Electricity bill

Robinson_crusoe · 8 August 2017 at 7:12PM

Good evening everybody,
Here's my first post, hope that is in the right place. I am in dispute with British Gas, over, a bill for an empty property, they changed my tariff, to one that included a daily standing charge, and as the property was empty this obviously built up over,a period of time.
I rang British Gas, call centre, to complain, who said that the charges, were valid, and due to miss communication...they arranged for the service fuse to be removed, but still insisted that I was liable to pay for the mounting standing charge, even though no one was in the property, and totally unable, to even use any electricity due to the service fuse issue !!
I am being severely intimidated, with debt collectors to pay, but don't really know my legal position.
Can anyone other advice please.
I do have photographic evidence ( date stamped )

Many thanks

footyguy · 8 August 2017 at 8:01PM

Robinson_crusoe wrote: »

Good evening everybody,
Here's my first post, hope that is in the right place. I am in dispute with British Gas, over, a bill for an empty property, they changed my tariff, to one that included a daily standing charge, and as the property was empty this obviously built up over,a period of time.
I rang British Gas, call centre, to complain, who said that the charges, were valid, and due to miss communication...they arranged for the service fuse to be removed, but still insisted that I was liable to pay for the mounting standing charge, even though no one was in the property, and totally unable, to even use any electricity due to the service fuse issue !!
I am being severely intimidated, with debt collectors to pay, but don't really know my legal position.
Can anyone other advice please.
I do have photographic evidence ( date stamped )

Many thanks

I got as far as standing charge

Which BG tariff were you on previously that had no standing charge??? :huh:

The standing charge will pale into insignificance compared to the other costs associated with an effectively abandoned property.

Your legal position is that you are in debt to British Gas.

Robinson_crusoe · 8 August 2017 at 8:17PM

The tariff was an economy seven type......originally, higher rate day, and lower rate night.

Property was for sale, for a long period of time.....now sold.

How can I be in debt for a service that I could not obtain for over 6 months ?

But thanks for the reply....appreciated

Ectophile · 8 August 2017 at 8:38PM

You has the service. The fact that you chose not to use it is neither here nor there.

Robinson_crusoe · 8 August 2017 at 8:49PM

It was not a choice situation.....

I was not living in the property

....and the "service" was withdrawn, by the fact that the service fuse had been removed...not at my request !

dogshome · 9 August 2017 at 8:43AM

Are you saying that the Service Fuse had already been removed when you purchased the property ?.

If this is the case you may have an out - Ofgem have said that it's not until Energy supplies have been consumed, that a deemed contract exitists beween the supplier and the new owner of a property

Ectophile · 9 August 2017 at 7:22PM

OK, reading your post again. You would be responsible for any standing charges up to the point when your supply was disconnected. Whether you were living there or not is irrelevant.

After your supply was disconnected, you had no supply. You should not be paying for anything after then. If they are still charging you, raise a formal complaint. If that gets you nowhere, complain to the Energy Ombudsman https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/energy/complain-now

Robinson_crusoe · 9 August 2017 at 8:22PM

Hi there ..... no the service fuse was not removed, until I complained to British Gas, about the billing......probably, round about last August...did tell them not to remove it....but they went ahead, and removed it anyway !

Robinson_crusoe · 9 August 2017 at 8:34PM

Hi Ectophile ... fully agree.... I've told British Gas the same.....Will pay up until service fuse was removed....but NOT while there was no possibility of using
any !

There response was that,I am liable to pay, and the only circumstance, were I would not have to pay, is if I had the meter removed ! ....but would have had to pay all charges to have it reconnected again !!

Have gone through the energy ombudsman....but just wanted me to obtain a deadlock letter from British Gas....which they would not supply !

footyguy · 10 August 2017 at 4:32PM

Robinson_crusoe wrote: »

The tariff was an economy seven type......originally, higher rate day, and lower rate night.

Property was for sale, for a long period of time.....now sold.

How can I be in debt for a service that I could not obtain for over 6 months ?

But thanks for the reply....appreciated

All British Gas E7 tariffs have standing charges.

Glad you've sold the property at last. You can use the proceeds to settle your debts.

Good luck!

Robinson_crusoe · 10 August 2017 at 11:21PM

Not familiar with British Gas E7 tariffs....but when I originally signed up with them, there were no standing charges !

....and as far as "using the proceeds to settle your debts" ..... this was why I first came into this forum.... as I really don't believe that it is my debt !!

...so time will tell.....

Electricity bill

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