British Gas......GRRRRRR!

[Sarah_Pussycat]

Hi everyone - I've been having a problem with British Gas that has been going on for a few months now, and i wonder if anyone has any advice.
(This is going to be a long one but bear with me!)

I moved to my current address in October, and the estate agents called British Gas to let them know and give them the meter reading the same week. A few weeks later, I received a bill addressed to "The Occupier", for the period BEFORE I'd moved here. I called British Gas, and they told me it wasn't a problem, and just to pass the bill onto the landlord and I should recieve a bill in my own name in due course.

Then in December, I received another bill addressed to "The Occupier" - this time with a nasty letter threatening disconnection as the original bill hadn't been paid, with the gas charges since that period added on along with a £10 charge for the letter. I got straight on the phone to British Gas, and asked if there was any way I could start paying my bill from AFTER I moved in, and if they could please stop sending me nasty letters for the £30.11 charge from BEFORE I moved in.
I was advised (wrongly, I know now) to set up a direct debit, then chase the landlord for the £30.11 (now £40.11 with the £10 charge added) - and as I was worried about possible disconnection and more charges I stupidly agreed and gave them my bank details - they told me the first payment would be taken out on January 3rd, and future payments on the 2nd of every month.
The next day i went straight round to the estate agents with the bill from British Gas, and the lady called British Gas on my behalf while I was in the office. It turns out that British Gas HAD initially set up an account for me - only under the wrong house number, which is in fact the empty shop below me. They assured me that I WASN'T in fact responsible for any bills addressed to the occupier and I didn't have to pay anything until a bill arrived in my name - and they would rectify the error.
Just when i thought everything was being sorted out, I received yet ANOTHER bill addressed to "The Occupier" a week later, with more threats of disconnection and ANOTHER £10 charge. I got straight back on the phone to British Gas, who assured me that an account WAS in the process of being set up in my name, and that I wouldn't receive any more letters addressed to "The Occupier".

I thought everything would be fine now - no direct debit payment was taken from my acount on Jan 3rd, and I was under the impression that had been cancelled when I established with British Gas that I wasn't responsible for that account......until today.....

I just got home from work to a letter from the bank - I'm sure you'll be familiar, "We are writing to make you aware that a transaction you carried out has been returned unpaid...." and slapping £39 in bank charges on me. I was confused at first as no direct debits were due to go out of my account during the last week.
On reading down the nasty bank charge letter, it turns out that BRITISH GAS tried to take a payment of £48.75 out of my account last week (the same amount as was due to go out on Jan 3rd when I initially set up the direct debit). Brilliant - thanks British Gas!

I've just come off the phone to British Gas yet AGAIN - it seems the account is STILL getting set up in my name, and although the lady I spoke to was very helpful and trying her best to sort things out for me, she couldn't work out why the payment had suddenly been taken from my account last week (or ATTEMPTED to be taken from my account last week). I've now made sure that any direct debits have been cancelled.

Now the questions I have are these -

Are British Gas allowed to take money out of my bank account for a gas acccount they've already told me I'm not responsible for? And if my initial direct debit wasn't actually cancelled (as I believed to be the case), are they allowed to take it on the WRONG date?

I'm going to the bank tomorrow - I have a letter from British Gas from when I originally set up the direct debit, confirming the dates it would be taken from my bank, so I have proof that I wasn't expecting anything to go out of my account during the last week....what do you think my chances are of the bank removing the charge (due to be taken out on the 26th - which will leave me with an unauthorised overdraft charge too as I don't get paid until next Wednesday...)?!

Thanks in advance.

[StoneLaughter]

The bank are not authorised to make penalty charges at all - please see www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum. This is not an occasion to go, cap in hand, to the bank and say please sir you made a mistake I'd like my money back... it's an occasion to demand that they stop levying unlawful penalties from your bank account and to refund the unlawfully taken money immediately.

[sarah13]

Ofgem Ofgem HOME - they are the energy regulator - they will make British Gas resolve all your issues. I had similar problems with powergen which i could not get resolved with their customer services team (couldnt understand them) however as soon as i contacted ofgem they bent over backwards to help even giving compensation. Look no further- call or do it online NOW. Good luck x

[Sarah_Pussycat]

Thanks for the replies - StoneLaughter, don't worry I've been reading through all the facts, have already drafted my S.A.R. and shall be requesting all my bank statements as soon as I get paid - but that's another matter!
I was just trying my luck with the bank in the meantime - they're quite a friendly helpful bunch in my local branch, but unfortunately on this case they couldn't get head office to budge on the charges and suggest I chase up British Gas to reimburse me....

Sarah (nice name hehe!) - Thanks for the link, it says on that page that any particular complaints should be directed to Energywatch - so I've just done that now.

[Sarah_Pussycat]

Just a quick update - I just had a call from a nice lady at British Gas, they've received the complaint from Energywatch and will be refunding me for the bank charges, as well as sorting my account within the week!

[sarah13]

glad u got a result, happy to help.

[StoneLaughter]

Nice one, PussyCat! Good to hear...