Fighting an Unfair Final Bill: Latassha’s battle with British Gas and debt collectors

After Latassha switched from British Gas to another provider she received a final bill within the six week time-limit and paid it. 

What should have been her final contact with her former energy provider has spiralled into a brutal dispute with debt collector involvement. Latassha is living with the fear of a CCJ being put on her file. 

This dispute over an erroneous final bill exemplifies how what should be a smooth process of switching and settling any outstanding payments can become a nightmare for energy customers. 

Not only do energy providers make billing errors, but they can ignore those who try to dispute them. On top of this failure of customer service, their process for pursuing outstanding payments can put people into the scary situation of being aggressively pursued by the debt collection agencies they employ. 

While Latassha has bravely fought on, she is now living with the reality of anxiety every time the doorbell rings.

This is her story… 

In mid-November 2023 I decided to change my energy supplier through a well known switching site. Towards the end of December, within six weeks of making the switch, I received communication from British Gas communication. Their message informed me that “Your final balance on 22/12/2023 is £18.01. We’ll collect your final payment in 10 days.” 

As my former provider, I obviously already had a Direct Debit set up and had supplied final meter readings. For this reason, I didn’t take too much notice of this message, expecting that it would be taken automatically. Yet one month later, at the end of January 2024 I received another reminder: “Your final energy bill of £29.54 is due to be paid.” I paid this promptly, expecting that this matter was now closed. 

To my surprise, less than a month later, at the end of February, British Gas sent yet another bill – this time for £4.34. At the time I actually thought this was rather amusing! My local TV news had just run a report on British Gas’ billing: I knew that some people were receiving multiple bills or other people’s bills. In one particular case, a lady received 32 bills on the same day! (I seem to remember that, ironically, she wasn’t even on mains gas!) Knowing all this, I dismissed the bill as an error: since I had already paid the final bill, I wrongly assumed that it would come to light at the end of the accounting period and British Gas would take it off my file. 

“Either they had made a mistake or there is some law that redefines the meaning of “final”…”

Fast forward to September 2024: it has now been ten months since I switched and I receive yet another British Gas Reminder: “Your final bill is due”. The amount was now £31.01. I immediately contacted British Gas via their portal asking them what was going on. Either they had made a mistake or there is some law that redefines the meaning of “final” and that they were allowed to change it. This is very unlikely as the meaning of “final” is fundamental to Contract Law.

They never got back to me or acknowledged receipt of my enquiry. The very next day I logged an official complaint. Again, they did not acknowledge receipt. 

About ten days later I received yet another British Gas reminder, this time the tone was nastier and more aggressive, along the lines of “Pay up or else!” I immediately submitted another complaint to British Gas – this was sent via their online portal and the post. (At the time there was no mechanism to email them). As of today, they still haven’t replied!

“I thought that finally I was making some progress… In hindsight, I couldn’t have been more wrong!” 

I was now starting to feel quite worried and knew I should explore my options for disputing this. I looked into complaining to the Energy Ombudsman but found that I would have to wait 56 days for a response from British Gas. To me, this felt like an awfully long amount of time to receive help or advice, especially as British Gas were saying they would pass the matter to a debt collection agency. 

One month later: enter the “Bully Boys”. A debt collection agency called BW Legal sent me two messages four days apart. The tone of the messages were intimidating, essentially stating “Pay up by November 1 or else!” 

I was shocked and immediately tried to communicate with BW Legal via their online portal. However, I found their process to be completely unfair: not only is there no one to discuss your case with, they communicate from a “no reply” email, so you cannot even respond. You have to access the case online via an account where you can leave comments and upload documents. Whenever you comment or upload something you receive an acknowledgement of receipt from the “no reply” address, but no transcript is provided. 

Eventually, after a lot of back and forth, they agreed with British Gas to put the “matter on hold” until the dispute was resolved. I thought that finally I was making some progress – and felt hopeful that a resolution was within reach. In hindsight, I couldn’t have been more wrong! 

“In the end, it’s a law firm versus me, a care home worker who has not even ever had a parking ticket, yet alone an unpaid debt.”

Receiving a debt collectors notice out of the blue is scary. As the letter was from a regulated solicitor I thought that maybe I should just pay. I assumed that a solicitor would have sound grounds for a claim and that I could not hope to challenge their superior knowledge. In the end, it’s a law firm versus me, a care home worker who has not even ever had a parking ticket, yet alone an unpaid debt. However, I did think that there was no harm asking why — and asking would at least give me some time to borrow the money.

In my communications with BW Legal I disputed the so-called “final bill” as I had already paid this six weeks after I switched. I enquired on what basis British Gas could ask for further payment, given that I had paid the final bill. Their reply was simply “Here’s the bills, pay up or else”. 

As BW Legal are allegedly bona fide solicitors, I uploaded my side of the case and an acknowledgement was received. However, after a few days, when I decided to check on progress I was stunned: after I logged into the account, I noticed my entries were different to those which were uploaded. For example, there was no longer my request to see the contract that would require me to pay. This was horrifying – as there is only their record of information exchange they could report anything that suited them. Without a copy of the original, they can tailor their case and none would be able to prove otherwise.

