About 3 and half years ago I contacted British gas to have the account changed from my ex wifes to my own.

She had always dealt with paying this and I was suprised when a bill came for 150.00.

I contacted them asking if they could install a prepayment metre and they agreed.

Some time later a guy called but after looking at our existing one said he needed additional fittings so could not do it he said he would be back.

6 months later after hearing nothing a meter reader came after looking at our meter he said it was not the 1 he had logged on his sheet.........you are down here as having a card meter he said.

We asked him if he could sort it out and heard nothing until the next one came.........this carried on for 3 and half years !!!

I made a phone call to British gas in February this year.....when I asked why we had not had any bills for over 3 years she promised to look into it,

Heard nothing until this week.

A solicitors letter on behalf of British gas asking me to confirm my identity and that I am living here within 14 days.

Also is a demand for 1500.00 (dont know where these figures come from )

I have logged a complaint with energywatch explaining that its not my fault that they cant manage their accounts efficiently.

On at least 15 times they have been told that this needs sorting but done nothing.

I have discovered recently that utility companies will only be allowed to bill for up to 2 prev years this comes into effect from this July.

From next year they will only be able to bill for arrears of 1 year.

Interesting to see that especially since they just started to recover mine !!!

Not heard of anyone yet but have e mailed BG to ask them to suspend further recovery action until they are contacted by energywatch.

Anyone any experience of a similar situation ?

I do recall seeing something about this happening before and it going in favour of the customer,but I am unsure as to the scource.

Exactly the same thing happened to me Martin. I ended dealing with the chiefs execs office as I was getting bills for £1300 then a credit for £800 and they said it was because my account was getting credited and debited with somebody elses payments.

Turns out that the company that read the meters did not pass the info on to BG and then a bill for £759 came through the post 12 months after we moved into our new house. It then took another 18 months to srt the whole mess out. The bill for the whole 2 & half years was about £1380. This was reduced to £500 by way of discounts and goodwill. Semed fair enough to me but they also sent the Mrs a bunch of flowers and some wine (good idea, she doesn't drink !!!)

Do you want the contact details for the head honcho ?

Bloody hell...................

just shows.

My missus DOES drink wine but as its me who will be sorting out all this mess then if their CEO does offer any gestures it will have to be a couple of cans of John Smiths...............though she CAN have the flowers !!!

My wife is Russian and very thrifty (as most of em are brought up)

She never could understand why the gas fire was on so much,and frequently turned it down.

Ive natuarally had to explain all this to her now and she was a little bit upset that it would be taking money from our savings for our next trip to Russia in September.......................

Her mood changed though when I told her I was banging in 4 claims for bank accounts and cards he he