So I used to work for BG, and in my experience this type of complaint was relatively common... usually without the complication of the debt collectors, but it's still possible to get this resolved. First off, as has already been noted, your are not responsible for gas and electricity used at the property after your tenancy ended (As dated on your tenancy agreement). 'Empty' properties can and sometimes do 'use' gas and electricity, but that's not your problem so I won't go into a big list of the potential scenarios that can cause that to happen. The two most likely causes for your issue are as follows... Number one, and the least likely. I mention it first as this is something you should double check before proceeding so please don't be offended. What you thought was your final bill, was not in fact your final bill. This happens more often than you'd think. Check the end date and the meter readings on your bill match the end date of your tenancy and the MR's you confirmed with your letting agent. Since this is the least likely scenario I won't go into the reasons as to how and why this can happen. Furthermore even if this is the case it sounds like BG have been remiss in chasing up the debt so you've got some negotiating power with them, especially if they've been sending follow up bills and demands to the wrong address. Number Two, and the most likely. Your final meter read has been changed after the fact. Most common cause the landlord/letting agent, and or the new tenants screwing you. In my admittedly skewed experience some landlords and letting agencies sometimes try and offload utilities used by an empty property on to the new or old tenants. This usually occurs when the 'to the occupier' bill for the interim period between tenants turns up. This can be further exasperated if the new tenants have not being particularly diligent in contacting their supplier to provide their correct start meter reads and create their new account. Either way, what has most likely occurred is one of these parties has contacted BG and given them new 'correct' end meter readings for your account, and in good faith some BG staff member has kindly adjusted them and sent you out your new 'correct' final bill. So what to do? Call BG. Call the homemove team (they open and close accounts) you can get that departments number off the BG website. Confirm that the final reads on your account match the reads you confirmed with your letting agent (this is why in number one I insist you check the reads). If the reads don't match explain the situation and ask BG to change them back. To do this BG will have to recall the debt back from the DCA. They can do this (the agent on the phone might not want to, the procedure is a pain in the arse, if they say they have to transfer you insist on a warm transfer to ensure whoever you get passed to can do the procedure so you don't get bounced around departments) I can't remember the time scale off the top of my head for a recall, but it's not instantaneous, two working days springs to mind but... Anyway you'll want (even if the agent doesn't suggest it's necessary) to arrange a callback from the agent once the debt has been recalled to confirm the readings have been updated, and the correct final bill. Before ending the call get them to read out to you what notes they are leaving on your account. If they miss the callback and you end up dealing with another staff member you know what information they have to work with. The agent might want proof of your meter reads. Hopefully you have some. If you do (a countersigned document from your letting agent is good, a gps tagged, time and date stamped photo of the meters on your smart phone is brilliant) get it on you computer before you call, this way you can offer to send it to the staff members personnel email whilst on the phone so they can confirm they have received it. Make sure they mention whatever proof they have seen in their notes on the account. This should put a nice big note on the account preventing the landlord getting the readings changed back again. Also if they've been sending your bills to the wrong place suggest that reparations might be in order, you never know you might be able to blag a free kettle or electricity monitor out of the situation If you don't have proof of your reads... This could be a bit trickier. The agent you're speaking to might refuse to recall the debt as it's your word vs the landlord and its not BG's job to arbitrate a civil dispute, which is what this becomes if you and the landlord can't agree upon the readings. You have to pay BG, then reclaim the money from your landlord. If this is the case I would suggest getting them to check the billing history and confirm where they have been sending the adjusted bills to. If they've been sending them to the wrong address then I'd use that as leverage to get them to recall the debt and clear any potential negative marks on my credit record in exchange for settling the bill. I 'd also go out of my way to tell everyone I know what a bunch of rip off gits the landlord/letting agency are, and never use them again. All of the above is my (somewhat jaded) opinion. Do not take anything I've written as legal advice, if you need that seek it from a trained professional. There are other potential scenarios which could have caused your issue, what I have presented above is what I consider to be the two most likely. I haven't worked for the company in almost 2 full years and procedures may have changed since I was there. Never the less I maintain talking directly to BG is your best bet at getting a good resolution on this issue. You may be very angry at BG as a company (and with good reason) when you call them, but remember the odds that the person you speak to is responsible for this situation are infinitesimally small, be nice to them. In my experience BG agents are much, much more likely to go out of their way to help a customer they like. Get them to empathize with your situation and your over half way home. Final notes: Phone calls to BG are free from a BT landline, but other networks may charge. Whilst you are on the phone the agent is dealing with your inquiry, once you're off the phone any further work done on the inquiry is quite probably affecting the agents monitored call stats (specifically their 'wrap'). Agents do their best work for you when you're not screwing their wrap stat! So always call from a freephone number and be patient with them. I hope this helps a little, and good luck. EB

