British Gas Warrant to fit prepayment meter

[Cadbury10]

I have an outstanding electric bill with British Gas and have been unable to pay due to financial difficulties. 

 

I contacted them before the bill was due and tried to set up a temporary payment plan - They rejected my offer and sent me a payment card with a payment plan for more money per month than I could afford. I have tried to sort this out with them several times and they are rude on the phone and have kept me on phone for long periods of time, passing me around and rejecting every attempt I have made to resolve. 

 

They have sent aggressive debt collectors to house several times and have threatened to obtain warrant for forced entry to fit pre-payment meter. Are they allowed to do that? They told me on phone that court application for warrant has been applied for already.

 

I have tried to switch supplier but British Gas have my address details incorrect on national database & refuse to correct and have threatened me that if I tried to change supplier they would refuse anyway. 

 

I would appreciate any advice

Edited July 23, 2019 by Cadbury10

[honeybee13]

How much do you owe them, Cadbury? I think if it's over a certain amount, they can stop you leaving.

 

HB

[Cadbury10]

I think its about £395 - Not sure if that includes any late fees or other charges they've added. 

[honeybee13]

This is from Ofgem.

 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal/how-switch-energy-supplier-if-you-re-debt

 

HB

[Cadbury10]

Should I write to them?

 

Can anybody help with ideas for wording a letter?

 

Thank you

[honeybee13]

Write to who?

 

HB

[Cadbury10]

British Gas?

[honeybee13]

Have you done all of this on the phone then up to now?

 

HB

[Cadbury10]

Yes - Stupidly thought they would be more helpful in sorting this out quickly over the phone...

 

On the last phone call I told them if they don't cancel their action against me with warrant to force entry I will be charging them £1000 per hour of my time spent on this and have already spent several hours on the phone to them.

 

If you need any more info about the situation, or what has been said on phonecalls in order to help with what I should write in letter, please let me know. 

 

Appreciate any assistance with this

[honeybee13]

It's hard to write a letter for you when we don't know what you want to achieve.

 

You could post up a brief outline of the problem and the solution you want to put to BG, if that's what you want to write about. Then hopefully we can help you to refine it.

 

HB

[Cadbury10]

Ok, its hard for me to know what solution I want to write to them, but will have a think about that...

 

Any ideas in the meantime of what I should write would be much appreciated

 

[honeybee13]

I would help if I could, but I don't think there's enough to go on from your first post and if you don't know what you want to achieve that makes it harder. Fwiw, I don't think a rant about how they've treated you is going to make much difference.

 

HB

[Raven1]

I don't know if you are aware but the most likely way this will play out is that a prepayment meter will be fitted; you say they already have a warrant to access your home to do that. Any outstanding debt will be set on the meter, ie it will claim so much a week for the debt in addition to your consumption. The warrant fee will most likely also be added to the debt - that will be in three figures -  and so will any additional charges incurred whilst fitting the meter -  dog handler, locksmith, etc.

 

You would not be allowed to change supplier with a debt on the account, I'm not sure at what level of debt that cuts in at these days, ten years ago it was £10 (!!)

 

I used to work in this area so don't shoot the messenger...

 

Unless you can pay this off in a lump sum the best thing for you to do now is to accept the prepayment meter.  It will cost you more in the long run if you do not.

 

BTW in my time in dealing with this - office end - meter fitters were faced with bricked up doors, snake cage built around meter, vicious dogs,  and the occasional dead body. Also a number of abandoned animals were rescued.

 

My best memory of this not very pleasant job was speaking to someone who had just fitted a meter in an abandoned property and being told he was leaving just as soon as he found something to put the abandoned goldfish in, on it's way to his tank at home...

[Cadbury10]

HB - I do not understand what "FWIW" means and wouldn't really call my problem "having a rant"... I just feel more anxious and distressed about it now.

 

Raven - Are you trying to scare me even more & cause me more distress? Not helpful at all and my property is not abandoned. Lets hope you're never in the same position - maybe you might understand how it feels then.

 

They are attempting an illegal warrant to break into my home under a gas act that isn't applicable.

 

Can anyone actually offer some helpful advice ?

