British Gas Rip Off

KATHRYNPINK

hya

I dont know if anyone can help but I am having a total mare with british gas. We moved into our home 1 year ago. The day we moved in I called bg to advise them and gave them meter readings etc. I was told that my gas would be £15 per month and my electric would be £15 per month so I set up a direct debit for £30 per month. We have been receiving bills for the previous owner for the last year so we opened one which said he owed £400. My boyf rang bg to tell them he didnt live here and they said that I had only set up an electric account so that they would have to calculate a bill for the last year! I cant understand why they have been supplying our gas for 1 year and havent realised apart from the fact that I was told to set up a dd for 30quid a month! they said they cant do anything and that they will send our bill. we got the bill in £500!!!!!!! but also 2 letters came for the previous owner so I opened them and one had his £400 bill and the following one had saying that he was £100 in credit?! What can I do????

Premier_2

Ignore the previous owners debt - by rights you shouldn't even open the letter as it's not addressed to you.

You will only be charged for the amount you have consumed


Now this is where it gets complicated. There has either been a misunderstanding or BG have messed up a bit, but whichever, it still means you have to pay what you have consumed.

BG can bill you for any consumption left unbilled for 12 months - so they are not doing anything wrong here.

You say you gave the meter readings. I guess the electric bill has the initial correct reading. The problem may be the gas bill as BG probably lost the meter reading for that. I don't suppose you have a record of it?

If not, don't worry (too much) - BG will have the reading that was used for the outgoing account holder (the one that owes £400!). BG will not try to recover the £400 off you - that has already been billed to the other guy. You will be billed from their final meter reading. You will only get billed for what you have consumed

As regards the £30pm DD - this often confuses people too. Think of it this way you have paid £360 (12x£30) off whatever you actually owe. Unfortunately you still owe the remainder


Edit: if the £400 the previous account holder owed was based on the fact that BG did not realise the previous account holder was no longer responsible (i.e. it covered usage for this year) then BG will estimate what the reading was on the date you actually took over the supply - the same date as the electric presumably - credit the other guys account accordingly and charge you for what you have used.

Pssst

Write an official complaint to BG. Make sure you head the letter with the world COMPLAINT underlined.

Leave them to resolve it.

If they dont resolve to your satisfaction then >Energywatch or whoever is taking over from them.