British Gas/BG Electricity defaults - help needed

[stanroyal]

Some two years ago I switched gas and electric to NPower from BG.

I cancelled my direct debit so that I could provide a final reading and pay the final bill by cheque. It is my experience that this works best.

I received my final bill but the last credited direct debits were not included. I deducted these amounts from the final bill and paid the balance.

I eventually received some months later 2 bills equal to the amount I had deducted. I phoned - person agreed with me, gave me a number to phone - but help for ages on an expensive line. I wrote instead - no reply. More bills and red bills, I phoned - person again agreed with me - expensive phone call told to write. I wrote no reply. More bills - I wrote to collections dept. no reply. I received a Debt agency letter - I contacted them and explained. They asked for all relevant papers. I sent copies of the letters. They agreed there was no debt and said that they had referred it back to BG.

I received a letter from BG (hoo-b****y-ray). It explained that the full amount of the bill was correct because they PRE-CREDITED their direct debits so although I paid on the 3rd of every month they credited my gas/electric accounts on the 28th of the previous month with the amount that I was about to pay them !!!! (So obvious really I should have realised ). Also they had no record of the final amount I had paid by cheque (although it appeared to be accounted for on my final bill). Could I please send them a copy of the cheque I had already paid together with the £35? outstanding.

I replied in writing stating that I didn't really accept their version of pre-crediting as this sounded highly dodgy. But that I would split the difference with them considering I had now had a lot of harassment and additional expenses in simply getting any kind of feeble explanation from them at all.

I heard nothing for a year - until last week I was refused a credit card - which is unheard of for me - I must have one of the highest credit scores in the country. It's really excellent usually. I obtained a copy of my experian file which shows 2 defaults - each for £35. These amounts are wrong as I think technically on their books I would owe £17 on gas and £18 on electric. On my equifax report there is no elec/gas but there are two enquiries from someone called wescot with reason stated as "debt outstanding".

I don't know where to start - I don't think I can use a CCA as it's a utility account and not a credit agreement. If I write to BG I don't suppose I will get a reply unless I can make it sound 'official'.

[Davegrump]

Originally Posted by stanroyal

Some two years ago I switched gas and electric to NPower from BG.

I cancelled my direct debit so that I could provide a final reading and pay the final bill by cheque. It is my experience that this works best.

I received my final bill but the last credited direct debits were not included. I deducted these amounts from the final bill and paid the balance.

I eventually received some months later 2 bills equal to the amount I had deducted. I phoned - person agreed with me, gave me a number to phone - but help for ages on an expensive line. I wrote instead - no reply. More bills and red bills, I phoned - person again agreed with me - expensive phone call told to write. I wrote no reply. More bills - I wrote to collections dept. no reply. I received a Debt agency letter - I contacted them and explained. They asked for all relevant papers. I sent copies of the letters. They agreed there was no debt and said that they had referred it back to BG.

I received a letter from BG (hoo-b****y-ray). It explained that the full amount of the bill was correct because they PRE-CREDITED their direct debits so although I paid on the 3rd of every month they credited my gas/electric accounts on the 28th of the previous month with the amount that I was about to pay them !!!! (So obvious really I should have realised ). Also they had no record of the final amount I had paid by cheque (although it appeared to be accounted for on my final bill). Could I please send them a copy of the cheque I had already paid together with the £35? outstanding.

I replied in writing stating that I didn't really accept their version of pre-crediting as this sounded highly dodgy. But that I would split the difference with them considering I had now had a lot of harassment and additional expenses in simply getting any kind of feeble explanation from them at all.

I heard nothing for a year - until last week I was refused a credit card - which is unheard of for me - I must have one of the highest credit scores in the country. It's really excellent usually. I obtained a copy of my experian file which shows 2 defaults - each for £35. These amounts are wrong as I think technically on their books I would owe £17 on gas and £18 on electric. On my equifax report there is no elec/gas but there are two enquiries from someone called wescot with reason stated as "debt outstanding".

I don't know where to start - I don't think I can use a CCA as it's a utility account and not a credit agreement. If I write to BG I don't suppose I will get a reply unless I can make it sound 'official'.

My stepfather had major problems with British gas, where they billed him for over £200 for an electricity bill when he had calculated it from meter readings as £40.00, He spent over 3 months writing and phoning, but kept getting letters which then became threatening to enter his property, in the end I emailed Phil Bentley at British gas and he replied and put his team on the case, the letters have stopped and the new correct bill as we worked it out has been updated, e-mail him with your complaint, here is his e-mail good luck I hope you are successfull

[ozzywizard]

Mail addy needs editing. eeekkkk.. .

[stanroyal]

Is that the correct address? I'm about to email it.

[stanroyal]

I'm confused - the address was there and then when I went to use it - it was gone. Why? can I use it? what is it? (Questions questions questions)

[stanroyal]

2 weeks and still no reply from my registered letter (which I copied from an example someone else wrote). It asked for defaults to be removed within 14 days and for them to acknowledge the contents of the letter within 5 working days.

I've now registered the problem with energywatch and they have replied promptly saying that they have contacted British Gas on my behalf etc.

Energywatch seems the best "First Step" if you can't really afford a solicitor to wade straight in there. It looks as though they advise you of where to go next if the problem is not sorted out to their satisfaction as well. It's all frustratingly slow though, considering it refers to £35 owed from July 2006.