British Gas looking for a HUGE bill I was told was paid

[master_of_disaster]

Hello, I hope someone can be of assistance to me. This is a long-winded affair, so I'll start from the beginning.

 

June 2008 - I move into a rented flatshare with 3 other people. I do not know any of them, just three other random people. One of the others has the utilities (i.e. Gas and electricity) in his name. The agreement is I pay him money each month to cover these. All is fine right now.

 

At this point, since I am giving him money for the bills each month, I make an educated guess that the gas bill is monthly. (Never thought to question it - NAIVE!)

 

December 2008 - I move out of the flat. Due to a cut in part-time work hours (I'm also a student) I have to move to a cheaper place. The same flatmate with bills in his name will get in touch when money is needed to cover previous period's bills up to December.

 

Feb/Mar 2009 - I receive calls and messages saying that a gas bill has arrived at the old place looking for circa £600 which I question obviously. Turns out the gas bill period was not monthly! The exact period I'm not sure of, could have been a quarter, but even that sounds rather much for a gas bill. I end up paying my share from Q4 of 2008 (im guessing) of £155. I heard no more about the matter - with hindsight I should have asked to see a receipt later. I was just glad to have no more financial obligations to the place.

 

19 November 2009 - I have since moved house again. I visit the last flat to pick up mail, and a cup of tea with an old flatmate. When I get home, I open three letters dated 1st October, 19th October, and 6th November, from a debt collection co. acting for British Gas. They are seeking £721.81 for unpaid gas bills at the FIRST flat, between July and December 2008! I really blow a gasket at this, as like most people I am under the cosh for cash at the moment.

 

Then it got me thinking as to why. I heard from another of the old flatmates back in March/April, that the guy who's name the bills were in, had since returned to his home country a great many miles away (just as well for him) a month or so after this huge bill emerged.

 

Call me paranoid and cynical, is it possible he could've done a runner with everybody's money? I cannot think of any other explanation other than British Gas have seriously overcharged us for gas for the aforementioned 6 month period.

 

Also, if that balance was due, why not bill for it all back in Q1 of 2009?

 

I am not in touch with any of the other ex-flatmates from that property, so I don't know if they have similar demand notices.

 

I have absolutely no documentation or correspondence from British Gas for the flat, no meter readings, nothing.

 

Would British Gas be willing to let me discuss the bill payment history with them, and find out if there have been missed payments from the Jul-Dec 2008 period? the third letter informed that after repeated requests for payment, they have no option but to file an Issue of Claim against me in the local court.

 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[PGH7447]

sounds like you have been done good and proper, first this to do is to get in touch with BG and ask for the name against the account, and to also explain the situation to them.

 

if the name on the account is not yours then you are in a stronger position.

 

if they wount divulge then the next step is to send em a sar for the account requesting all payment history etc.

[master_of_disaster]

Thank you, I'll get onto BG asap.

 

The name on the account was never mine while I was living there, as far as i know - doesn't mean it wasnt. I certainly never saw evidence to the contrary!

[PGH7447]

it may help your cas if you explain about it being a house share and therefore as far as you are concerned you will only admit liability to a portion of the bill, but keep that bit until you hear what they have to say

[master_of_disaster]

Just an update to the situation - I wrote to Britich Gas through their website with my story:

 

I am writing to you in relation to a gas account at a previous property to one I live in just now. I used to live at 5 XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX, which is supplied with gas by British Gas. I have recently discovered a pursuit of debt by a company acting on your behalf, for the sum of £721.81, which I believe I am not liable for. The period in question in 01/07/2008 - 31/12/2008. As far as I was concerned, this bill period was paid for by one of my then flatmates in Feb/Mar 2009, a sum of roughly £600 give or take.

 

I need to know what the payment history was during the JUL-DEC period, and Jan-March of this year, so I can work out if the other flatmate in question has actually paid the large bill, or simply scarpered with the money and leaving the bill unpaid. The account was not in my name as far as I know, and it certainly won't be at present as I moved out in December of last year.

 

Can you get back to me with information regarding the account's payment history for 5 XXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX, so I can ascertain exactly what has happened during this time?

