Hi Ed, I know you've posted a couple of times about debt collection forms for personal use but would they apply for a Business that operates as a "sole trader"? Recently took over another business 3 months ago and I've not notified a well known "british" gas & electricity company that I'm the new occupier.
Buried my head in the sand a bit but they've sent a bill for the new owner (me but using just the shops name on the title). They have charged me over double the usual amount so what should have probably been around 1.2K is now about 2.6+k!
I've dealt with them before and I know they make it hard for you to switch without immediate payment (although that was as a limited co before), as I understand it there is a way of switching supplier due to some law or regulation that takes away the old cutting the supply off scenario.
One of the reasons I've let it slide slightly is because my wife has got very ill about 2 months ago that has just taken over everything. We are both late 30's and never get ill but just for the record she's been diagnosed as having potentially a small blood clot and inter-cranial hyper tension which is like increased pressure and fluid which is behind her eye's and affecting her eye's also.
I appreciate it's more of a business question so you might be unable to help but any advice would be appreciated. really struggling to deal with it at the moment.
i would imagine that if you continue to ignore them, they would get hold of an 'order' some how that might look like a court order and then they'd get someone to either cut off the supply or install a 'pay up front' meter and they'd charge you for the 'order' and any 'work' carried out and you'd have to pay more for each KW/h from then on as well as well as the 2.6+k.
So if you can't switch then you'd have to write to them and try to get an agreement with them to lower the 2.6+k. If this is your option, then you might want to pay them a small good faith payment of £1 or £5 or whatever you feel like, and tell them in the letter you write to them that you have made a good faith payment to remove any controversy that you are refusing to pay.
The letter itself would be asking them to breakdown and prove/verify the 2.6+k, as they have to prove they made a loss if they're charging you extra.
If you like, you can continue to pay them the small good faith payment either weekly or monthly as writing back and forth can take time.
If you think there is something fraudulent about the 2.6+k, then you have a claim against them (which you should write to them and say so and start telling them how much they owe you for harassing you for a fraudulent amount) and you and them are going to have to come to some agreement one way or another.
It's obviously best if you could figure out how to switch.
