British Gas Problem

ZINXYX

Hi
I have a problem with British Gas and was wondering if someone could help me. I moved into a property on 10/05/06 and called BG to give them my details as the new occupier, including the Meter reading. Apparently the previous occupier was not paying his bill so BG wrote a letter addressed to the occupier at the end of June 06 stating they were forcibly going to enter the property.
I immediately called them to enquire about it whereon the advisor said my details and my account were not on their system.So I gave it again including the initial reading 17911. I received a bill dated 30/09/06 where BG ahd indicated that they read my meter on 10/05/06 when I moved in and it was 17326 and again on 29/06/06 and it was 17600. I immediately called them and said those readings were wrong and gave the initial reading again.
Then my meter was read on 28/12/06, but when my bill came the original readings had not been changed.
I have called BG on several occasions and have since moved out of the house but they wouldn't budge.
They insist that I am a liar and I could not possibly have used such little gas from when I moved in till December'06. I am therefore stuck with a huge bill.
Could someone please help me?

ScoobyCanDo

"MOVED IN TO A PROPERTY" ..............?

Rented OR Bought?

If rented, it's down to your letting agent/Landlord to provide a collaborating Meter Reading at the time you took over the tenancy?

OR if you bought, you need a statement from an independent witness Or your solicitor to back up your stated reading?

There's no Quick Fix, as big companies rely on intimidation to get their own way, so you may need to speak to your solicitor (if you bought the property?) or a legal advisor/Citizens Advise for help on taking them on!

Best of luck & stick it to them:cool:

ZINXYX

Thanks scooby can do, you've been very helpful.

MizB

This is my first ever post so if I get it all wrong please be forgiving.

I have had an ongoing problem with British Gas, although I am not a BG customer, and have not been since they lost their monopoly. However, they have been after me for £2044.00 for 6 months!!!

Simply, my address is similar to, and my postcode identical to, new apartments in a mill conversion. These properties are let out to tenants.
The gas bills for this property started to arrive at my house, with my address, but with the correct name(of the tenant). I rang BG, and returned the bills, to BG with a note detailing the correct address. Many bills came, I kept phoning, each time assured it was soted out. Then came a ltter informing that court action would be taken. Another phone call to BG. More assusrances, followed by a letter to THE OCCUPIER of my address, informing of court action to get a warrant to enter property and disconnet supply. I phoed again and was assured the letter was a mistake, and that no action would be taken. Then a letter came stating a warrant had been issued and that this would be exercised on 14th February. I could not get through to BG on the phone, but did speak to the warrant officer. He soon verified that it was an error, and that I was telling the truth, simply by checking some numbers from my meter. He assured me he would not be visiting to excercise the warrant, but did say I would probably get more letters from BG.
What appalls me is that this could have caused great distress to some people, more vulnerable and more easily intimidated than me.

I feel that BG have set their stall up to retrieve their money, and if I am the easiest target they will try and get it from me.

ScoobyCanDo

The old INTIMIDATION trick (from a big company) and the 'left hand' not knowing what the 'right hand' is doing with regard to their staff!!!


OK, what can YOU do?:mad:


Firstly I hope you have kept a record of all your phone calls to them (your phone bill can help with dates/times) and any letters you have sent them, those too I hope you have copies of?



Next if you have a friendly solicitor (that perhaps you've used for house moves, wills or legal matters in the past?) give them a call and you will normally find you can have a quick (& free) chat with them to see if they have the expertise to help you with this matter or if not can point you in the right direction of a fellow expert. ............. WHY I hear you ask, well if you can not get them to see sense and put things right after all you have so far done, then you have no choice but to do unto them, what they are doing unto you!



Basically you take them to court (or at least threaten them with it) via your solicitor and claim back FROM THEM compensation for your Time & Trouble as well as any legal expenses you now incur ............ the 'chat' with your solicitor will explain this more fully.


IF you do not have ready access to a solicitor ................ pay a visit to your local Citizens Advice and get them involved ........... if you have the documented evidence mentioned above (copies of letters/phone calls) they will quickly see that YOU have tried all you can to get matters sorted and that BG is at fault with their inability to resolve the matter 'amicably & in good time' without putting you through the trouble they has so far done!



I know ............... more hassle, but if you go down this route, you WILL not only get compensation, but also you WILL get the matter resolved, once and for all .................... alternatively you could do nothing in the hope they will go away, but with so many different departments/people (on the part of BG) being involved as well as a Money Orientated Debt Collectors (they will have automatically passed the arrears on to their retained Debt Collecting Firm, no matter what any operator has told you) ............. I doubt very much you've heard the end of it ................yet.



Just when you think it's safe . ....................... it will all go off again!!!



ONE saving grace for you ............. [and you have to have nerves of steel (due to waiting for it to happen?) as well as eagle-eyes] is ................... If & When an officer of the court calls with an engineer to DISCONNECT your meter, the warrant should have the METER number on it, which should be checked by the court official before the meter is disconnected (though often this is over looked until it's too late!) and when they DO NOT MATCH ............ (i.e. the number on the warrant should be for the meter in the apartment in the Mill conversion, which will be different to the one on your meter) .................... the warrant for your address becomes VOID and can not be carried out, which will give you a short restbite whilst they look in the matter once more?



SO .................... sorry to say, but you've a little more work ahead of you before you can put this problem (Of BG's making) to bed!



If only COMMON SENSE prevailed in this wonderful modern world of ours and those ever-so helpful staff that man the phones of the likes of British Gas where actually able to DO SOMETHING - "Then & There", the majority of these problems would not happen, but as 'they'

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(the call staff) normally only log your details/complaint on to an ageing computer system, for someone else to view & then act upon, it's no wonder these things get drawn out and co%#ed-up as they do!!!



Anyway best of luck with what you chose to do ...................... if it's ......... NOTHING, well then expect a visit from both a Debt Collector and a Court Warrant official!



Hope this helps?:huh:

Scooby

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PS

[I've just finished a double shift and am using this to UN-WIND, so I hope some of it makes sense??? ..................... if not, then those matchstick I've just used to keep my eyes open where a waste of time!!!!!!!!!!! ;-) ]

MizB

Thank you scooby can do.
I heed your warning that just when I think it is safe it will all go off again.
Will be in touch the Citizens Advice firstl,y as I have not had any contact with a solicitor since I bought the house 20 years ago.
It would be great to recieve compensation, I never thought it would be available in these circumstances but when I think of the hassle and the number phones calls and the time taken up- then yes I should be recompensed.
The annoying think is I get my gas from NPower, and don't be cross with me, but my account is in credit!

ScoobyCanDo

MizB wrote: »

but my account is in credit!

Ohhhhhhhhh!!!

You can always ask for a REFUND cheque and they HAVE to give it back to you! ............. (eventually)

Seems some people do not know this and just keep letting them take even more each month via D-Debit?

If you pay by D-D, alternatively you can always ask them to REDUCE the monthly fee to a 'pittance' amount, until the 'credit' you have accumulated has been spent?

Just a thought?

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Re: Compensation,

Make a LOG of everything you have so far done to try to sort this matter out, as well as any cost's (Phone Calls, Stamps, paper, etc.....) as this will give you an idea of what it has actually Cost You, so when they turn around and say, "what's the problem, it was only a couple of phone calls"??? ............ you can put them straight, there and then on the spot?

Anyway, best of luck

Scooby :cool: