British Gas: stopping falsely obtained Warrant

[iconoclash]

Hi - I received a letter today from Chase Solutions, Lancashire.

 

I dont know who they are but their registered office says: Robinson Way Ltd, in Salford, who they sound like a DCA.

 

I have a bill outstanding and whilst I am on benefits I am struggling to pay the account.

 

British Gas had said that I could pay £3.40 per week out of benefits to clear it but when I rang them last week to set it up they said I also had to an extra £17.00+ per week for current and future use.!

 

No way I can I afford to lose that much money every week out as a single parent so I just said OK then just cut it off - I will manage without Gas

and since your boiler isnt even working we have managed for 3 months already without hot water or central heating.

 

At the same time as them chasing me for the gas bill they wanted me to pay a maintenance contract for the boiler at about £30 per month

- again I couldnt afford it so they said I would have to pay nearly £80 for a call out and a further £170 per hour to fix it.

 

back to square one - could have paid off the bill at £3.40 but not the rest.

 

today have this debt chasing letter and I am wondering if this also means they are about to cut off the gas.

 

I have applied to the social fund part of DWP for assistance with this but no reply as yet.

 

Any ideas/advice please.

[BornThisWay]

Unbelieveable - you can't pay your bill and they are trying to scare you into taking out their rubbish boiler maintenance contract. They really are the **** of the earth aren't they? Obviously billions of Pounds of profit is not enough for them.

 

I am not an expert but to be honest I would do nothing. What's the worst that can happen, they will cut off the gas. As you have said you can manage without it, it is not the end of the world. But I would let as many people as possible know what they have done if you can, rather flies in the face of their 'taking care of your world' advertising doesn't it? Actually if they spent a little less on advertising they might be able to absorb some of the 18% price rise they need to make their profits bigger.

 

No court will force you to pay what you can't pay so let them carry on to their heart's content. Let a court decide if that is what they want, that decision is likely to be much more reasonable.

 

Keep us posted!

[rebel11]

Hi cam

 

Have a read of 7 and 8 in my signature.

 

7) DON'T BE BULLIED BY CREDITORS / DCA's CLICK HERE

8) IN DEBT DON'T PANIC CLICK HERE

[iconoclash]

Hi - had an argument today with British Gas about my boiler.

 

I had a Homecare Agreement under which they did the first service last September.

 

In December I called them out as the boiler was making strange noises - the engineer oiled the fan and left.

It is clear to me that this was indicative of a fault that the engineer failed to identify

- now the boiler has got gradually louder and today started dumping water whilst the pressure guage went sky high.

 

I have previously had a serious situation here with same boiler, which British Gas fixed and told me that both the safety relief valves had failed.

If they were all OK I wonder why it is now doing the same thing?

 

the guy at British Gas says I am not covered as my agreement is no longer in force.

I cannot fnd anything in their terms and conditions that says that you must have a current agreement

in order for them to comply with their guarantees for service work completed within the last twelve months.

 

British Gas are adamant that I must pay them £99 just to come out so I am really annoyed about all this.

 

any ideas?? - have no heating now as cant risk blowing the house up....

[rebel11]

Hi cam

 

Write a Formal Letter of Complaint, mark it as such. Explain whats happened, how they have let you down (they fixed the fault but it's happened again) and what you want them to do.

Send it to:

Phil Bentley, Managing Director

[email protected]

 

Some tips:- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1242161/How--write-letter-complaint.html

 

Further info:- http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/consumers/fact-sheets/page38337.html

 

Let us know what they say.

[ihateyes]

Hi - had an argument today with British Gas about my boiler.

 

I had a Homecare Agreement under which they did the first service last September.

 

In December I called them out as the boiler was making strange noises - the engineer oiled the fan and left.

It is clear to me that this was indicative of a fault that the engineer failed to identify

- now the boiler has got gradually louder and today started dumping water whilst the pressure guage went sky high.

 

I have previously had a serious situation here with same boiler, which British Gas fixed and told me that both the safety relief valves had failed.

If they were all OK I wonder why it is now doing the same thing?

 

the guy at British Gas says I am not covered as my agreement is no longer in force.

I cannot fnd anything in their terms and conditions that says that you must have a current agreement

in order for them to comply with their guarantees for service work completed within the last twelve months.

 

British Gas are adamant that I must pay them £99 just to come out so I am really annoyed about all this.

 

any ideas?? - have no heating now as cant risk blowing the house up....

 

Hi

 

can you clarify after the fan was oiled, did the noise stop? if no, why has it taken 6+weeks to contact BG if the fault wan't repaired?

