Missold a product by British Gas
10 February 2010, 11:08 AM
#1
Scooby Senior
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Missold a product by British Gas
I had a rep call me from British Gas around october time & he told me he would save me money on my gas & electricity so i went through the process & then checked there rates on comparision websites & it all seemed good. He called back the following day & after i gave him the readings he set me up as a new customer. The following month & months after my bills shot up 150% so i called them & told them that i was cancelling & switched back to Scottish Power for both utilities.
I then received a final bill from BG around £450 so i sent them a letter stating that i wasnt paying the final bill due to being missold a product & that i would be passing the details onto my solicitor to take further.
I have just had there "debt collections" team on the phone who i laughed at when she told me that she was a collections agent. I advised her about the letter & that my solicitor will be following up with a further letter. I was told that my credit history would be affected blah blah.
Now my credit history doesnt really bother me as i dont really use that often unless i am buying stuff for the business rather than paying upfront (cap costs & all that) but on the other side it does bother me incase i need it in the future.
Are BG backing me into a corner to pay this bill ?? Is there anything else i can do ??
I then received a final bill from BG around £450 so i sent them a letter stating that i wasnt paying the final bill due to being missold a product & that i would be passing the details onto my solicitor to take further.
I have just had there "debt collections" team on the phone who i laughed at when she told me that she was a collections agent. I advised her about the letter & that my solicitor will be following up with a further letter. I was told that my credit history would be affected blah blah.
Now my credit history doesnt really bother me as i dont really use that often unless i am buying stuff for the business rather than paying upfront (cap costs & all that) but on the other side it does bother me incase i need it in the future.
Are BG backing me into a corner to pay this bill ?? Is there anything else i can do ??
Last edited by sti-04!!; 10 February 2010 at 11:10 AM.
10 February 2010, 11:31 AM
#2
You were probably missold but I think the key words of the salesman/literature are:
"sign up with us and you could save money on your utility bills"
or
"sign up with us and you will save money on your utility bills*"
If the salesman or any of the literature says the latter or mixed them up, then you may have a case.
Although take note of the little asterix and associated small print -->*
* where the small print often says the statement is only true of a "typical" xx bedroom household with x number of people living there and using a average of xxx amount of gas, and xxx electric per month with "average" climatic conditions.
I think what I would do is calculate how much I would have owed if I was still with the previous utility supplier. Supply this to BG along with copies of the previous supplier's rates as proof. That will give clear justification for argument about being missold the "product". And only offerring to pay that reduced amount based on my old supplier's rates - but before I'd do that, I'd get written confirmation from BG that they will accept that offer and not chase for any further payment.
I will say this, it will involve alot of phone calls and being on hold before you finally get through to someone who can actually make a decision and think outside the box.
Good luck (it took me 4 letters and 8 phone calls just to get them to change my incorrect postcode
).
"sign up with us and you could save money on your utility bills"
or
"sign up with us and you will save money on your utility bills*"
If the salesman or any of the literature says the latter or mixed them up, then you may have a case.
Although take note of the little asterix and associated small print -->*
* where the small print often says the statement is only true of a "typical" xx bedroom household with x number of people living there and using a average of xxx amount of gas, and xxx electric per month with "average" climatic conditions.
I think what I would do is calculate how much I would have owed if I was still with the previous utility supplier. Supply this to BG along with copies of the previous supplier's rates as proof. That will give clear justification for argument about being missold the "product". And only offerring to pay that reduced amount based on my old supplier's rates - but before I'd do that, I'd get written confirmation from BG that they will accept that offer and not chase for any further payment.
I will say this, it will involve alot of phone calls and being on hold before you finally get through to someone who can actually make a decision and think outside the box.
Good luck (it took me 4 letters and 8 phone calls just to get them to change my incorrect postcode
).
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