Thanks. Not calling it a win until the cheque clears mind. I'm to pesamistic for that;)

Yet again I've been slack, but I'm posting cause I have positive news I sent off my thanks for the offer, but I really don't like your conditions letter. On wednesday HSBC Replied with the most bizarre undecipherable bit of legalise I've ever read, but the last couple of lines seemed to indicate a check was on it's way. Imagine my surprise when I got home last night (Thursday) and found the check waiting for me on the door mat:) Anyway I'll be paying it in this lunch time and as soon as it clears I'll post here and get the thread updated to a WIN. Although if the check bounces I will have to add £25 pounds to my claim, just to cover costs you understand:rolleyes:

Got home from work to day to find a full offer from HSBC It ain't over yet, they want to off set the amount against my debt. I want a cheque so I can spread the amount fairly between my creditors, nearly all of whom I got in to trouble with cause HSBC kept taking my wages as bank charges so I couldn't pay them in the first place. Which obviously lead to them charging me which... well you get the idea. HSBC will get their fair share of the money I claim back from my other creditors, so they can't complain. So now I need to write a new letter:rolleyes: I'll keep ya all informed

Ok Yesterday, exactly 2 weeks after the original AQ deadline, a I got a letter from the judge saying that HSBC had a further 2 weeks to file their AQ or he'd throw out their defence. Bah:mad: Me thinks a letter to HSBC will be going in the post tomorrow then. Something alongthe lines of. You now have to pay for my AQ. If you settle before the 27th you won't have to pay for your own Course I'll probaby need to pretty it up a bit:rolleyes:

Phoned the court again today. Still no word from the district judge. It'll be 2 weeks on Wednesday since I submitted my AQ:( And still not a single offer from DG, they could at least have the courtesy to send me an insultingly low first offer Meh!

Hi Gaz looks like I'm a week a ahead of you. HSBC failed to file their AQ in my claim and I'm currently waiting to here from the judge. Fingers crossed he'll throw out their defence, but judges have been known to let the banks file late:( As to how long it'll take... probably depends entirely on your local courts work load. Pulling a spurious figure out of the air, I figure give it two weeks before you hear from the judge.

From my own experience and reading a number of other threads, it does appear that not fillingthe AG is becoming a standard DG tactic. It generally takes at least a week for the judge to order the them to file or defult, and then he gives them a week to do that. Net gain 2 weeks for no work. Fingers crossed eventually the judges will wise up and just start telling them they've defulted. Maybe then we can get some hot Balife action:D

Really helpful post Lattie, especially since I've just filed my AQ :-| Any chance this thread can be made sticky, so all the other peeps hitting this stage can find it nice and easy?

Wow Haven't updated this thread in a long time so it's probably overdue. As if by magic HSBC did indeed file a last minute defence. I won't bore you all with the details, it reads very much like everybody elses. I bothered them over the next few weeks with a number of phone calls to try and get an offer but to no avail. My AQ went in on on Wednesday, funnily enough the day of the AQ deadline, with the proposed 28 days direction thing attached. HSBC so far hasn't bothered to hand in their's (6 days late now). I spoke to a sweet old dear at the court just half an hour ago. She told me it's 'all' been sent off to the district judge and I need to await directions. Hopefully those will tell me he's throwing out HSBC's defence and I've won. Hopefully.

Doh double post:confused:

HSBC acknowledged my claim on the 12th, it's now the 27th. MCOL says nothing other than claim acknowledged. Am I right in thinking I can hit the judgement button?

HSBC acknowledged my claim on the 12th, it's now the 27th. There's no note on MCOL other than claim acknowledged. Am I'm right in thinking I can press the judgement button?

Just a quick thourght. I don't want DG or HSBC to pay any money into my account, as I'm on a dmp and want to spread the love equally between my creditors. When is the best time to mention that I want any settlement as a cheque? Should I put that in a covering letter with the schedule of charges, or wait until they make me an offer?

Okay I've just read somebody else's thread and now know that will happen when they file defence. Looks like I'll be posting 3 copies of my schedule of charges to the court as well tomorrow.