British Gas forced entry & fitted PP meter for prev tenants debt!!

[Desperate Daniella]

Fortunately my daughter was only two so she doesn't remember it, but I was running down the street in my nightie clutching her in a towel because water started pouring through the ceiling of her room while I was bathing her. I ran to my friend's builders and they stopped the water because otherwise it would have been much worse. BG paid up eventually, but never apologized. They are total *******s.

 

I had a pet snake many years ago and I loved her just as much as any warm-blooded animal. I know sometimes people think reptiles aren't the same but they are. And any pet is important to a child who loves it. I'm so sorry she was killed by their actions.

 

I agree you have to move, and BG should pay all costs relating to that. If your children don't feel safe they shouldn't be living there and it sounds as though your son's CAF officer is right behind you.

 

I am glad you have so many people on your side now and that the messages are giving you strength.

 

xx

[Angel Steele]

Absolutely shameful behaviour by BG.

 

At this is ongoing I am sure you have already done this if I ever have an issue with BG (which trust me I do) and never ring them as their call centres in India do not really have any idea about how to deal with customer issues. I always go online and lodge a complaint on their site. They then have 3 days I think to get back to you. Someone from this country has always got back to me as promptly as they have to answer all complaints within a certain time frame.

 

Now I am sure you have by now exhausted every avenue trying to get the incompetent money grabbing so and so's to get this shocking matter sorted out but I thought I would mention the above just in case

[citizenB]

This is the 2nd complaint about BG where they have broken into property with a warrant in the name of the previous tenant. On the other thread, apparently a little dog was subdued and the lady's possessions looked through.

 

This is a very worrying pattern starting to emerge whereby if someone moves into a rented property they are likely to be targeted by BG for the previous tenants debts.

[Crotalus]

This is the 2nd complaint about BG where they have broken into property with a warrant in the name of the previous tenant. On the other thread, apparently a little dog was subdued and the lady's possessions looked through.

 

This is a very worrying pattern starting to emerge whereby if someone moves into a rented property they are likely to be targeted by BG for the previous tenants debts.

 

Absolutely right, i read that thread, shocking. My sympathies are with the lady concerned.

 

What BG are telling me and what they are doing is this: They own the credit meters. Its their property, therefore they are entitled to remove said meters whenever they feel like it. Then demanding £99 to have gas appliances serviced by their engineers, even if a service was conducted only weeks before. They can refuse to switch your gas on until you agree to this service. Holding everyone to ransom effectively. £99 gets your life back. If you dont agree to this, they can go to court, get a warrant of entry, does not matter if its not your name, The occupier will do, and force this action upon you.

 

Interestingly, and if im wrong, please correct me, a Gas safety certificate needs to be issued once a year for an ongoing tenancy, or at the start of a new tenancy. I have a certificate, from a Gas Safety Engineer, but thats not good enough, they want one from BG at a cost of £99.

 

My LL will not pay for something that was done only weeks ago and why should she? Who is to say that will solve the matter?

 

I have given 6 weeks notice this morning. Thanks BG, you have forced us out of our home. Well done you

 

Ready for another day of promises, lies and incompetence.

[citizenB]

Sounds like a nice little earner for them, doesn't it ?

[Desperate Daniella]

As far as I am aware a gas safety certificate has to be issued once a year and does not need to be renewed for a new tenancy, although if it only has a month or so to run it's advisable to get a new one so everyone has peace of mind. Obviously new tenants have to be given a copy of the certificate to ensure that it is current and valid. It does not have to be issued by British Gas.

 

As far as the other "advice" they have given you is concerned, if they intend to apply to Court for a warrant to enter a property they must advise the occupant who then has every right to attend the Court Hearing and argue their case.

 

In your particular case they assured the landlady that the action had been cancelled and she has correspondence to prove it. She may also be able to take action against them for her loss of income because their actions have lost the tenancy for her.

 

I hope you have luck with the newspapers today.

 

xx

[Crotalus]

Sounds like a nice little earner for them, doesn't it ?

 

Absolutely it does. Anyway, i refuse to speak to anymore phone monkeys, all it does is upset me, so ive fired off a complaint to Sam Laidlaw, Chris Weston, the chap in charge of complaints and CC the Daily Telegraph. I also placed a link to here. They wont read it, but ive made my position clear, i wont chase them up anymore, if they want to ignore me, so be it, i will persue legal action.

