British Gas --- need legal advise

[Brainache]

Hi, Sorry but its a bit long

I switched gas and elect suppliers from BG (British Gas) last year.
BG have failed to close my Gas account. They closed the elec account perfect!
Without thinking i didnt cancel my gas d/d with them as i assumed it would be done automaticly. As a result they took a further 3mths money from me before i realised (Stupid of me i know).

I have been trying to close my gas acocunt with BG for 8mths now! I have called them direct and i have called my new supplier and they have called BG, written to BG and have even faxed BG and BG sill refuse to close my account as they 'have not received the correct information from my new supplier'! I have also kept a list of dates and times of these phone calls. Oh but only some names
On top of this March time i received a letter from BG stating they owe me £1000.00, i called to question this and the guy on the phone said yes this is mine and i will received a cheque in the post when the account is closed. BUT in April i receive another letter saying they owe me £500.00, then May i recieved ANOTHER letter (this time a red letter) saying I OWE THEM £200.00 and must pay within 14days or they will cut me off!!! im not with them ! ! ! I have always been ontop or ahead of my bills so i know i do not owe them any money - and they are the ones that took an extra 3mths money from me.
Anyway after this letter i wrote to their complaints department and their payment area department with the above (well wrote it differently) and photocopied all the letters from BG and ones stating the start date from my new supplier. I worded it all basic and nicely, explained my situation, my worries and included please's and thank you's.
I asked them to 'please amend my account and send all monies owed to me back within the next 14days by cheque, as this has been going on since 2007' (The 14days are now up)
Saturday i recieved a letter from BG saying We are aranging legal action against you for the overdue amount !!!
Help.....Im confused......what do i do now????
Should i see a solicitor (i can get legal aid) or Citizen's Advice ?????
(ps im not good with words - this took me 1/2hr to word going back and forth + and - words )

ENERGYWATCH will help.

They are brilliant, ime.

British Gas are awful, ime.

www.energywatch.org.uk/

My DP's dad had some problems with BG (everyone seems to...) and it got to a similar point and he wrote to them informing them he was taking legal advice and would be seeking the money he was owed in court. Weirdly they managed to solve the problem and pay them the money they owed within about a week.

I definitely recommend trying energy watch, and seeing a solicitor if all else fails - based on all of the above you are clearly in the right, and they have a miscommunication problem.

Thanks guys
I've just called Energy Watch and they have transfered me to the BG Complaints team - She said you can only talk to these guys via Energy Watch and that they give BG 10working days to resolve the issue

Ah as i was typing to you i got through to them and i told him all the above. He is call in Atlantic to get a serial number then will be able to find out who is really supplying my gas, then go from there. He said give him 10mins and he will call me back.

Thanks guys

It's such a relief to hand it over to Energywatch, isn't it?
Will save you loads of hassle and stress.

They'll soon have it sorted for you.

OMG OMG OMG

He has confirmed that my new supplier did take over my account on the date the new supplier said He has now closed my account and is sending me a cheque with all the money owed to me

Just in time for Fathers Day

Thank you Thank you xxxxx

Yeah i wish i knew about them 8mths ago haha

Oh do i need to phone Engery Watch back to say its all sorted out now ??

Glad it's all sorted.
I wouldn't tell Energywatch just yet.
I'd wait until you've actually got cleared funds in your bank account from British Gas.
You may still need Energywatch to kick their arse give them a gentle reminder.

Yeah didnt think of that, thanks

UPDATE

Earlier this week i received a Gas statment from BG saying im in credit of £489.78 but have used £278.94 between april 08 and may 08!!! so im now in credit of £196.90 which will be carried forward to your next statement!!!

THEN today I received a URGENT NOTICE from BG saying they have charged me £14 for this letter and obtaining a warrent to entre my home by force and replace my meter with a prepaymeter!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get back in touch with energywatch.

We've got this with Budget at the moment.

I'm sure they can't enter your house without a police accompanyment so if someone does turn up at your door (unlikey, they are just trying to scare you) tell them to go away until they have a police escort.

What did I tell you?
They are useless, harassing, disorganised idiots!
Just email EnergyWatch with the update, and tell them how distressed the whole thing is making you.
We got compensation from BG because they harassed us for almost a year, and we spent hours and hours on the phone to them, and sent endless letters.
EnergyWatch sorted it all though.
It will be OK.

Oh and the credit of £489.78 is totally different to the amount the guy i spoke to on monday gave me?!?!?!?

Recap
On monday comfirmed i have not been with BG since last yr and they owe me x amount
Mid week there acting like im still with them and amount in credit has dropped
Today there back to saying i owe them £200 and threatening to cut me off

Get you story straight British Gas!!!!

Should i call Energy Watch tomorrow or see what he post brings sat and monday re this cheque from the guy who closed my account???

contact energywatch, as they'll make sure BG sorts your account out properly.

don't close complaint via emergywatch until you have a letter in your hand confirming that BG have closed your account, and you have cleared funds from the receipt.

Cheers guys

Should i write down on a sheet all the calls with times dates and cost and give that to Energy Watch?

I have a few health problems that are triggered by stress - The main one is epilepsy and it has been effecting me

Oh and because i have had to call my new company as well trying to sort it all out, should i add there calls to that list??

I would. Write down EVERYTHING and send it all.

Bar stewards!! (not allowed to swear in front of the kids, lol)

i had problems with british gas this week, because they took an unauthorised £168 from my account for an engineers visit that i cancelled and that they weren't going to charge me for anyway because it was within 28 days of the last one. I contacted the chief execs office and it got sorted out within 24 hours. the chief exec is called sam laidlaw - sam. laidlaw @ centrica. co. uk - I would state that you have contacted the regulator and that you're appalled that it still hasn't been sorted out - give your personal circumstances and mention that your helath is starting to suffer because of teh stress and inconvienience and ask for recompense by way of a goodwill payment - don't mention compensation - they get a bit snitty - use the word 'goodwill' good luck - hope it gets sorted quickly for you now

If they took the payments by direct debit why not just contact your bank and invoke the direct debit guarantee - your bank will refund you the money and then claim it back from BG.

It might not be all of it but it should be some - then energywatch and you can kick their arses without the fear that you might not retrieve the money.

BG tried to stiff us years ago, by claiming that we owed them hundreds when in fact they owed us money and when I queried it they then tried to blame our new supplier. Atlantic told us that BG do it all the time.

lol 'bar stewards' LuckySalem I have just sat down with EVERYTHING and going to go through the phone statements. Writing it ALL down. Thank god my dads always said to note down when i speak to ANY company and write their names (i remember to get say 6 out of 10 names )
Thanks for the email address PersephoneSnape, Bit confused now though. Dont know if i should email him 1st or call Energy watch 1st or invoke d/d's with my bank or just curl up in a ball and hid from it all (Just found out that Tiscali have also taken money from me when i ended my contract with them april )
Hmmm think i need coffee and chocolate before i start

OH FOR GODS SAKE ! !

Post lady just been and i have just received ANOTHER letter from them! (BG)
This time its the Cheque from the guy i spoke to on Monday 'Confirmation of refund cheque details' ' cheque from BG to refund your final account' 'you've been a valid customer' etc etc
Well now that makes sense as the next letter you would expect to receive from fridays one !!
Well to late to bank cheque today so will be at the banks doors as it opens monday hehe. Im the meantime i think i will email both Energy Watch and Cheif exec.
Taking bets on what i'll receive in mondays post ...... hehe lol