Billed £3,000 by British Gas - for demolished flat
British Gas sent an elderly couple a bill for £3,000, for a flat they used to live in. What made the move particularly odd was that the bill related to a the time between the day the couple was forced to move out because the building wasn't safe, and the day the flat was demolished.
The Newcastle Chronicle reported that Patrick Kelly (76) and his wife Marion (83) were distressed to be reminded of what happened to their former home in Spencer Court in Newburn, Newcastle.
The flats had been badly affected by widespread flooding. The couple were forced to move out when parts of the building collapsed, and then three years ago it was decided that they couldn't be rebuilt safely, so the flats were demolished.
They told the Daily Mail they were baffled when they received a bill for the time when the unsafe property was empty. British Gas apologised and said it was a mistake - made because the contractors who removed the meters from the flats failed to update the database. It added that Mr Kelly had first been in touch about the issue in 2013, and apologised that it hadn't been sorted out then.
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What can you do?
This is clearly an extreme example, but billing errors are all-too common, so it's worth knowing what to do if you get a bill that doesn't seem right. The first step is to check whether you have been billed on actual use, or on an estimate. If it's an estimate, you can contact your supplier with a meter reading, and see what that does to your bill.
If it's a meter reading, check your meter and see whether it differs wildly from the figure on your bill - in which case the meter reader may have made a mistake. You should also check the MPRN or MPAN number on your meter box, and compare it to the number on your bill. That should highlight any instances where the meter reader has checked the wrong meter for your property.
If the meter reading is correct, consider the context - such as whether your usage has increased or whether the supplier has increased its charges. In some cases, suppliers will vastly increase your monthly direct debit on the basis that your fixed rate deal is coming to an end within a few months, and the assumption you won't bother to switch. It's worth calling your supplier to double-check whether any of these reasons apply.
You should also check whether there have been any gaps in your bills. In some cases the company will fail to send a bill for several quarters, and then land homeowners with a huge bill out of the blue. If this happens to you, it's worth knowing that they can only 'back-bill' for a year, so if they send a bill for energy used more than a year ago (assuming they haven't billed you for it before), you can get in touch and explain that the 'back billing code' doesn't allow them to demand this money.
Finally, it may be a problem with a faulty meter. You will need to check it by turning all of the appliances in your home off - including pilot lights. If the meter doesn't stop, it may be faulty. If it's a gas meter, this may alternatively mean you have a leak, so you need to call the National Grid emergency number immediately on 0800 111 999. You then need to call your supplier, explain what you have done, and arrange for your meter to be tested by them.
They may insist you take daily meter readings over the next seven days to check your usage. If that doesn't reveal anything, they may carry out more tests. It's worth taking a meter reading before they start these tests - to be on the safe side.
If the tests reveal there's nothing wrong with the meter, you will have to pay for the costs of the test. If you feel you still haven't been given an explanation for the additional cost, you can get in touch with Ofgem.
