Being chased by Robinson Way for a bill I don't owe

[morphy_richards]

Hi,

Back in 2007 I ended a dual fuel gas/electricity account with British Gas at a previous address. I paid off the final bill and it seems that the electricity payment got paid into the gas account by mistake. Back then I instructed BG to transfer the money over to the other account to pay that off, they said they would but apparently they never did.

 

In September I started getting phone calls to my mobile from Robinson Way who were chasing this "debt".

 

I got in touch with BG billing dept. and managed to figure out what was going on - ie. they had sold my debt to Robinson Way.

 

The people at BG told me they would get the debt returned and would remove all the default notices from my credit files.

 

Some time went by and then Robinson Way started contacting me again. I spoke to them as little as I possibly could, but found out enough to know that they were refuting that BG had instructed that the debt be returned. So spoke to a different person at BG and went through the rigmarole again. They told me that they would clear the matter up.

Today, I got another letter from Robinson Way and so I called up British gas billing dept and had another now all to familiar phone call.

What do I do next? Call me pessimistic but I have got no faith in British Gas's ability to get this debt returned from RW or more importantly get my credit file cleared.

 

Actually, the thing which bothers me the most is that RW are, every month, slapping Default notices on my credit file. My credit score is currently the lowest / worst its possible to have.

 

What way can I bring out the 'big guns' in order to make both British Gas sort out their mistake properly and also to force Robinson Way to remove 3 years worth of montly Default notices?

An help / advice apprreciated.

Thanks

[rebel11]

Hi morp

 

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint to the Chief Executive of British Gas. Mark the e-mail as such. [email protected]

Tell him everything that has happened, tell him why it's happen, tell him that you want it investigated.

Tell him that you will take the matter further if it isn't resolved.

 

Oh, don't speak to British Gas or Robinson Way on the phone, send Recorded letters. Over the phone no one will take any responsibility. At least you have a paper trail of your complaints.

[Bazooka Boo]

British Gas and their wonderful flawless customer service!

Firstly, put this in writing to BG, telephone calls do not work as you have found your cost, which if they fail to act appropriately and expeditiously will in turn cost them for damages payable to you.

 

Here is their complaints procedure. And I would escalate it straight to Step 2 'Andy Eley'

http://www.britishgas.co.uk/complaints-process.html

 

Tell him that as they have made an error with you account, which has now resulted in them passing this onto their tame debt collectors 'Robbers way' and they have been processing your data incorrectly, with the CRA's, you will be seeking legal advice with a view to suing BG and their appointed DCA for damages and for processing your data and incorrectly adding defaults on your credit file. The last I heard was that for each incorrect entry on your credit file, they were awarding £1,000 per incorrect entry.

 

Ignore robbers way, just file there puerile letters under ignore, your complaint is with BG not this outfit! If after 8 weeks your complaint is satisfied then contact the energy ombudsman http://www.energy-ombudsman.org.uk/

 

You could also contact the CRA's and tell them that the info on your file is incorrect, and you are seeking further legal advice.

[Bazooka Boo]

Yes even better, straight to the top..

[UnitedFront]

Don't forget to mention Ferguson v British Gas Trading Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 46

 

Cheers

UF

[rebel11]

Good point.

 

Don't forget to mention Ferguson v British Gas Trading Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 46

 

Cheers

UF

[morphy_richards]

The last I heard was that for each incorrect entry on your credit file, they were awarding £1,000 per incorrect entry.

 

Wow! I've got about 30 going back since 2007 because of this ... is this £1000 the typical amount the courts award?

[Bazooka Boo]

It really does depend on how the incorrect data on your file has affected you, so if you failed to get a mortgage or a job because of the incorrect data on your file, the damages you could claim would be in proportion to your loss..

[morphy_richards]

Thanks everyone for the advice. One very strongly worded email has now been sent. Now to sit back and see what happens next!

[harrassed senior]

I would 'hard copy' the e-mail by Recorded Delivery to BG

[Bazooka Boo]

And before I forget, there is always the billing code, which would come into effect if they continue to be puerile!