British Gas and CRAs

[what_todo]

hello all, done more digging and found the below, and taken from the OFT web site

 

 

1st part,

 

Application / Licence Details

 

 

 

Licence Number:0411962

Licence Status:Current

 

Current Applicant / Licensee:

 

Business NameCompany Registration NumberBritish Gas Services Limited3141243

 

Categories:

 

Consumer credit Consumer hire Credit brokerage Credit reference agency Debt adjusting/counselling Debt collecting

 

Right To Canvass Off Trade Premises:Yes

 

 

Trading Name(s) (Current):

 

British Gas British Gas Service British Gas Services British Gas Trading Celsia Dyno-Rod Dyno-Secure

 

Issued Date: 13-Jun-1996

Expiry Date: 14-Sep-2011

 

 

Legal Formation:

 

Body Corporate (incorporated inside UK)

 

Current Individuals that run the organisation:

 

NamePositionChristopher Phillip Anthony WestonOFFICERMr Phillip Keague BentleyOFFICER

 

Historic Individuals that run the organisation:

 

NamePositionElizabeth Jayne FeltonOFFICERLucy Elizabeth CaldwellOFFICERMr Donald William John PatienceOFFICERMr Mark Sydney ClareOFFICERMr Roger Nicholas Brownlow WoodOFFICERMr Roy Alan GardnerOFFICERMs Helen AlexanderOFFICERRobert Gray TobinOFFICERTeresa Jane FurmstonOFFICER

 

Current Organisations that run the organisation:

 

NameCompany Registration NumberPositionCentrica Secretaries Limited OFFICER

 

Current Address(es):

 

Address TypeAddressCorrespondenceSecretariat Dept, Centrica Plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GDPrincipal Place Of BusinessMillstream, Maidenhead Road, WINDSOR, Berkshire, SL4 5GD, United KingdomRegistered OfficeMillstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GD

 

Historic Address(es):

 

Address TypeAddressCorrespondenceCharter Court 50, Windsor Road, Slough, Berks, SL1 2HACorrespondenceCharter Court 50, Windsor Road, Slough, Berks, SL1 2HAYCorrespondenceCharter Court 50, Windsor Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2HACorrespondenceFAO Deborah Curtis Legal Dept, The Causeway, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 3BYCorrespondenceSecretariat Dept, Centrica Plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GDCorrespondenceSecretariat Dept. Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berks, SL4 5GDPrincipal Place Of Business3 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1BNPrincipal Place Of Business30, The Causeway, Staines, Middx, TW18 3BYPrincipal Place Of BusinessHillstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GDPrincipal Place Of BusinessLakeside House 30, The Causeway, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 3BYPrincipal Place Of BusinessLakeside House 30, The Causeway, Staines, Middx, TW18 3BYPrincipal Place Of BusinessSouthwood, Apollo Rise, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 0JWRegistered OfficeCharter Court 50, Windsor Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2HARegistered OfficeRivermill House, 152, Grosvenor Road, London, Middx, SW1V 3JLRegistered OfficeSecretarial Dept. Centrica Plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GD

 

 

 

part 2,

 

Application / Licence Details

 

 

 

Licence Number:0405251

Licence Status:Current

 

Current Applicant / Licensee:

 

Business NameCompany Registration NumberBritish Gas Trading Limited3078711

 

Categories:

 

Consumer credit Consumer hire Credit brokerage Credit reference agency Debt adjusting/counselling Debt collecting

 

Right To Canvass Off Trade Premises:Yes

 

 

Trading Name(s) (Current):

 

British Gas British Gas Business Gas British Gas Communications British Gas Home Energy British Gas Home Energy Wales/Cymru British Gas Home Finance British Gas LP Gas British Gas Wales/Cymru Central Recoveries Centrec Debt Recovery Services DRS Nwy Prydain Scottish Gas Scottish Gas Communications

 

Issued Date: 01-Mar-1996

Expiry Date: 08-Apr-2011

 

