British Gas/Credit Resource Solutions

[tuxuk]

Hi guys,

 

I hope you can offer some advice here as I am getting really stressed out. About a year an a half ago I moved into a small one bedroom flat with gas and electric supplied by British Gas. At the time I was working 12 hour shifts so didn't spend a great deal of time at home. When I was there I didn't cook at all for the most part, and when I did, I only used the microwave. The oven and hob were never used during my stay at the property. I assumed the only thing the gas would be used for would be central heating and heating the water.

 

Second month into my tenancy, I still hadn't received a bill from British Gas. Phoned them and queried this, and eventually, after many phone calls, received an unfeasably large bill, which being scared and unsure of what to do (I had only moved out of home for the first time six months previous and was still getting my head around fending for myself) I managed to pay it off. British Gas then demanded I pay £110 a month from that moment on for gas/electric combined.

 

I did this until I spoke to some friends to told me that £110 a month for a one bedroom flat where no gas is used is insane. My parents live in a three bedroom council house on a pre-pay meter with the gasfire on most of the day and only pay £40 a month for gas.

 

I queried this with British Gas and they said, essentially, tough ****. I insisted there must be something wrong with the meter, or a leak, but they said they would only come and check for faults if I paid them £125 that would be refunded if a fault was found. I explained that a) I do not have £125 and b) they have a vested interest in the technician finding no fault, as not only would it allow them to keep my £125 but it would legitimise their £110 monthly bill.

 

I continued to pay the £110 a month through fear of legal action, but kept disputing the bill and trying to get my meter tested. Eventually I moved out, but here's where things get interesting.

 

Before I moved out, I switched the gas off from the mains. Zero gas was being used. This was between a week and fortnight before I left. With the gas supply cut off, I still continued to get hot water (debunking my theory that the gas was used to heat the water) and my bill continued to rise.

 

I advised British Gas that given the fact that the gas tap was off and I couldn't possibly be using any gas, I didn't feel I was liable for the bill unless they could prove that I had used as much as they claimed.

 

I moved to a new flat. Using more gas than I did previously (i'm not afraid to put the central heating on anymore, for instance) I am only spending £30 a month on gas.

 

It's been six months, and out of the blue, I start getting emails, not letters, from Credit Resource Solutions claiming I owe British Gas £140 for gas. I, stupidly, phoned them and told them this debt was in dispute. They continued to send emails. I phoned them today and they said they had spoken to British Gas and told them I disputed the debt, and British Gas told them to continue persuing the debt so as far as they were concerned, I owed the money.

 

Is this;

 

a) Fair?

b) Legal (can you send debt collection demands via email these days?)

 

What should I do? I genuinely believe that I do not owe British Gas anywhere near what they are asking. I suppose some gas must have been used to keep the pilot light on, but if the gas isn't used for cooking or heating water or anything at all, how can it cost me that much money?

 

Are CRS trying to scare me into paying? Should I take this up with British Gas again?

 

Disclosure: I have had debt problems in the past, mainly through credit card greed and living beyond my means. For the past 18 months I have established a debt management plan to clear all my debts which I have stuck to. In this case however, I feel that I genuinely do not owe the money. I find it hard enough to keep my head above water financially as it is, I had to borrow money from a friend just to buy groceries this month. I can't cope with another debt on top of my normal outgoings.

 

Please help.

[palomino]

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but you should have read the meter at the time you started your tenancy and telephoned BG with your details and the meter reading at that time.

I hope you did this with your new flat.