Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

[fedupofmakingcalls]

Hi, I posted last month about British Gas Business (BGB) disconnecting me and demanding almost £1500.00 for reconnection. I have spent weeks chasing them up for info and also the court and have finally resolved the issue: BGB have now offered ('not soomething I should really do' said the rep) offered to reconnect me, waiver the court fees, waiver the security deposit, and knock the final 40 late payment charge off my outstanding bill, so if I now pay £50 they will end my contract (which I never agreed to) and reconnect me.
Obvioiusly to have made me this offer they were clearly in the wrong, so as I lost £700.00 of consumables and have been unable to operate my business for six weeks now (and probably a few more weeks whilst they reconnect and I find a new supplier), should I be looking to get my losses covered by BGB and how do I go about this? Or do I just start up again and put it down to experience?
All advice will be gratefully recieved.
Many thanks in anticipation.

[enquirer]

Re: Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

BG is an aggressive and unpleasant organisation, so it's very likely that they will defend. You will need to have a very clear, convincing case.

It's also worth looking at it simply as a business proposition. These are your losses, can you recoup them? Will it justify the investment of more time and resources? Would your financial interest be better served by using the time to do something else?

Obviously, BG deserve a good thrashing, but you have to be practical as well.

[des8]

Re: Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

You say you have "resolved the issue" and BG "were clearly in the wrong"
Could you possibly expand on these statements e.g. was a genuine warrant issued, and if so was it issued because BG submitted false information.
As Enquirer says is any likely result going to be worth the effort, but it may be worth trying for an ex gratia payment if you have firm evidence of wrong doing by BG.

[fedupofmakingcalls]

Re: Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

Hi des8,
Not sure if the warrant was genuine - it was written by BG as their Centrica address was at the bottom, but signed by a JP/Magistrate - althought the court have told me their legal advisors (?) have refused to give me the name of the JP/magistrateas it is 'irrelevant at this time'. I have today recieved a copy of the 'sworn information in writing' of the Rep and this IS false - they put that they had advised me onf a visit on 12/8/13 and tried to contact me on 19/8/13 - although I was at the unit on that date (most of the other units are closed on Mondays). On the 20/8/13 a BG rep phoned my mobile (I don't open on Tuesdays), he came to my home and made I made a payment to him - I have that receipt, however BG have not acknowledged that payment until 25/10/13! I explained that I was struggling and he told me not to worry as I would have a few months to sort the debt out. BG have since told me I was informed that he told me I hade four weeks to pay. He did not say that - my daughter was with me and can confirm this. The fact is, I have had to continue paying my rent for the unit, I will, once reconnected, have to spend approx £500 restocking what was lost, and I have lost seven weeks wages so far £700-£1000.
I am a bit miffed as you can expect! And I think, now I've recieved the sworn info, that I have a strong case to show that BG have not complied with the law. I do believe I should be able to at least recoup my lost consumables, wage and rent money, because as soon as I told them I was waiting for the sworn infor from the court they completely about-turned, wrote off all costs and offered free reconnection! Guilty As I think!

[bluebottle]

Re: Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

With regard to the conduct of whoever signed the warrant, coupled with the false evidence placed before the court, have you considered making a formal complaint to H.M. Courts & Tribunals Service Correspondence, Complaints and Litigation Unit?

It might pay you to draft a complaint in respect of the discrepancies in BG's submission. Anybody who can substantiate the dates etc., .e.g. your daughter, should provide witness statements.

I am not saying it will put BG in their place, but it will certainly alert HMCTS High Command to the fact that correct legal procedures are not being adhered to and warrants are being granted on false evidence and that individual courts are allowing this to happen without proper scrutiny.

[fedupofmakingcalls]

Re: Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

Hi Bluebottle, I am indeed considering all possiblities at the moment. I have written a polite thankyou to the lady at BG who dropped the costs and offered reconnection, and a polite thankyou to the court for sending me the infor. Underneath I am fuming and deciding how now to go about things. Do I wait until I'm reconnected and then rear up and attack? Do I complain to the Ombudsman and hope they can sort it? Do I take them to Small Claims court? Not really sure, but to mess somenone's life up as much as this for the sake of £350 (which I would have paid HAD procedures been followed and I'd actually recieved the letter they alledgedly sent me on 02/9/13 informing me of court action). It seems funny also, that the local Magistrates court I was apparently sent to is a local family law court and a juvenile court according to their website and since my enquiries began on 1/10/13 I found out that they do not deal with admin - their admin is dealt with at a bigger court in the nearest large town! It all just seems so false.......I complained to HM courts Lancashire advisory comittee over a month ago but have not recieved anything from them.

[bluebottle]

Re: Should I chase British Gas for loss/compensation and how do I go about it?

Hi Bluebottle, I am indeed considering all possiblities at the moment. I have written a polite thankyou to the lady at BG who dropped the costs and offered reconnection, and a polite thankyou to the court for sending me the infor. Underneath I am fuming and deciding how now to go about things. Do I wait until I'm reconnected and then rear up and attack? Do I complain to the Ombudsman and hope they can sort it? Do I take them to Small Claims court? Not really sure, but to mess somenone's life up as much as this for the sake of £350 (which I would have paid HAD procedures been followed and I'd actually recieved the letter they alledgedly sent me on 02/9/13 informing me of court action). It seems funny also, that the local Magistrates court I was apparently sent to is a local family law court and a juvenile court according to their website and since my enquiries began on 1/10/13 I found out that they do not deal with admin - their admin is dealt with at a bigger court in the nearest large town! It all just seems so false.......I complained to HM courts Lancashire advisory committee over a month ago but have not received anything from them.

I feel that you need to refer this matter to HMCTS Correspondence, Complaints and Litigation Unit. Unless HMCTS are told about things like this, local committees will carry on unchecked. Once High Command learns as to what is actually going on, that is when they can intervene and do something about it.

You will need to put your complaint in writing and I would advise you to draft it as a document with numbered paragraphs. Use Times New Roman as the typeface. Head the document as follows -

FORMAL COMPLAINT
[NATURE OF COMPLAINT]

The circumstances are:-

1....................................

2...................................

etc..

Put a covering letter in with the document, as well as any witness statements and supporting evidence.

If you decide to follow this up, an address to send the complaint and other documents to can be provided.