British Gas or should i say Indian Gas!!

[angryandy]

Hello people.

 

Hope you can help please. I was made redundant in June this year and roughly a couple of weeks later recieved my electricity bill for the quarter.

 

It was for just over £100 but obviously couldn't pay due to financial reasons. I phoned British Gas and got through to somebody in India or somewhere like that to try to explain the situation and that i would make small but regular payments to them.

 

They said they would not let me go on a payment plan (didn't want a payment plan) so i told them i didn't want one anyway just that i would make regular small payments.

 

To cut a long story short i then wrote to British Gas as i feel my phone call fell on deaf ears or at least on ears that couldn't understand English. That was about five weeks ago now and the only thing i have back off them is a letter threatening to switch off my supply. They have totally disregarded my letter and not even acknowledged they recieved it. It was sent recorded delivery and still have reciept to prove it.

 

I phoned them up again today after recieving the threatening letter again got put through to India. The person i spoke to was one of the most arrogant i have ever dealt with before. He tried to put me on a payment plan without my permission and then when i stated i did not want a payment plan he said he had already input it into the computer.

 

I asked to speak to a manager and as of yet not heard anything. That was about three hours ago.

 

Could anyone tell me what they think i should do next please.

 

Thanks Andy...

[angryandy]

Anyone please!!!!!

[dicklett]

Anyone please!!!!!

 

ive just posted a similar thread, my sister is having real **** with them....

[nottslad]

I work for one of their competitors, and I know that with our systems, the only way to stop the debt follow-up action is to have a payment arrangement in place that breaks the bill down into installments, there should be some negotiation which takes into account your ability to pay and your situation etc.

 

If you are receiving benefits, there should be no reason why an arrangement can not be put in place to cover your consumption to prevent the bill growing and £3 per week towards the outstanding bill... hope this helps

[zazen.warrior]

I work for one of their competitors, and I know that with our systems, the only way to stop the debt follow-up action is to have a payment arrangement in place that breaks the bill down into installments, there should be some negotiation which takes into account your ability to pay and your situation etc.

 

If you are receiving benefits, there should be no reason why an arrangement can not be put in place to cover your consumption to prevent the bill growing and £3 per week towards the outstanding bill... hope this helps

 

The problem being that if the payment plan defaults it will go straight back into debt follow up, the nature of a utilities debt is that it is ongoing, it's not a finite amount which you can arrange to pay off, it is increasing all the time, the ultimate sanction will most likely be to fit a pre payment meter not disconnection unless it proves physically impossible to fit such a meter. And this will add charges to you existing balance unless you agree to it at an early stage. I'm afraid 'regular small amounts' is not something which is acceptable to a utility company, as nottslad said the computer will say no.

Edited July 29, 2009 by zazen.warrior

[MrHandyman]

I work for British gas, but not in this department.

 

I have always found that the Indian centes usually handle the mail not calls. If you want to speak to someone, use 0800 048 0202 and choose options to discuss your account. For credit, this usually puts you through to a call centre in Leeds. If you are unable to pay, they should be able to put payments on hold, or spread them accross a term. We would very few customers if we stopped supply to all those being made redundant right now.

 

If you ask for a manager, the turnaround is 24 hours for a telephone reply. If no reply, just phone and phone until you get to speak to one.

 

Hope this helps.

[angryandy]

Thanks for the advice people.

 

Have just wrote a second letter to British Gas as still no manager has phoned me. The customer service is shockingly bad. Will phone that number Handyman and see what happens.

 

Thanks again guys