MASSIVE Final Electricity Bill

[Emme0810]

Hi there!

I've been reading about lots of problems with British Gas and here's another!

Basically, since I've moved in in August 2010 I've been trying to switch the bills from my landlords name to mine. They said at the beginning that it couldn't be done because his final bill was too big (?!) so since then, I've been trying to get him to pay his bit so we could change it over. This has been going on for a year and a half. Eventually, someone from a debt agency came round saying that I owed £440.00! I had previously made a payment of £210.00 (I will admit that I had fallen behind on paying over X-Mas) but made up for this. I immediately e-mailed British Gas who replied saying that I only had £60 left to pay. Relieved sigh!

2 days later, the man came back and I answered the door to him and explained everything, even showing him the e-mail. He apologised as British Gas had not told him about the payment and even given him the wrong amount to chase! He was fantastic, got the account changed over (so much for the final bill being too high to change it!) and a new account was opened in my name and he said that I'd receive a final bill, a little bit more than the £60.

Yesterday, I got a letter with my final bill - for a total of £846. Including all the payments I've made (totalling £710) for a year and a half was seems pretty steep to me already! I've been charged for several debt visits, none of which I've received. I work at night so I'm home during the day and never ever ever received any debt visits. I check my bill and every single bill (including the one from when I moved in) is estimated. How can they possibly send me a bill when my first reading is estimated?

I've e-mailed them about and they replied assuring me that the bill was correct. I've sent them an e-mail back asking how could it correct when they don't even have an accurate starting reading and waiting for a reply. I've also phoned my landlord as I'm pretty sure that he took a reading from when I moved in and told me he would phone to cancel his side of the contract. I've left a voicemail so I'm hoping he gets back to me today! I'm not sure if he's done that or not, or if British Gas truly ARE that incompetent.

I'm definitely not paying this bill as I believe it to be totally wrong. They've billed me for £917 since December 2010. Now, I would be fine paying the rest of that bill (i.e. £917 - £710) as my landlord was due to pay £150.99 from the period before I moved in. That would leave me with the £60 I was originally due to pay. Is this a reasonable offer? What else can I do as I'm getting pretty nervous. I've never had any problems like this before and I can't afford to pay nearly £900.

Thanks and sorry for the long story!

[Surfer01]

Basically BG have been lying to you as you could have and should have been switched the moment you requested it. This alone is going to put them on some shaky ground. Do you have an opening read from when you moved in the home?

[Emme0810]

I don't, but I'm sure my landlord took a reading the day I moved in so I'm trying to contact him to get a reading. I actually received an e-mail back from British Gas today.

"I understand your opening reading were estimated but as the readings are inline there is no need to amend the meter reading. We have taken your 2 readings and we restimated your reading as 71319 on 14 June 2011. After that we have started receiving your meter readings and the bills were issued correctly and all the readings are inline. So this can be the reason for high bill. Previously your bills were underestimated till June 2011 so the bill were less. When we reestimated your reading 14 June 2012 after that we received your meter reading 75863 on 28 February 2012. We issued you the bill of £833.43 but that were incorrect so the bill got reversed. We atlast issued you a bill of £846.72 on 21 March 2012. The bill is high because the recent bill which you received was for the period 14 December 2010 to 14 March 2012. The previous bill issued after 14 December 2010 were all reversed and send the bill on correct reading."

I never received a bill for £833.43, and what exactly do they mean by inline? If they didn't take an accurate reading, how do they know it's 'inline'?

Also, when they apparently visited my home, they never left any sort of card or letter to say that they'd been and I know they haven't as I work at night so I'm home during the day and have never had anybody coming to the door about the bills. Can I refuse to pay this?

[Surfer01]

I think they can only back date a bill 12 months especially if they are at fault. Readings "in line" are basically that readings match up. Prior to the account being moved across into your name, any bills would be the responsibility of your landlord. They can only chase you for consumption from the date of account change into your name. Prior to that you need to come to an arrangement with the LL to pay him direct for consumption for the months that you were in occupation prior to change of account.

[Emme0810]

I finally got a starting reading from my landlord! I've e-mailed them today with that and also requests from them to drop the debt visit charges as I've never received any visits or even any cards!

Also, they managed to screw up again. Apparently, I gave a meter reading of 76651 on 22nd Feb and their final reading (which I DID give) was 76337 on the 14th March. However, it was on 12th March that I was told I only owed £60 so basically the person who responded to me on the 12th saying that I only owed £60 had a higher figure than I truly had. Now I've given them a figure less than that, and they're still saying I owe them over ten times that! I'm so confused about their billing process. I have been thinking about e-mailing the CEO of the company as I've read that many people got their problems sorted quicker and that he is really helpful. Should I try this? Thanks!

Edited March 29, 2012 by Emme0810

[Emme0810]

Just a little update! Gave them my starting reading and the day that I moved in and they've agreed to send out a new bill with all my payments on it. Not sure if they're getting rid of the apparent debt "visits", but we'll see when the new bill comes out but that is something I'm definitely refusing to pay! Hopefully gonna get this sorted but will keep this updated for people in the same position. Don't give in, if you know you're right, do not give in!

[Emme0810]

Another update! They have agreed to remove all debt visit charges! So now, just need to wait til Monday to see if the bill arrives and see if it is correct or not! If you know you're right, keep at them, they can't be allowed to get away with this!