 

Legal Formation:

 

Body Corporate (incorporated inside UK)

 

Current Individuals that run the organisation:

 

NamePositionJacob Shields UlrichOFFICERMr Phillip Keague BentleyOFFICER

 

Historic Individuals that run the organisation:

 

NamePositionAnne GarrihyOFFICERGraham John BartlettOFFICERJohn JacksonOFFICERLucy Elizabeth CaldwellOFFICERMichael Richard AlexanderOFFICERMr Mark Sydney ClareOFFICERMr Roy Alan GardnerOFFICERPhillip Keague BentletOFFICERRoy Alan GardnerOFFICERTeresa Jane FurmstonOFFICER

 

Current Organisations that run the organisation:

 

NameCompany Registration NumberPositionCentrica Secretaries Limited OFFICER

 

Historic Organisations that run the organisation:

 

NameCompany Registration NumberPositionCentricia Secretaries Limited OFFICER

 

Current Address(es):

 

Address TypeAddressCorrespondenceMillstream, Maidenhead Road, WINDSOR, Berkshire, SL4 5GD, United KingdomPrincipal Place Of Business3 The Square, Stockley Park, UXBRIDGE, Middlesex, UB11 1BN, United KingdomRegistered OfficeMillstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GD

 

Historic Address(es):

 

Address TypeAddressCorrespondenceCharter Court 50, Windsor Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2HACorrespondenceSecretariat Dept, Centrica Plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GDCorrespondenceSecretariat, Centrica Plc, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GDPrincipal Place Of Business17, London Road, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 4AEPrincipal Place Of Business3 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1BNPrincipal Place Of BusinessSecretariat Dept, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GDRegistered OfficeCharter Court 50, Windsor Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2HARegistered OfficeRivermill House 152, Grosvenor Road, London, SW1V 3JLRegistered OfficeSecretariat Dept, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5GD

 

 

 

hope this helps someone!

[lightattheend]

Have now had a response to the email I sent them before Christmas (adverse weather to blame apparently for lack of response!)

 

I am sorry to learn that you are unhappy with my previous response. In answer to your enquiry as to whether we are allowed to send your account data to Credit Reference Agencies the answer is yes. Data sharing clauses have been in our Terms and Conditions since 1998 and therefore we have permission to share data on all accounts opened since then. ... I hope you find my explanation of your enquiry to be satisfactory. If you have any further concerns regarding this matter then please do not hesitate to let me know.

Now my next question is when is an account opened? I originally opened my british gas account in 1996, and have been a customer ever since, however I suspect they may well say that everytime you move house, you have a new account, in which case, why haven't I ever been given anything to sign,or does my account just go with me from house to house?

I wonder who will be reporting on my credit file next, the Local Authority for council tax...the water people....the people in the chip shop.....the list could go on and on.

I still think this is well out of order and they still haven't given me details of their consumer credit licence!

 

Well, I opened my account in 1991, I have not moved house in that time, just same old monthly direct debit arrangement, not changed to duel fuel or anything else. Therefore, nothing has changed since 1991, yet I have just been alerted of an addition of an account to my file by British Gas. It shows the account opened in 1991 (long before the 1998 quoted above), shows a balance of £31 (which makes no sense whatsoever when I look at my last bill, the payments made since then, and my estimated gas usage since then). I have never ever signed anything to say they could process my data. I phoned their call centre - stupid thing to do - waste of a phone call! I've sent an email complaint and will update with what they say.

 

As others have said, it's the principle of the thing. Where will it end? Will the milkman want to add an account to my credit report? What about the postman - I had to pay £1.01 excess postage the other day because somebody put insufficient postage on a packet I received. How about the mini-cab outfit down the road, I have an account with them. This nonsense has to stop.

[lightattheend]

I received an automated email response to my complaint emai. They hope to respond within 7 days ... blah blah. I don't suppose they will have anything of use to say when they do respond.

