British Gas - telephone charges ????

[cootchypooch]

My partner got behind paying his gas bill - not a problem he did pay it recently, however, British Gas are charging him £14 for every phone call they made to him requesting the payment. The original bill as stated was paid but he is refusing to pay these call charges and now they have threatened him with a warrant to disconnect and passing on to bailiffs. Any advice, as these call charges seem excessive.

[PGH7447]

They tried to get me to pay £14 per letter, so I send them one back and charged them £28, they then cancelled the charges

[ATD]

£14 per phone call Cheeky beggars!

 

I would put these charges into dispute with BG as it certainly doesn't cost £14 for them to phone you. I would suspect that you could argue, as you would for unfair bank charges, that these are in fact a penalty which is unlawful at common law.

 

Once you have raised the dispute, you then need to quote:

 

The Gas Act 1986 Schedule 2B Para 7 sub para 5, which states:

Recovery of gas charges etc.

 

7 (1) Sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) below apply where—

 

(a) a demand in writing is made by a gas supplier for the payment of any of the charges due to him from a consumer in respect of the supply of gas to the consumer’s premises, or to any premises previously owned or occupied by him; and

 

 

(b) the consumer does not pay those charges within 28 days after the making of the demand.

(2) Sub-paragraph (3) below also applies where—

 

(a) a request in writing is made by a gas supplier for the provision of a deposit by way of reasonable security for the payment of the charges due to him from a consumer in respect of the supply of gas to the consumer’s premises; and

 

 

(b) the consumer does not provide such a deposit, or agree to take his supply through a pre-payment meter, within 7 days after the making of the request.

(3) If the supplier is a relevant supplier, he may, after giving not less than 7 days' notice of his intention—

 

(a) cut off the supply to the consumer’s premises by disconnecting the service pipe at the meter or by such other means as he thinks fit; and

 

 

(b) recover any expenses incurred in so doing from the consumer.

(4) If—

 

(a) the supplier is not a relevant supplier but another supplier (“the new supplier”) is such a supplier; and

 

 

(b) the supplier has assigned to the new supplier his right to recover any of the charges due to him from the consumer,

sub-paragraph (3) above shall apply as if any reference to the supplier were a reference to the new supplier.

(5) The powers conferred by sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) above shall not be exercisable as respects any charges or deposit the amount of which is genuinely in dispute.

[cootchypooch]

Thank you both for your help, its much appreciated. British Gas has now decided to pass on charges 'debt' to a DCA - the fact that its in dispute with them at this time surely they cant do this ? Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

They are also now trying to say that the charges are in fact not charges but for gas used. The original bill has been paid to the full amount and he has documented evidence of this as in the original bill and the total amount it came to for gas used. The total charges for telephoning him ( whether he was at home to take the calls or not!!) is £111