A Broughty Ferry pensioner has been at loggerheads with Scottish Gas regarding the company’s “mafia shakedown” over his gas bill.
Bill Lyon has been locked in a dispute with the gas provider for around two years.
The 83-year-old was sent letters threatening him with legal action – despite being told he was in credit before moving to a new property.
Scottish Gas has apologised for the error.
Money demand after Scottish Gas bill mix-up
Bill told The Courier the situation has made him ill as he’s been “bounced around call centres”.
He said: “Honestly, this has felt like a mafia shakedown on behalf of Scottish Gas and their legal representatives at BW Legal.
“I received correspondence in November 2022 with a final statement advising I was £374.25 in credit.
“I was moving to a new property and with the upheaval of moving I’d noticed two further direct debits had come out for my old address sometime later.
“Given I’d received the final statement I thought this had been done in error and I cancelled the direct debits.”
Bill said he took the gas company to the ombudsman after they began demanding £469.92 payment for his old address.
He added: “After the discussion with the ombudsman it turned out Scottish Gas had refunded my account without telling me.
“With me cancelling the direct debits I’d then put myself in debt, according to them.”
Legal threats despite British Gas ‘goodwill gesture’
British Gas said as a ‘goodwill gesture’ they’d take £100 off this balance.
“As far as I was concerned this was their cock-up but I agreed to pay the remaining balance of £369.92,” Bill said.
“This was to be direct-debited out of my account at payments of £19.45 and was due for completion in June 2025.”
He added while an agreement had been reached with the provider and the ombudsman he began receiving written legal threats from Leeds-based debt collectors BW Legal demanding £821.05.
Several letters came from the firm demanding a different sum for the bill at his old address.
‘To be hounded like this has been horrendous’
He added: “I couldn’t believe it when these letters came in – despite an agreement already being in place.
“They were wanting more cash – far more than the original apparent outstanding balance.
“In the most recent letter in October BW Legal had the cheek to say we’ll give you 20% off and you only have to pay £656.84.
“As you can imagine, you’re on the phone to these call centres at Scottish Gas for what feels like days at a time seeking answers.
“It turned out a new account at my old address was set up under my name and an £821 balance had built up.
“Despite me arguing this for months and months they’ve finally come to their senses and seen the error.
“To be hounded like this has been horrendous.
“I was being told, ‘prove to us you don’t live at Albany Road’.
“Yet, they were sending the bills to my new address.
“I dread to think of some vulnerable pensioner going through this – I’ve read about similar experiences online.”
Apology to Broughty Ferry pensioner
Scottish Gas agreed to wipe the ongoing direct-debit payments as a goodwill gesture.
A spokesman said: “We’re sorry, a new account was set up for Mr Lyon in error after he moved.
“We know this has been difficult and we’ve been in touch to let him know we’ve now put things right.
“We’ve offered a goodwill gesture and have also written off a previous balance on his old account in light of his experience.”
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