British Gas Threatening Contact

[ECCOnoob 1,021]

What is the complaint?    I dont even see what BG have done wrong other than send an auto-generated warning letter regarding an outstanding bill payment. 

 

The OP is so certain they know its not overdue despite the fact the letter says so.  The OP says they have taken responsbility for the payments since April but curiously did not take the opportunity at the time to advise BG that their relative had gone into care and seek some way of dealing with them directly to avoid such a issue occurring.

 

I maintain my opinion the OP is overreacting to such a simple routine issue.   But hey, its not my debt issue and its up to them.   I repeat with others that a simple phone call should resolve it.  But if they want to  spend time raising a formal complaint I feel it is only going to prolong the process unnecessarilly.

Edited January 4, 2021 by ECCOnoob

[Guest]

Also letters have been taking ages to be delivered. I've just moved and some letters have taken 3 weeks to arrive. It's possible the original bill is stuck or very late and the notice arrived first.

[francypants 441]

Mountain out of a molehill.

[redruby 279]

14 hours ago, probedb said:

Also letters have been taking ages to be delivered. I've just moved and some letters have taken 3 weeks to arrive. It's possible the original bill is stuck or very late and the notice arrived first.

I think this is very likely what happened. I think the best thing to do is leave it this time but keep an eye on things around the time the next bill is due and if the same happens complain at that point.

Someone said phone them as well as sending a letter to complain. I would say there’s no point wasting time or energy (or sanity!) phoning them.  Just send a letter stating the facts as briefly as possible. No need for Recorded Delivery. It might take a few weeks before it is resolved but it will most likely get a better outcome than a phone call. 

Edited January 5, 2021 by redruby

[alchresearch 214]

On 04/01/2021 at 14:51, probedb said:

Also letters have been taking ages to be delivered. I've just moved and some letters have taken 3 weeks to arrive. It's possible the original bill is stuck or very late and the notice arrived first.

Yep, I had a first class one sent 20th December arrive only yesterday.  Xmas and Covid has caused major backlogs.

[RiffRaff 10]

On 04/01/2021 at 14:15, Kelvin Phlats said:

Pay your bills, don't get nasty letters. BG can't be expected to know and understand everyones circumstances. It's just the old victim culture kicking in again.

What a strange response, obviously from someone who hasn't read the original post and thought he'd just throw his twopenn'orth in.

 

I've been down to the property in question since - there's still no sign of a paper bill, so yes, it may've been lost in the post.

The last bill - having checked in my records here - was issued on 19 October, so a quarterly bill to be "overdue" by 4 January doesn't add up.

 

Anyway, the old dear has died in the meantime, so I've now to convince BG to change the name on the account.

No doubt that'll not be as easy as I think.

[Thirsty Relic 210]

40 minutes ago, RiffRaff said:

What a strange response, obviously from someone who hasn't read the original post and thought he'd just throw his twopenn'orth in.

 

I've been down to the property in question since - there's still no sign of a paper bill, so yes, it may've been lost in the post.

The last bill - having checked in my records here - was issued on 19 October, so a quarterly bill to be "overdue" by 4 January doesn't add up.

 

Anyway, the old dear has died in the meantime, so I've now to convince BG to change the name on the account.

No doubt that'll not be as easy as I think.

Sympathies - you'll have your hands full, without British Gas causing additional stress.

[RiffRaff 10]

9 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Sympathies - you'll have your hands full, without British Gas causing additional stress.

Thank you.

 

Indeed you're right.

Can't register the death or make any funeral arrangements etc., until we have the death certificate...and we can't go and pick that up either at present!

All a bit of a mess really.

[ECCOnoob 1,021]

1 hour ago, RiffRaff said:

What a strange response, obviously from someone who hasn't read the original post and thought he'd just throw his twopenn'orth in.

 

I've been down to the property in question since - there's still no sign of a paper bill, so yes, it may've been lost in the post.

The last bill - having checked in my records here - was issued on 19 October, so a quarterly bill to be "overdue" by 4 January doesn't add up.

 

Anyway, the old dear has died in the meantime, so I've now to convince BG to change the name on the account.

No doubt that'll not be as easy as I think.

Sorry for your loss.   

 

Have you called BG to ask them of the next steps? 

 

They will have a procedure for dealing with accounts of deceased parties and, as you rightly say, may likely require a copy of the death certificate at some point in the future.

 

At the very least a quick phone call now will get it on their record it has happened and expedite any future communication direct to yourself.

[RiffRaff 10]

1 hour ago, West 77 said:

The register of the death should be done via a telephone appointment with the register in your area. A certificate should then be issued and sent in the post within two or three days.

 

Condolences for your loss.

Thank you.

Yes, except you can't (begin to) register a death without the certificate being completed.

In this case, 4 days after the event, the GP hasn't completed the certificate.

Ergo, nothing can be arranged.

[tinfoilhat 11]

4 hours ago, RiffRaff said:

Thank you.

Yes, except you can't (begin to) register a death without the certificate being completed.

In this case, 4 days after the event, the GP hasn't completed the certificate.

Ergo, nothing can be arranged.

Sorry for your loss.

 

I was surprised how long that sort of thing took pre covid, I think my dads took at least that.

[RiffRaff 10]

10  days since the death, and still no paperwork issued by the GP.

We don't even know the official "cause of death".

We have a funeral director on "standby", but haven't even been able to register the death yet.

 

Without being at all morbid, with the increased number of deaths currently, wouldn't you have thought that things would've sped up?