 

The reason i ask, is yes the work is guaranteed, but surely if the fault wasn't fixed why didn't you get another engineer out.

 

Their T&C's do state they cover all psrts for 12months? Did they replace a part in December??? you haven't mentioned they did.

 

While i feel for you, you need to put a good arguement over. at the moment from what you typed its weak.

 

Write to their Customer relations, but i imagine they will ask why wait over 6weeks til your boiler stops before contacting BG if fault was never fixed.

[iconoclash]

Hi

I am having trouble finding out how to stop this warrant of entry that B.Gas obtained in a Magistrates Court. I have spoken to Mag. Ct and they say they have never heard of anyone applying to suspend or cancell such a warrant. They have no procedure for it and no forms for it. Neither could the County Court assist when I asked them. I know that some of the CPR rules apply to the Magistrates Courts in the same way as for County. Since I have received no notice of this application, and the letter from B.Gas only arrived this morning, with no name on it, just my address, I am at a loss as to how I am able to contest it?

I have spent a long time on hold and had a frustrating conversation with B. Gas and they say they cannot give me the reference number or date for their application. Their engineers are due out to me on Monday coming and I am very cross about this. I have tried to resolve various issues with BG without success for over a year, and now they have managed to get this warrant saying that a man visited me in July. This is an absolute untruth and I wish to see all the papers from them. Does anyone know how to apply to a Magistrates Court to overturn this erroneous warrant of entry? thanks

Edited November 15, 2012 by iconoclash
typo

[iconoclash]

Hi - I've just been quoted (by British Gas) a consumption of £1,512.00 per year! - I live in a two up two down house with just me and my son - this seems totally inaccurate to me - where can I find a comparison please?

Edited November 15, 2012 by iconoclash
typo

[Surfer01]

How often have you given them a reading and is the bill based on estimates or true readings? Is it for electric, gas or both?

[iconoclash]

hi - haven't had anyone round to read it in a very long time - guess they are estimated bills but i think they have made a calculation based on arrears and b/f sums and made the whole amount as an annual figure as this is what they did when i agreed to pay sums off directly from benefits - they took too much and wouldn't adjust the tariff either. I have been to speak with Shelter and they say it is very common for these companies to refuse their discounted schemes even when you are eligible. So, in short, yes estimated bills.

[marmaris30]

Have you supplied customer readings either in response to a meter reader's 'while you were out' card or just voluntarily?

 

Also, have they said what they intend to do when they visit - is it to fit a prepayment meter because you are in arrears?

 

If they have had no access to the meters and no readings then they are entitled to see them to ensure that bills are correct and, in the case of the gas meter, to ensure that it is working safely. Not the answer you were looking for though, for which I apologise.

[iconoclash]

Have you supplied customer readings either in response to a meter reader's 'while you were out' card or just voluntarily?

 

Also, have they said what they intend to do when they visit - is it to fit a prepayment meter because you are in arrears?

 

If they have had no access to the meters and no readings then they are entitled to see them to ensure that bills are correct and, in the case of the gas meter, to ensure that it is working safely. Not the answer you were looking for though, for which I apologise.

HI - well the meter is outside so they can look at it all they want. I am interested in the procedures re Magistrates and why there seems to be no process in this circumstance - after all, if you are being taken to court one would like to know about it, especially if using fiction to do so.

[SWLABR9]

Have you had any letters at all from British Gas in recent months?

[marmaris30]

Firstly, if the meters are outside and not blocked up / locked or whatever, it is strange that they have not read them and also that they need a warrant of entry to force access. Unfortunately it is a bit late to do much about it other than to explain this to BG and try to make them see reason.

 

As for magistrate's courts, they are able to change their decisions but it would be up to you to convince them of why. If you are in serious arrears based on actual meter readings (have you tried to calculate this?) then you would probably not have a case. Likewise, if they have written to you then you'd need to make a very good case as to why you were unaware of the situation worsening to the point that they needed to apply for a warrant.

 

Apparently there is no set form - you simply have to book a hearing and state the case. There would probably be a fee but I don't know how much.

 

http://www.pattersonlaw.co.uk/Offences/Court/Re-opening-a-case.php

[iconoclash]

Hi - it must be the way I write it ?? How do companies get warrants without telling the people they are doing it against and therefore giving them the opportunity to contest it. "unaware of the situation"

 

We have been in dispute for some time and they are very well aware of that, and have ignored that.

Edited November 15, 2012 by iconoclash
added

[marmaris30]

Are you in arrears with BG? Otherwise, what is the basis of the dispute? We could do with some context here.