 

However, their call centre rang me tonight in response to my call to them last night. Some halfwit tried to reassure me that my British Gas account being on my credit report will "benefit" me. I told her I don't need BG's assistance with my credit record. She said everybody is doing it and if I took out a mobile phone contract, the same thing would happen. I replied that, if I took out a mobile phone contract, I would sign an agreement and receive Terms & Conditions, whereas I signed nothing with British Gas and have never received any T&Cs from them. Anyway, she was useless, had never heard of the Data Protection Act, nor the Consumer Credit Act.

 

I'll wait for an email response to my complaint, but I suspect I will be voting with my feet and saying goodbye to British Gas.

[2Grumpy]

Have now had a response to the email I sent them before Christmas (adverse weather to blame apparently for lack of response!)

 

I am sorry to learn that you are unhappy with my previous response. In answer to your enquiry as to whether we are allowed to send your account data to Credit Reference Agencies the answer is yes. Data sharing clauses have been in our Terms and Conditions since 1998 and therefore we have permission to share data on all accounts opened since then.

 

I opened my account with them around 17 years ago but they still update my CRA file without my permission - and of course I don't regularly inspect their website for changes to T & Cs - my agreement is pre internet anyway, but it's a preposterous idea. They want to impose new T&Cs - they can write. Glad that I left them.

[lightattheend]

I'm investigating alternative suppliers who don't use CRA's but it looks like they all do now. I don't care particularly about making any great saving. I just don't want big brother knowing my every move and reporting it to the world and his wife. Does anybody know of energy companies who don't carry on like this?

[lightattheend]

They finally sent an email response to my complaint, much in the same vein as others on here received. Here is my reply:

 

Thank you for your emails, the second email attaching your Terms & Conditions. I must point out that you have never previously supplied me with Terms & Conditions stipulating that you would record and report my account to a Credit Reference Agency, nor have I ever signed any agreement with you or given my permission for you to share my personal data with any third party. As you must know, to share my personal information with third parties requires you first to obtain my express permission, which you did not do, and you are therefore in breach of the Data Protection Act. I therefore insist that you cease processing my data as I have no wish for you to share my information with any third party.

 

I would also point out that my credit rating is already first class and I do not need or want the assistance of British Gas with this (implied in your 5th paragraph). I also note the implication that any missed payment will adversely affect my record - this could be construed as blackmail. However, it is totally irrelevant because, as you are well aware, my account is paid by monthly direct debit, the amount of which is arbitrarily fixed by British Gas and varies so wildly from one quarter to the next that I am invariably in credit, sometimes by quite large amounts, thus making me an unsecured creditor of British Gas.

 

I look forward to receiving confirmation that you have ceased sharing my data with all third parties.

 

Incidentally, with regard to the first of your energy saving tips, this is misleading and disingenuous. Assuming that it would cost me somewhere in the region of £3,500 to replace my existing boiler, it would take me almost 15 years to recoup the cost of this, based on your quoted annual savings figure of £235. Given also that your savings figure is optimistic to say the least, and that the average life of these new boilers is only 10 to 12 years, that cost would never be recouped, and therefore there would be no saving at all – in fact, there would be a loss.

 

My final paragraph is irrelevant - I just threw that in to show them what I think of their ethics. I don't suppose for one moment that I'll succeed in stopping them from reporting to the CRA, but I'll give them plenty of grief in the meantime and I'm planning to get my MP onto this - it's about time he started earning his keep.

