Re: Legal basis for late payment charges etc

On 29 Aug, 08:26, Mike_B <use...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In message <1188335066.947235.212...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
thedarkman <A_Ba...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes





Earlier this year I received a massive gas bill from British Gas. I
thought this was in error so paid a bit and disputed it. This went on
and on until eventually they said they hadn't sent me a bill for the
previous quarter.By this time I'd found a cheaper supplier. I paid
most of the bill then these cunts said they were adding a late payment
charge and then had the audacity to charge me £14 for sending me a
letter. I couldn't quite believe the letter they sent threatening
legal action, etc.

I paid what I consider to be the full sum, which is well over two
hundred quid, now they've sent me a demand for £30.49 with a further
threat of legal action claiming that this will land me with further
costs.

My understanding is that a sum like this must be dealt with in the
small claims court where they won't get legal costs even if they win.

I have no intention of paying this further demand but would be
interested in an opinion as to the legality of their levying a late
payment charge off their own bat and then adding 14 quid for a warning
letter.

If this case does go to court I'm going to ensure they get plenty of
publicity.

In my experience, they take no action other than to write letters and
pass the alleged debt on to a variety of debt collection agencies who
write letters. Gaps of several months pass between each letter. Nothing
else happens, so don't get your knickers in a twist or start watching
Rumpole of the Bailey to prepare for your great court battle with lots
of publicity. Its £30, even your local paper would find Mrs. Smith's cat
up a tree a more interesting story.

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Mike_B- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Energy watch will deal with them fast and efficiently
British Gas do have a dedicated department for dealing with EW, they
do act fast if you complain and the staff there do talk sense.
My problem of not being able to change suppliers was sorted in 10 days
too.

Any organisation who cannot match up the records of a unique customer
name in the country is IMHO a bunch of imbeceles who should have their
permission to trade withdrawn
They were incapable of resolving the fact that they had an online
bank transfer from in the the name of "the only xxx in Britian" to a
gas account in the name of "the only xxx in Britian". This is an
example of how lousy their systems are. They only credited my account
but called it in a letter a "gesture of good will" after energywatch
got involved. Thanks chaps.


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