Okay all,
New to this particular forum (but not this site, having recently won a claim against LTSB....
and I've also remembered to make a decent donation to site....so Thanks Guys) !!
Anyway:
I have a major issue regards British Gas, arising from their gross negligence regards assignment of meter readings
(which I have an admission of), which basically meant that I was overbilled on my gas for nearly 2 years !!
Once the problem was discovered (by myself, I add, and so I do wonder just how long it would have continued had I not discovered it), I did actually recieve a refund.
However, as a result of my discovery (it all came down to the wrong meters being billed to the wrong address'), then it also meant that the poor recently bereaved lady in another flat was then sent a backdated bill for over £800 !!!!
I tried to argue her case and get some mercy from BG for her.... but all to no avail, and unfortunately even Energywatch could not get a result. So, she has since then had to pay very excessive rates on her gas keycard for over a year in order to attempt to clear this debt (as well as her ongoing use).
Straight after the affair, in disgust, I switched suppliers, I supplied BG with a final reading, and never looked back. Unfortunately, the same option was not open to my neighbour, who was obliged to pay this large debt back. She complied, because after her bereavement she could not face a battle, and despite my offers to help, I needed her co-operation to take up the fight.
Anyway, TODAY.....
nearly 12 months after the event..... I recieved a "final bill" from BG ???
This is extremely peculiar, firstly, because at the time of my refund, the payment was calculated to account for any actual gas used, based upon readings, upto the point I switched, and also the readings it now contains seem to have no relation to any of those taken since ??
Anyway, this bill means, they have rattled my cage once too often !!
Also, the lady in the other flat now feels stronger and willing to co-operate in any actions.
I am determined to make them pay for their behaviour !!
I am now planning to seek;
1/ A full refund to my neighbour, of all the money since paid by her.
Our case is, that as a pensioner, she was a careful and frugal lady,who during the period of the reading errors had dilligently paid monthly sums through a payment scheme to BG, in good faith that she was keeping on top of matters. In fact... she even recieved refunds !
Had she known that her consumption was so much higher than that which she was paying for, she would have modified it. BG should have correctly read the meters during the relevent period, and billed accordingly and properly, to the correct recipients.
2/ Damages (Liquidated, aggravated and exemplary) and/or compensation for my neighbour. The matter arose at a very sensitive time for her, due to a bereavement, and was a great worry. It has also caused her considerable financial hardship since, made her very worried about her gas usage (resulting in physical discomfort over the winter), and could also be attributed as a cause of her current stress related illness.
3/ Damages (liquidated, aggravated and exemplary), and/or compensation for myself, on the contention that during the time I myself was being overbilled, I was under considerable financial hardship, and as a result I even suffered a relapse of a stress related illness. Also, dealing with this matter has been a great burden.
4/ Interest. For myself on the contention that they retained excessive amounts of my money for a long period, so gained from having them. For my neighbour on the contention that the money they have since taken from her they should not have been entitled to, and so have since additionally gained from reciept of them.
I need some advice on how to progress here? Is this a battle I could/should manage independently, or should we seek legal advice? (not a nowin/nofee, I am talking law society accredited etc, and if the case, any idea how I could source such) Is the procedure similar to SCT against Banks, or as it includes an element of damages, is it a different area of law? This will influence my decision as to whether to go this alone or through solicitors. Anybody with similar experiences? Would really appreciate any advice on this before proceeding. I would also need to some guidance with the POC's, witness statements etc. Some aspects I suspect would be similar to Bank cases, but others not, so where could I find case law, statutes etc? Anyway, there you all go. Regards Photoamn
Photoman V's British Gas 