 

Many thanks,

 

Jamie

 

The response I got today was this:

 

"

Dear Mr xxxxxxx

Your closed Gas and Electricity Customer Reference Number: 850029028706

Premises supplied: 5 xxxxxxxxxxx

Re: The outstanding amount

We started the above account on 1 July 2008 in the name of occupier and on 29 October 2009, your name was updated on it. The only payment we receive towards this account was of £136.24 made on 30 September 2009.

We closed the account on 31 December 2008 and the final bill was sent on 7 February 2009 for £950.57. This bill covers the period from 19 December 2009 to 31 December 2009 and the total charges for gas and electricity used are £345.34. It included the amount carried forward of £605.23 from the previous bills, after adding which the total amount to pay comes to £950.57. We did not receive payments after your final bill was issued and this is the reason the outstanding amount on your account is £950.57.

To discuss about this outstanding balance please call on 0844 571 4086.

I am sorry as we did not receive payments of £600.00 made by your flatmate. Please confirm the payment detaisl with your flatmate so that we can investiage the payments made by your flatmate. Please provide the details at customerservice@britishgas.co.uk.

Thank you for contacting us.

Kind regards

"

 

29th October 2009?? I hadn't lived there for 10 months, why was MY name put onto the account then?

And what about the current occupants? Are they using gas and electricity now at my expense?

 

I can prove that I moved out of the property on the 18th December (and so I am also unliable for the 19-31st December dues), but will they buy it that my ex-flatmate quite clearly did a runner with my money? And that I have no way of contacting him?

 

All advice has been very helpful so far, and I hope more can be given!!

 

Jamie

Edited November 21, 2009 by master_of_disaster
missed a bit when copying from email

[PGH7447]

before you contact them get all your dates or residence, and payments made dates and names of the flat share residents in order.

 

the call them and talk it through, this wold be easier that playing email pingpong

[master_of_disaster]

Just a quick update - I called British Gas, explained the situation. It turns out that contrary to the message I got through email, my name WAS on the account for the gas and electricity from July/August of 2008.

 

There was one payment of £134 in September '08, but it still turns out that the overall sum outstanding on the closed account is £950! When questioned as to why the external debt agency are chasing me for less than that amount, he started to get edgy..

 

It also seems that meter readings were inaccurate and estimated readings were out by a huge amount (£345 for gas and electricity for 12 days anyone?!?) so the overall amount can be disputed, and subsequently reduced by a good £300, from the original £950.

 

Regarding the sole liability, i'm requesting a copy of the tenancy agreement to prove that other people were present in the billed period, and then 'they' can chase them up separately.

 

It seems to be a good start, but I'm still going to be £150-£200 out of pocket once I do clear this. How do I pursue the ex-flatmate for the money he stole?

[master_of_disaster]

Hello everyone, just a quick (albeit late) update to the situation - the main issue of the gas bill's liability will soon be cleared, council tax office has come up trumps and an updated CT notice listing all four occupants is on its way! So the gas bill issue will be resolved satisfactorily, I am happy paying my share of the bill knowing the other former occupants will be receiving those irritating DCA phone calls soon

 

However while at the council office, i was alarmed at how out of date and inaccurate the council tax account was for the period I'd lived at the property. The hopeless landlady had completely missed out one of the occupants, and another had gone through a gender change - I can't imagine she'd be happy at that.

 

My question is, if I am chased for unpaid long-overdue council tax, will I have to go through the same rigmarole for the gas bill, and can I blow the whistle to an ombudsman to alert them of an incompetent landlord?

 

Such sins include omitting a tenant who's student status was shaky at best (potential council tax fraud if he is proven a non-student as he and the other 3 student tenants including myself would have been due to pay council tax). She also showed a lack of respect for a business that was repeatedly flooded by our bathroom and nearly ruined the owner, and being completely uncooperative when I requested a copy of the tenancy agreement. Are landlords not obliged to retain a copy of tenancy agreements for their own tax purposes?

 

What I've been put through for this gas bill, and almost inevitably for a new council tax bill, I would hate for someone else to go through this.

 

I now also have a contact address for the flatmate who returned to his home country and did me out of £160. Is it worth me pursuing him for the money? I know its not much in the grand scheme of things, but to a student its a lot of cash.

 

I am aware this post is very dishevelled, and asks a lot of questions, so a mod is welcome to dissect and relocate it if necessary to another thread.

 

Many thanks,

 

Jamie