Students charged £2,000 by faulty British Gas meter

WE’RE a group of eight students desperately trying to get a sensible electricity bill from British Gas.

Our tenancy started on July 1 last year, but the property was mostly unoccupied until September. Then we got an estimate for more than £1,000 in October.

We gave a reading and British Gas said the meter must be faulty. We were given a date of December 19 to replace it — but we were all at home with our parents then.

When a British Gas man finally came at the end of January, he said the meter looked fine and left without doing anything. It was eventually replaced a month later. We were told it would be monitored for three weeks, then we’d receive a bill. I checked online and found an estimate for £2,000!

We’ll soon go our separate ways, so need to get this sorted quickly.

M. H., Leeds.

WAS it too much to ask of British Gas that it should supply a meter that works and a bill that reflects your usage? clearly it was.

British Gas admits the meter was not changed in January because its engineer failed to spot the problem.

when, at my instigation, someone finally called to read the meter, they were surprised there was only one.

it appears to be an economy 7 meter, which has separate readings for day and night use. i assume you have night storage heaters because otherwise it would be barmy to have such a meter. So, what went wrong?

First, a meter that was not there was registered to the property. this triggered the very high estimates. this has been rectified.

Second, the meter that was at the property had a faulty timer. it meant you were being charged night rate and day rate at the wrong times.

British Gas has now charged you at the cheaper rate for all your electricity. this has knocked £388.17 off your bill, leaving £986.24 to pay — that’s £123.28 for each of you.

MY SON was diagnosed with malignant cancer 18 months ago. He is self-employed, married with children and has a mortgage and bills to pay. The cancer’s spread and he’s had to lose some of his work to have surgery. Is there any support available?

I can’t stand by and watch him work while he is so ill, but I don’t know if he’s entitled to anything. Mrs G. P., Cardiff.

i CAN’T imagine the terrible time you must all be going through.

i contacted Macmillan cancer Support, which has advisers to help patients get to grips with their finances.

they suggest your son has a frank chat with his mortgage provider to see if it can reduce his payments or take a mortgage holiday while he is unable to work.

Some lenders have specialist teams to support people with ill

health. he should also check any insurance policies he may be able to claim on, such as mortgage payment protection or critical illness.

his energy provider may be able to put him on a lower tariff as a vulnerable customer.

As to potential benefits, there is the Personal independence Payment, tax credits and employment and Support Allowance. For more advice, see macmillan. org. uk/ finance or phone 0808 808 0000.