I told BW that their portal was an unacceptable means of contact and requested that we use email or post. Their response was that I had to use their portal – which, to me, felt totally unfair. 

At the end of November 2024, I wrote to BW Legal requesting that all communications must be in writing and delivered by post. Once again, I asked them for evidence that the final bill was invalid. On the 3rd of January I received a letter of explanation from BW Legal: it turns out that British Gas had messed up, not using the correct recorded final meter readings. 

On top of British Gas’ own error, what was most shocking to me was that this firm of solicitors, who should know that once a  final bill is paid there is “no further chance for action, discussion or change”, but still went on to pursue me for money owed from a second and third final bill. These are oxymorons: as there can only be one final bill or it is not a final bill! Not only that, but it turns out that none of these so-called final bills relate to the final readings! 

“Why pursue a claim for £31.01 through the courts? It will cost them £35.00 to file!”

In my response to this explanation I asked them again to clarify why the final bill was invalid. Their reply was, once again “Here’s the bills pay up or else”. I then made an offer to settle the claim. In my offer I suggested we scrap all the former “final bills” and British Gas issue a final bill. I said that they should use the correctly recorded final readings to produce a closing figure – and that they could deduct that figure from the £60.00, which would be automatically due to me in line with the energy supplier’s licence.

If my stance was specious, they would have had the knowledge and experience to demonstrate this and there would have been no problem. This was in January – and they did not reply to me. 

Several months later, in April 2025, without issuing a “deadlock letter” BW Legal then issued a letter of claim, which is at best negligently misrepresented, if not fundamentally dishonest. To me, it is truly unbelievable that a regulated solicitor would publish blatant lies in what is going to be an evidential document. 

This gang of solicitors have, as far as I can see, completely disregarded all legal protocols, and have the cheek to issue a letter telling me I have to follow the protocols. I have so many questions: Why, if they were in the right, did they not explain why someone could, legally modify a final bill after it had been paid? Why pursue a claim for £31.01 through the courts? It will cost them £35.00 to file! (As I understand it, claims for small amounts automatically go to an arbitration – so even if the arbitrator agrees with them they will still lose money). 

It is implausible to believe that a bona fide solicitor would actually lie in writing; They write in reply to my correspondence, then state that I would not answer them. They stated in writing that I made an agreement with BG shortly after switching to a better supplier. Why on earth would one do that?

“Their attitude made me want to keep fighting – ‘Let David take on Goliath’, I thought.” 

In summary, I switched energy companies. Under the licensing rules and their own CoP, British Gas were required to send a final bill within 6 weeks. Sure enough, I received the final bill in the sixth week and duly paid it. I should then have been able to get on with life. Instead, months later: “Surprise! You owe us money – pay up.” 

Initially, I really was overwhelmed with a wave of sadness, knowing that I have no choice but to deal with the bungling incompetence of British Gas’ customer service and fight a dispute that will take months to sort it out.

British Gas have denied receiving any messages via their portal or written correspondence from me. Yet they have not done any investigation into this – asking to see copies of my messages or complaint. Instead they’ve gone ahead and employed a debt collector who, in my opinion, are a bunch of thugs masquerading as an honourable professional company.

When it comes to BW Legal I have found their manner beyond distasteful and certainly not giving any of the consideration one could reasonably expect from an honourable professional. Their attitude made me want to keep fighting – “let David take on Goliath”, I thought. But throughout this process I feel like they have been wearing me down with “smoke and mirrors.” As you can imagine, I can do without a CCJ against me! 

Now, anytime the doorbell rings I am concerned that some enforcer will be there claiming to be from the courts and demanding money. I do believe that somehow they will get a hearing without me being present and they will win by default. I do feel like giving up and paying, but my dad says “nil illegitum vinci” – don’t let the illegitimates wear you down!  I have decided that I have no choice but to fight on… 

Fighting an unfair final bill

Latassha’s experience is a stark reminder of how a simple final bill dispute can escalate into a draining battle with an energy giant and aggressive debt collectors. 

Her story isn’t just about numbers on a bill: it’s about the emotional toll of being caught in a system that seems indifferent to fairness and clarity. 

We have heard from people  facing similar ordeals: after switching providers and settling what was supposed to be the final bill, they end up being hounded by multiple, confusing charges and relentless calls from collectors. For them, the feelings of overwhelm and powerlessness can push them into paying for something they know is not fair, too afraid that a mistake they didn’t make would haunt their credit records forever. 

Latassha’s story highlights the importance of standing firm and demanding accountability. For anyone going through this, remember Latassha’s resolve and her father’s wise words: nil illegitum vinci, or “don’t let the illegitimate win”.

Sometimes, fighting for what’s right is the only way forward, even when the odds feel stacked against you.

With Resolver Stories you can read real experiences of people fighting for fairness and share your own. Whether you scored a big win or are stuck in an absurd or never-ending nightmare, we want to hear from you! 

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