[SWLABR9]

If you're in dispute then there's been correspondence. If you examine that correspondence, you should see it tells you about the )then) coming court case, giving you a date and place and time. They did that with me. However, it's not always easy to spot. With me they sent letter after letter in the same format all making similar threats. After a while I stopped reading them. I stored them all though. Then they sent one in a completely different format saying they'd been to court, I'd lost and they were coming round with a warrant to cut me off. Part of it was nonsense,, they weren't coming to cut me off at all, just change the meter for a payasyougo one. I think they just said that in the hope I'd be on the doorstep with money for them when they came. But they had indeed properly informed me of the court date, I went over the letters they sent and one of them did indeed give the court details. You do have to read them all. It looked just like all the other threatening letters so I missed it. That's no doubt a deliberate ploy on their part. If the meter's outside anyway though I can't see why they'd need a warrant to change it. If they're going to cut you off they must in law advise the local council housing officer no matter what your circumstances are. Check with him, see if he knows anything. Also, are you vulnerable in any way, sick, disabled, got a little kiddie, anything like that? I have sleep apnea and wear a mask at night, electric-powered, which blows air into me at night, helps my breathing. When the BG engineers saw that, they went away and left me alone.

[iconoclash]

Hi - yes they do send reminders but I have not had one for many months and certainly not anything at all about going to court. I do not have a letter stating a date, a time, or anything about it and if I had I would have gone to the hearing. I have spoken to the magistrates today and they call out the name of the person on their tannoy - this letter I received today has no name on it at all. Yes, for clarity I have arrears. I have tried to reach agreement over these. Shelter tell me that I should have been on a lower tariff from when I first advised them but they wouldn't do it. They have brought forward bills that were paid. They lost a cheque for over £800 and tried to do this to me then, this cheque had been sent by my bank directly and they had to issue a new cheque, stopping the old one. British Gas again said they would apply for a warrant and I asked them why when the meter is in the garden? They know the meter is in the garden so why am I paying for a warrant. I know they will add a cost to me over this. They also say that they do not add charges but I have a statement here that clearly shows a £50 charge added, not for fuel. I have asked them to send me details of all charges but they ignore me. They state my annual usage as my total debt but this is wrong. They have gone to the Magistrate saying they have complied with the Code, they should send someone out to see me, and make at least two attempts, they have not done this absolutely not done this. I have spent over one hour on the phone discussing the accounts with their staff and they admitted that they could my point but still did nothing.

[iconoclash]

This is killing me - I have so many wolves at the door and in May will probably be homeless anyway so they can just cut me off - I will stop paying them for electric and boiler cover, and of course, they say i dont qualify for help in insulation, warm front or anything ever.

[iconoclash]

Hi - I am waiting for a court date from the water utility company - they are taking me to court and guess what, they already did this before but they got a judgement without my knowledge on a bill that had been paid, so I had to jump through all the hoops to get that set aside and they admitted their errors - that did not stop it being stressful and keeping me from dealing with my son's school, or help my confidence trying to get a job. Now they are at it again and I have two bills, exactly the same details, same house, same dates, same water meter but for different amounts. Which one should I think is true? As for British Gas, I am in no doubt that they are overcharging me and that if they get a pre-pay meter in, through the back door so to speak, they will set a huge rate of claw-back on it for sums in dispute, but, I will have to pay it to get any gas at all, hence they should close the service instead, as they will never get it right.

[SWLABR9]

Sounds like you need a trip to the CAB.

[Climate]

Hi

I am having trouble finding out how to stop this warrant of entry that B.Gas obtained in a Magistrates Court. I have spoken to Mag. Ct and they say they have never heard of anyone applying to suspend or cancell such a warrant. They have no procedure for it and no forms for it. Neither could the County Court assist when I asked them. I know that some of the CPR rules apply to the Magistrates Courts in the same way as for County. Since I have received no notice of this application, and the letter from B.Gas only arrived this morning, with no name on it, just my address, I am at a loss as to how I am able to contest it?

I have spent a long time on hold and had a frustrating conversation with B. Gas and they say they cannot give me the reference number or date for their application. Their engineers are due out to me on Monday coming and I am very cross about this. I have tried to resolve various issues with BG without success for over a year, and now they have managed to get this warrant saying that a man visited me in July. This is an absolute untruth and I wish to see all the papers from them. Does anyone know how to apply to a Magistrates Court to overturn this erroneous warrant of entry? thanks

 

So how is it erroneous? Do you not owe them any money?

