British Gas Telemessages & Charges

[Sirensinger]

Hi all irate customers of British Gas! Maybe you can offer me some advice.

I am currently paying off about £150 owed on a previous British Gas bill by paying £5, £10, £15 or so every couple of weeks at the post office in cash. They have several times sent me 'Telemessages' threatening to disconnect, even though they must know I am paying. I think I have e-mailed them at some point too, though this has been going on a while, so I'm a bit hazy on the details. I have now written to them pointing out that I am paying, and asking why they have not acknowledged this, but haven't yet heard anything (although I haven't received any more threatening letters lately). What I'd like to know is this: each time they send one of these 'Telemessages', they say they are charging me £10.00 for it. I don't intend to pay these amounts, it must amount to about £30.00 or more which has been added to the amount I owe by now! But as I didn't at first make a written arrangement with them to pay, I wonder what exactly my rights are? I intend to write again telling them that I won't pay, as it must have been clear to them that I was paying regular amounts, as the balance owing was reducing, but I'd like to be clear on whether I really have a right to do this.

Many thanks to anyone who can help,

Sirensinger

[walshcyp]

I have had loads of problems with Scottish (British) Gas - sending me two bills for two amounts every month, a £2000 bill out of the blue and so on and so forth.

I simply got in touch with energywatch - just google it - and they have been fantastic. It took all the pressure off, the letters have stopped and although the account is not resolved (British Gas has just been ignoring energywatch!) my worries have eased.

[Sirensinger]

To add an update to my original post, the next thing British Gas did was to leave a card saying they'd called to disconnect me! I phoned the guy whose name was on it, got through to someone on a mobile which kept dropping out because he was driving (!) and told him I didn't think they had a right to do this as I've been making payments. He agreed that 'it's probably a mistake', but 'would have to find the paperwork back at the office' and would ring me 'either tonight or tomorrow'. Guess what? No call. I had told him I wasn't keen on telephone conversations anyway, that I preferred everything in writing and that he might not get hold of me on the phone.

I then found a letter from them that I'd forgotten about, send a week or two earlier, in which they had pointed out that 'although you are making small payments, you will have used more gas since your last reading and the true total will be much higher' and stating that the balance must be cleared.

I have already written to these people explaining that as my main use of gas is for central heating, which is now being used less and less, my bills should gradually come down, and the small payments I am making should after a few months bring the total down to a level where I will be able to pay the remainder as a lump sum. This is already happening, as far as I can see ffrom their letter.

I am under the impression that they can't disconnect me while I'm paying, however little, but does anyone have any info to the contrary? Just in case...... I want to be armed with the Law and ready if anything untoward happens ... wouldn't put anything past these people.

Many thanx,

Sirensinger

[gondukin]

The terms are payment on receipt of the bill. You can't just make payments in a different way without contacting them and getting them to agree. They are obliged to help people in difficulty so if you call their collections department you should be able to agree a repayment amount, even if this is the same as what you are already paying. If you don't, you are at risk of being disconnected. Debt rep visits usually incur a £40 charge as well, so you might want to try and get them to let you off that.