 

 

[honeybee13]

Fwiw means 'for what it's worth', Cadbury.

 

HB

[brassnecked]

The illegal gas act Freeman argument won't hold water, send them an I & E with a reasonable proposal, that covers existing payment ongoing, and something off arrears, or if they haven't yet take court action agree to the meter and a fixed sum to be set for arrears, before they fit it, that would avoid the costs indicated by Raven 1 being added to the account also.  If they set the repayment too high you can complain and have it reduced, they are not allowed to set ludicrous figures like £100 per week for arrears.

[AndyOrch]

Cads you owe them £395 in arrears...its hardly an Illegal Warrant for creditors to want paying...thats life.

 

Andy

[Cadbury10]

7 minutes ago, brassnecked said:

The illegal gas act Freeman argument won't hold water, send them an I & E with a reasonable proposal, that covers existing payment ongoing, and something off arrears, or if they haven't yet take court action agree to the meter and a fixed sum to be set for arrears, before they fit it, that would avoid the costs indicated by Raven 1 being added to the account also.  If they set the repayment too high you can complain and have it reduced, they are not allowed to set ludicrous figures like £100 per week for arrears.

 

 

Brassnecked - Thank you, that's a bit more supportive & helpful... I am not going to agree to prepayment meter. I cant send them an I & E as I currently have ZERO income. They have already set the repayment too high and I have done all I can and being polite has not worked with them, so well within my rights to "have a rant" to them about their incompetence, ignorance & shady, unlawful practices. I feel extremely threatened and distressed. I have complained and cannot live under the threat of having my home broken into. 

 

Would I be best sending them a letter confirming what i've already discussed with them over the phone and offer of token monthly payment, along with written complaint of what I have already complained over phone and have received no response from them. Or would it be best to hit them where it hurts in their wallets for distress caused by their bullying abuse & threats? 

 

Just don't know the best approach for what to write in letter as being nice to them doesn't work either..

[Cadbury10]

11 minutes ago, Andyorch said:

Cads you owe them £395 in arrears...its hardly an Illegal Warrant for creditors to want paying...thats life.

 

Andy

 

Andy - I think you'll find that it is illegal and it is not a crime for somebody to have financial problems. No, that isn't life

 

Can anybody else actually offer some helpful advice?

[AndyOrch]

https://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/

[Cadbury10]

3 minutes ago, Andyorch said:

https://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/

 

Andy - They already know my situation and have continued to threaten & refused to assist. 

 

And NO - Nobody has the right to break into my property

Edited July 23, 2019 by Cadbury10

[PIXeL_92]

24 minutes ago, Cadbury10 said:

 

Andy - They already know my situation and have continued to threaten & refused to assist. 

 

And NO - Nobody has the right to break into my property

 

If they are granted a legal warrant it isn't breaking in nor trespass. I would go through the above again and take some of the information in as it seems like you aren't.

 

There is helpful advice above, as mentioned previously send an Income and Expense form in to see if you can work out manageable payments before it gets to the warrant stage.

 

At the end of the day you owe money for a service they have supplied and you have used, most of what there are doing is completely lawful it may be a bit immoral but that is business for these large corporations unfortunately.

 

I have been in the situation of owing money on utilities and being open and honest with them I managed to get a monthly amount set up to pay off the debt.

 

If you keep being dismissive with the help you are being offered you will find people may become less inclined to offer advise.

[Raven1]

Executing a warrant is not breaking in, that is why they get a warrant of access, and if necessary they can call upon the police to assist.

 

If at the end of the day for whatever reason they cannot access your property to fit a prepayment meter, they will  simply disconnect your supply outside the property. From the best of my recollections there is a substantial charge  to get the power reconnected if that happens in addition to clearing the debt..

 

As others have suggested the most practical solution is to contact the supplier and agree to have the prepayment meter fitted. 

 

There really is nowhere else to go which will not exacerbate your situation further.

 

 

[dx100uk]

cadbury...listen carefully.

 

you have enough medical issues to get yourself under the care scheme.

go ring this number..

 

08000728625

 

tell them your story.

[BankFodder]

Before you do anything else on the telephone, please read our customer services guide and implement the advice there. You should not be using the telephone unless you have at least taken this advice