed point (5) above within 10 working days.
7. BG to issue a letter of apology for the shortfalls in custmer service and inconvenience caused
8. BG to pay you a Goodwill Gesture (to be decided by the EO)

Ensure the Goodwill Gesture is to be paid direct to you. The EO will usually say it is to be credited to your energy account, but remind them you are no longer supplied by BG.