LCS/British Gas Debt

[Drew]

So what is covered by Consumer Credit Act (CCA) 1974 ?

In a nut shell the following:
Fixed sum Credit (S77), Loans (Bank, etc)
Variable Sum Credit (S78) Cards, catalogues
Higher Purchase (S79) HP agreements.

Utilities, telecoms, broadband, TV, rentals, etc are NOT covered by CCA, but there are ways to make the DCA's work for their money in these cases.

I have got LCS harrassing me for repayment of a British Gas debt.

I sent them a CCA Request but they replied back saying that Utility Bills aren't covered by a CCA.

How can I make them work for their money, like Curly Ben describes in his post above?

[Caspar]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

Other exempt agreements
·The Act shall not regulate a consumer hire agreement where the owner is a body corporate authorized by or under any enactment to supply electricity or water and the subject of the agreement is a meter or metering equipment used or to be used in connection with the supply of electricity or water, as the case may be.

from CCA 2006 Amendments. I know it only mentions water and electricity, but I would think gas may fall into the same category.

[Drew]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

Other exempt agreements
·The Act shall not regulate a consumer hire agreement where the owner is a body corporate authorized by or under any enactment to supply electricity or water and the subject of the agreement is a meter or metering equipment used or to be used in connection with the supply of electricity or water, as the case may be.

from CCA 2006 Amendments. I know it only mentions water and electricity, but I would think gas may fall into the same category.

So does this mean that the CCA does actually cover utility debts as well?

[Caspar]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

Certainly in the case of electricity and water it means they are exempt from the act -ie- the act does not cover them. It does seem a little strange they specifically mention electricity and water as being metered, but not gas which is also metered. My best guess would be that gas falls in with water and electricity as not being covered, but don't take that as absolute gospel truth until somebody else comes along.

[The Debt Star]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

Dunno but BG chasing down gas bills with DCAs is standard and they also trash credit files if you were on a monthly billing arrangement with them.

[Pinky69]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

There is no credit agreement for gas - it is utility service and does not involve credit. They supply the service, you pay the bill. It has to be paid but if you cannot pay it all at once they will come to an arrangement with you.

[The Debt Star]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

There is no credit agreement for gas - it is utility service and does not involve credit. They supply the service, you pay the bill. It has to be paid but if you cannot pay it all at once they will come to an arrangement with you.

hmmm...Pinky I know you are ALWAYS right so this has got me thinking.

BG entered negative reporting on my OH's credit files - for gas supply. We were on a monthly payment plan, came off it, but BG continued reporting. So got that scored off by complaining.

So are you saying they were in breach of the rules and regs in doing that? If so they must be doing it to loadsa people...........

[alsagerman]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

I could be mistaken but, isn't this a problem to put before Ofgen? They regulate the energy market so if there's been wrong doing they "should" be able to offer advice.

[The Debt Star]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

True but I guess what happened in our case is that we came to an "arrangement" with them when we called their Indian call centre, and hence the gas supply became a financial arrangement (?)

Don't recall anyone at said call centre telling us that though.........

[Drew]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

So what is covered by Consumer Credit Act (CCA) 1974 ?

In a nut shell the following:
Fixed sum Credit (S77), Loans (Bank, etc)
Variable Sum Credit (S78) Cards, catalogues
Higher Purchase (S79) HP agreements.

Utilities, telecoms, broadband, TV, rentals, etc are NOT covered by CCA, but there are ways to make the DCA's work for their money in these cases.

So if I can't use the CCA for Utility Debts, how can I make them work for their money, like Curly Ben describes in his post above?

[Pinky69]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

I have no idea how you can make them "work" for their money - unless making them wait and querying bills is making them work?? As for late payment of utility bills being on credit records, they can/do report a bill that is unpaid if it is passed to collections. This is to alert other utility companies and possible lenders that you you have not paid the bill and may be credit risk/ not a good bet to provide a utility to.

[mr.ton]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

Credit reports are not worth the paper they are printed on and the information on them can easily be distorted/manipulated Things you expect to be on them usually arent and things you dont expect to be on there usually are.

[WendyB]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

Did you actually use the fuel (electricity/gas) which they are chasing for payment of? Is the bill correct or do you dispute the account?

If there is no dispute about the sum owing then why do they have to work for their money? Why not just come to an arrangement to pay the amount outstanding in affordable instalments?

[Judge mental]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

You may be able to get help with your bill from the British Gas Enery Trust (google them). If you submit an application, BGET will inform BG who will stop collections activities whilst you application is under consideration

Stuart

[CleverClogs]

Re: LCS/British Gas Debt

I have no idea how you can make them "work" for their money - unless making them wait and querying bills is making them work??

Might Ben count whistling as work?