 

You will have been sent a series of letters, I think it is 7 in total (plus a debt visit card) and the warrant letters.

 

The warrant letters are always sent out to the name on the account and a duplicate is sent to 'the occupier', these are all archived as evidence that they were sent. They send one to 'the occupier' as it's illegal to open post not for yourself so there really is no excuse then for anyone in the property.

 

Hi - I've just been quoted (by British Gas) a consumption of £1,512.00 per year! - I live in a two up two down house with just me and my son - this seems totally inaccurate to me - where can I find a comparison please?

 

It's entirely plausible. The average bill used to be £106 a month, but they have just put up prices by about 6% or so, therefore about £112/113 a month, only fractionally below your yearly usage.

 

HI - well the meter is outside so they can look at it all they want. I am interested in the procedures re Magistrates and why there seems to be no process in this circumstance - after all, if you are being taken to court one would like to know about it, especially if using fiction to do so.

 

If it's outside and someone comes they will read it. They are only obligated to do so every 2 years though!

 

British Gas again said they would apply for a warrant and I asked them why when the meter is in the garden? They know the meter is in the garden so why am I paying for a warrant. I know they will add a cost to me over this.

 

You could have had the meter for free at an earlier stage. Why didn't you? You are paying for a warrant because court action isn't free and you obviously wouldn't commit to a pay as you go meter at an earlier date. You will be charged for that visit. It is also prudent to have access in order to check the supply after the meter exchange to ensure that everything is safe, in some scenarios it can be done without entry though!

 

This is killing me - I have so many wolves at the door and in May will probably be homeless anyway so they can just cut me off - I will stop paying them for electric and boiler cover, and of course, they say i dont qualify for help in insulation, warm front or anything ever.

 

Genuinely sorry to hear that.

 

By all means, cancel the boiler cover. If it goes wrong within the next three months you will be given the option to pay the missing payments and they will reinstate it. After that they offer a product you can take out in a breakdown anyway.

 

Why do you say you cannot get the insulation? They are even offering to do it for non BG customers too. There are certain criteria though, such as the property cannot be clad (have to drill holes for cavity insulation) and the existing loft insulation would be brought upto current building regulations as long as it is below 6cm or there is none etc. This again ties in with the above about the usage, it's entirely possible, especially if it's poorly insulated.

 

Hi - I am waiting for a court date from the water utility company - they are taking me to court and guess what, they already did this before but they got a judgement without my knowledge on a bill that had been paid, so I had to jump through all the hoops to get that set aside and they admitted their errors - that did not stop it being stressful and keeping me from dealing with my son's school, or help my confidence trying to get a job. Now they are at it again and I have two bills, exactly the same details, same house, same dates, same water meter but for different amounts. Which one should I think is true? As for British Gas, I am in no doubt that they are overcharging me and that if they get a pre-pay meter in, through the back door so to speak, they will set a huge rate of claw-back on it for sums in dispute, but, I will have to pay it to get any gas at all, hence they should close the service instead, as they will never get it right.

 

They will not be over-charging you if all the reads are right. They are a regulated company.

 

Stay in the property on the day of the warrant execution, show them details of your benefits and the engineer will set it at £3.55 a week claw-back towards your debt. The problems start if you do not stay in the property on the day as sometimes they have to change the locks and then you are into the realms of collecting new keys etc.

 

Hope all that helps shine some light on things?

 

If you are on means tested benefits and your son is under 5 years old you are entitled to the warm homes discount, there are other criteria you may qualify for it through too but that jumped out at me. It will put £130 on your electric account as long as you register by the end of the year!

Edited November 15, 2012 by Climate

[iconoclash]

If you want to know why I cannot get assistance under the scheme I suggest you ask them.

Erroneous: errors - incorrect - not accurate. I shall ask my postman if he has 7 letters and a visa payment card for me. I am paying for the meter? which I could have had free? assume this means warrant but no warrant needed eh - meter outside. Now you say they need to come into my house? What's all this about excuses from others in the property - trying to cover all the bases aren't you. There's only me and my son who is at school. And perhaps you can tell me if I have been charged for this non existent visit in July, and the date. Fortunately I have security cameras to verify that one. No comment on the practices of putting in applications for warrants without advising the consumer then, and making false statements? This is of no help to me whatsoever as you seem to entirely miss the point and are totally brainwashed. Don't post any more advice pleeeeease.

[45002]

This is of no help to me whatsoever as you seem to entirely miss the point and are totally brainwashed. Don't post any more advice pleeeeease.

 

Reading the whole of this thread,I noticed there something missing

 

The correct story !

[freakyleaky]

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