[lightattheend]

Received a phone call from BG, going over the same old line about how they now report on all accounts to CRAs. I asked for somebody higher up the chain to phone me as that idiot was little better than the callcentre person. Got a phone call from another bod who was a bit more clued up. Spent about 25 minutes putting my point across, and he said he understood my concerns but that BG has made a business decision to report on all accounts to CRAs. He insisted that Terms & Conditions would have been sent to me but apparently they have no proof. I insisted that I never had them. We are at stalemate, as I suspected would be the case, and I told him I was going to research alternative suppliers over this weekend, but he is due to ring me again tomorrow. Anyway, have decided to get rid of BG for gas and for boiler/central heating/drains etc cover and go to EDF for dual fuel provided they don't report to CRAs. For boiler etc, I will revert to a local gas installer/repairer/plumber (he is Gas Safe registered) on an as needed basis. So when the BG man rings me tomorrow, I will tell him my decision. Also that I am going to tell all my friends and relatives what BG are up to. I suspect a lot of them will vote with their feet too.

[Mr. Jolly]

Ive just got my credit rating wrecked today by a late payment marker against on Experian. I don't have a credit account with british gas, I just pay my bills when they come based on meter readings, only this time it was rather late. I have no credit agreement with them and have no direct debit account etc.... Really ****ed off was hoping to push for a mortgage this year and BG has severly dented my chances.

[2Grumpy]

Ive just got my credit rating wrecked today by a late payment marker against on Experian. I don't have a credit account with british gas, I just pay my bills when they come based on meter readings, only this time it was rather late. I have no credit agreement with them and have no direct debit account etc.... Really ****ed off was hoping to push for a mortgage this year and BG has severly dented my chances.

 

Was the bill based on an actual meter reading or an estimate? A really fierce blast quoting the DPA, lack of signed agreement and unlawful changes to T&Cs might produce the required result, especially if directed at the CRA as well. Since data MUST be accurate, an estimated bill doesn't come into that category ....

[lightattheend]

I switched to dual fuel with EON (nothing appears on my credit report so far, so I assume they don't yet report) and I've saved at least £500 a year including the boiler/central heating care. Switching wouldn't help Mr Jolly with his credit report problem, but I agree with 2Grumpy about checking whether it's an estimated bill - BG were always very happy to estimate my bills despite my accessible outside meter which they could read whether I was home at the time or not. Let us know Mr Jolly?

[Stopthethieves]

If you receive a bill and pay for usage AFTER you have used it then it is CREDIT!!!

 

If you fail to keep to the terms of the agreement that you entered into then you have defaulted!

 

As for the legalities of whether can BG report your CREDIT account that is a different matter.

 

If you pay in advance for your fuel then I don't see this as an issue, a bit like having a credit card but paying money onto it before or just after using it.

 

I am joining BG just for my electricity and will be more than happy for them to place a credit account at the CRA's as I need to build my credit rating.

 

 

I assume the people that MOSTLY complain about this are people who don't keep to their agreement, if you have an issue like this then get yourself a pay as you go meter.

 

Regards

[lightattheend]

My issue with BG reporting was that, as a customer of some 25 years, I never had a credit agreement from them in the first place and therefore never gave permission for them to share my data with anyone. My account was generally in credit, meaning that BG owed me money - not the other way round! I can see that anyone with a poor credit rating would be happy for their account to be reported as a way of improving their record but I didn't need to improve my record. Maybe I'm being unreasonable in not wishing to share my personal data with all and sundry? There is just far too much personal info being bandied about these days by all sorts of organisations, and I do believe it should be more controlled. I also believe that customers have the right to be notified that information will be published about them BEFORE it is published; that way they can choose whether to stay with the supplier or move on.

[Stopthethieves]

You certainly ain't being unreasonable and I totally agree that they should clearly inform you that they wish to enter this into your agreement or act on a clause that has to date not been used. They should give you at least 3 months notice giving you chance to leave if so required.

 

I am sure that in the coming years all the utilities will be listing their credit customers accounts, as far as I am aware most of them reserve the right to do so.

 

Regards

[lightattheend]

I agree - probably not too much longer before they're all doing it, but that won't stop me fighting it in the meantime. Mind you, BG probably did me a big favour when they started reporting on my account because I was like many others I suspect - too complacent to bother shopping around. My bills with EON are way below BG's. So in that, at least, I'm happy.