 

The person who made the offer of help re small claims, would someone give them my mobile number please or have them contact me. In the meantime my electric account with them is doubling as im having to boil kettles to get a wash, if they dare try and charge me for it, il tie myself to BG head quarters first before they get a cent out of me.

 

Had a reply from Chris Westons office. He is on his annual leave till the 19th August. Hope he enjoys it. The Daily Telegraph have replied saying they are reviewing my case right now. They are coming down on energy suppliers big time right now, this is right up their street.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Crotalus

[Desperate Daniella]

Just another idea: Try emailing Richard Littlejohn at the Mail. This is just the sort of thing he loves.

[Crotalus]

Good idea, il do that now, thank you

 

edit: Done

Edited August 16, 2013 by Crotalus

[Crotalus]

Whoo hoo! Just got an email back from a Newspaper, they are calling me shortly after checking the illegal warrant was acted upon as that's the bottom line.

 

Richard Littlejohn is out of action till September, next is Sky News.

[Desperate Daniella]

Whoo hoo, as you say! :whoo:

 

Go girl!

[Crotalus]

I think im really starting to get up the noses of the customer care team on Facebook. Good! I need some fresh air though, i have a rotten stress headache. Il be charging the packet of Nurofen im about to buy to BG.

[Desperate Daniella]

No sympathy whatsoever for the Customer Care Team. They should be trying to sort this out for you not playing around on Facebook.

[DonkeyB]

I’ve been giving them rather a lot of stick too, with links to here. They just fob it off – very unprofessional. They could have nipped this in the bud. Now it’s going to bite them on the ahrrse.

[Desperate Daniella]

And I hope it's going to cost them big time.

 

I can think of a number of things she can claim for, and if the landlady has made a financial loss then she can too.

 

This thread has had loads of guests since it started so I'm guessing a lot of them are coming to have a look.

 

I'm hoping we are going to see Crotalus all over the papers and TV news very soon.

[citizenB]

Whoo hoo! Just got an email back from a Newspaper, they are calling me shortly after checking the illegal warrant was acted upon as that's the bottom line.

 

.

 

Excellent, I am pleased to hear this.

 

I have re tweeted it as well

[Desperate Daniella]

We now have 33 guests. The number has doubled in the last five minutes! :wave:

[DonkeyB]

That’s because it just hit Twitter again.

[Crotalus]

Keep going people, we now have the attention of the CEO of Centrica himself. I got this emails and reply on the FB page:-

We have also received your complaint via Sam Laidlaw’s office and it is being dealt with at the highest level. Somebody from his specialist team will be in contact with you today.

 

Il tell you what, this will only be resolved to my satisfaction if the person who gave the go ahead for the warrant is shown his/her P45. And that little twerp who laughed at me and asked what i was complaining about.

 

As an aside. My username Crotalus is a genus of pit viper, known as rattlesnakes. Rattlers are pretty much ambush preditors, they can lay still for hours while a mouse or pray item walks all over them, till the snake has had enough and bites them in the ass. BG is that ass.

[citizenB]

You have had 2839 views since the thread started as well !

[Desperate Daniella]

And even if they fix it, don't drop your claim against them.

 

Love the name - I was wondering about it.

 

Very suitable in this situation.

[Crotalus]

Im not dropping this, not a prayer. If i stop now thats saying Ive got what i want, go make someone else suffer. Winter will be here soon enough,this cannot be allowed to happen. People could die if they pull this sort of stuff on older people.

 

You have all been stars, each one of you

[Desperate Daniella]

That is very sweet of you.

 

I think you have really shaken them up, and it's great that their dreadful, arrogant behaviour is all over the networking sites. They need to be exposed like this more often, then maybe they'd clean up their act.

[Crotalus]

Well, i now have to wait another 5 days for an investigation to be completed. So another 5 days at least of not being with my kids.

 

I dont know what else to do. I am now officially on hunger strike until this is sorted out. Anything to get the attention of anyone who will switch my bloody gas on.

 

This is how mental they have driven me. The only course of action is hunger strike. The kids are not with me so what have i got to lose.

[Desperate Daniella]

Anything back from the newspaper?

 

If this is their idea of resolving the issue at "the highest level" then it is a joke. Is the person who called you one of his "specialist team"?

 

They should be offering to put you up in a good hotel while this is being resolved. The very fact that they are saying they have to conduct an investigation shows yet again how they treat their customers with utter contempt.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/centrica-bonuses-fury-owners-british-1788935