Basically, I recieved a final notice last month, which was the first bill I'd recieved for the quarter, demanding I pay them the day after the bill arrived. It upset me at the time that the first I'd heard of it was this message but I couldn't be bothered so I paid it a week later and assume that would be the end of it. Today I recived a letter telling me I hadn't paid last quarters bill and was now going to be charged monthly and that I have to pay them £150 by the 22nd of June (IE two days ago).

What can I do about this. I don't want to be paying them monthly for two reasons, 1 because it's more expensive and two, because if the first bills I'm getting now are a month late I'm going to have to put up with much more of them not getting bills to me and it somehow being my fault. I'm going to contact them and ask them to put me back onto a quarterly tarrif and to sort out the payment I've made and they're demanding I pay again. Am I within my rights to ask that they send my bills recorded delivery?

I think they're doing it on purpose to try and make me set up a direct debit but I'm not doing that.

What is the best course of action? I'm tempted to just tell them where to stick it and not pay them anything, I don't own anything of value that can be reposessed so I don't see they can do anything.

They can screw up your credit rating which would be a bugger if you wanted a mortgage, a cellphone contract or a credit/debit card.

Always helps to ring them and speak to someone, Ring and explain everything, if you don't get anywhere with the tele person ask for their manager

Talk to them and explain is always the first thing to do, and usually it works.

How is it more expensive?? Do you use more gas etc by paying monthly??

I had three years of hassle from them, threats of bailiffs, the lot, over unpaid gas bills.

We made loads of phone calls and I have a file bursting at the seams with all the letters.

I wouldn't mind, but the nearest house on gas is 6 miles away.
I have to get mine from Calor.

Paul G

You pay more per unit to pay monthly.

What a bunch of robbers.

Absolute shower, the lot of them.

Discuss it with them, explain you cannot pay a bill you haven't actually received and explain that if they will not let you remain on quarterly you'll just go somewhere else. If they say they did send out the bills then point out that if their system is so foolproof how comes their asking you again from money you've already sent them.

And then when it's all done ask for compensation for them mucking you around, giving you grief and requesting money for a bill you've already paid. Mentioning Ofgem at this point might help.

I have found talking to the companies does usually sort things out, the difficult bit is getting to the right person, the frontliners all read from a script. Keep a written note of everything, always ask for names and record the date/time of your calls.
If that fails, I would suggest getting some proper advice. Try the CAB, they should be able to help you out.

Tell them everything, tell them to put it back where it all was. Keep all the paperwork in case you need to refer to anything/take them to court. I keep telling the missus we should take Sainsbury's to court over the 3 inches of paperwork about trying to pay them