Shropshire Star

No gas at home for seven years - but Shrewsbury pensioner is still billed £1,100

British Gas waged an seven-year campaign against a Shrewsbury pensioner who it claimed owed them more than £1,100 - despite not having gas supplied to his flat.

Published

Former ambulance man Cyril Richardson moved in to his new home in the former post office in Belle Vue Road in 2007.

And for seven years British Gas threatened him with legal action, disconnection and entry to his property over unpaid bills.

Mr Richardson, 78, contacted Citizen's Advice, Age Concern and even hired a solicitor to try to resolve the matter.

He provided British Gas with photographic evidence that, although he had a meter in his home, the reading had not changed since the day he moved in.

"They just didn't want to listen," said Mr Richardson. "They were adamant that I owed them money, even when I could prove I didn't.

"From the very start I told them that although I used electric, I didn't use gas. But they carried on regardless sending me letters threatening legal action, that they were going to get a warrant to enter my property and that they would disconnect my supply.

"And the bill kept getting bigger and bigger. I pay for everything by cash, I have no debts and this was very worrying for me."

Just months after he moved in to the flat, Mr Richardson was billed £179.15.

In November 2007 he tried to move supplier to npower and Southern Electric but British Gas objected to the move due to the unpaid bills.

By May 2008 the bill had reached £447.54 and by July 2009 had risen to £687.94. It had then gone to £859.82 in March 2010.

Over the next few years the bill grew and grew until last month it had reached a whopping £1,100.28.

"I just didn't know what to do," said Mr Richardson. "They said the debt had been passed to a collections agency. Citizens Advice spoke to British Gas as far back as 2007 and we were told then to 'forget all about it' by their adviser.

"They accepted that although there was a meter in the flat, I wasn't using gas and this was shown by the meter reading not changing. In 2008 they were still sending me bills and we were telling them that I wasn't using any gas."

Mr Richardson asked British Gas for compensation for the letters, phone calls and heartache they caused but has only been offered £50 as a 'goodwill gesture', which he has declined.

"The matter is now resolved," said Mr Richardson. "They finally removed the meter and the matter is closed but it has been a terrible time for the past seven years. They were not listening to me at all.

"I asked them to read the meter but there was no joy. They did not want to know. I had nothing to do with British Gas, I didn't even have a contract with them as I used electric. They were adamant I owed them the money even when it was obvious I didn't"

Leigh Franks of British Gas said: "I am very sorry for the distress caused by the errors with Mr Richardson's gas account.

"We did not act as quickly as we should have to correct the account details. We have apologised for this and for the incorrect final bill that we sent. We will be contacting Mr Richardson again to explain how this happened and to resolve the issue."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.