To think we shouldn't have to pay this late fee?

[User3214]

Bought a property late last year (end of Oct). We haven't yet moved in as have some other stuff to sort out.

The gas supply was originally with British gas however when we moved in we switched it right away to EDF. Unbeknown to me, EDF didn't actually do the switch until 1st December so there was a month and a bit that we needed to pay British gas. Fine but we weren't aware (I even checked with EDF that everything was fine and they said yes and my first payment came out early December so assumed this included the last little bit of Oct and Nov too).

Anyway, due to all the Royal Mail strikes we ended up receiving a bunch of letters all in one go from British Gas first saying we needed to pay £40 and then a few more adding a couple of late payment fees because we'd not responded to the last letter (that we hadn't received due to the strikes!).

It's now up to nearly £200 they want from us with the late payment fees. If we'd have known we'd have paid it straight away! No one tried to call us and as I say we literally received all the letters in one go a few days ago!

AIBU to say we will.of course pay the original amount but we aren't paying the late payment fees.

I say when we moved in we switched, sorry I meant when we completed the purchase.

You won't be the only ones affected by delayed mail notifications. Double check your emails (including junk items) to make sure you didn't also have email reminders then give them a call.

YABU a little bit for not understanding switching isn't instantaneous - even with the smoothest transfer you'd have had a bill of some amount to pay British Gas so should have been on the look out for something.

That being said, I'd definitely challenge the late fees. Keep it factual and make it clear you think it unreasonable to be charged late fees when no alternative attempt to contact you was made given that they knew about the strikes (providing they have your phone number/email address).

If they don't budge, make a formal complaint. Do not agree to close the complaint unless they remove the late fees - consistently agree to pay the actual usage and standing charges for the period covered.

Dispute the late fees with British gas, they can remove them if you speak with them.

I have a long going dispute against British Gas. They are without a doubt the worst company in the entire world. Even if you had kicked a puppy in the face, if you said you did it because of British Gas, I would probably still agree YWNBU and it was their fault.

I really hate British Gas. About 17 years ago I divorced exh. He moved out of house. Gas and electricity bills in his name at our address. Exh refused to ring them as acrimonious split. I rang BG and asked them to move exh off of bill. They refused to even speak with me because bill in exh name. I tried so many times but they kept banging on about data protection act and saying I should ask exh to ring to get him off bill. I told them he would not ring. I suspected he was quite gleeful I could not get bill iny name. I refused to pay bill in his name. Anyway after 9 months I sent bill letters in exh name to his solicitor. Exh ended up having to pay bill as he had not advised them he moved out so not cancelled gas and electricity in his name. You can ask for some of charged to be removed but they don't have to.

Thanks! It's not that I necessarily thought it would be instant but I didn't expect to have used much at all with British gas and I also checked with EDF early on that the switch had happened and they said yes so was expecting a minimal charge at some point from British gas that would come as a bill through the post and would pay it then although they did have my number as I also called them to inform them of the purchase and that we'd be using someone else for the gas.

It was more the fact that I never heard anything until about 7 letters dropped through my letterbox in one go and now they want an extra £160 off me! I'd have quite happily paid the £40 (and already have done as soon as I got the letter) but I'm refusing to pay the late fees on top.

Have spoken to them already btw.

British Gas have the collective common sense of an amoeba. I had to give them my opening readings 4 times and set up my direct debit twice. You have my sympathy.