written by JamesCureton on 27/10/2012
On 25th october 2012 I received a phone call from british gas, telling me that I was £118 in debt on my electricity account. As my wife sees to household bills I asked them to ring back later.
On 27th October they rung back and requested that I pay this money in 2 installments of £59. Having told them it is impossible for me as both my wife and myself are disabled and only on benefits they gave me a 0800 number to ring. I spoke with an asian gentleman who informed me that I had no payment plan set up and hae not had one since April 2005. Yet my wife constantly pays £30 every 2 weeks on both gas and electricity. As we only receive £200 per every 2 weeks, this is 30% of our income. Also payments have gone up as requested over this period, considering that they say I have no payment plan. He then wanted me to increase the payment to £54 per 2 weeks until the debt was paid off. I again told him that this was not possible. He then reduced it to £48 per 2 weeks, telling me that he could not make it any cheaper. Then he offered to get me a quantum meter installed at a cost of £16 per week + gas/electricity. when i queried this he told me that it includes my fuel use. As we were talking cross purposes due to the language barrier I asked him to transfer me to someone who was English. He transferred me to the accounts manager who had a very strong Indian accent and was even more difficult to understand. After I refused to talk to her because she wasnt English, she transferred me to an English gentleman by the name of Lee. Lee informed me that not only did I have a payment plan set up, but I always have had one set up.(this I already knew) but this £118 that I supposedly owe them was £55 for gas and £63 for electricity, making £118 in total and that my last 2 payments were not showing on the computer. Thanks for all your help Lee. You kept me sane.