Advice needed! British Gas query

[Willy Wonka]

Hello this is a general problem but related to 'debt', any help/experience would be brilliant thanks:

My mother has a business and her electricity was supplied by British Gas for a period of 12 months before she changed her contract last April and left them. A direct debit mandate was always set up but they NEVER took any money from my mother even though she pestered.

However they allowed her to leave without settling the bill, which was rather strange, and then three months later they have sent a bill for £1500 demanding immediate payment.

My mother cannot afford this, and they know they cannot cut her electricity off as she has a new supplier. She has been speaking to them and they are demanding either payment of £1200 in two parts, or she immediately send 10 post dated cheques for £150 which they will cash over the next 10 months - frankly they are being very off about it and threatening sending debt collectors to the shop.

We need advice basically on where my mother stands legally. She is quite happy to pay the bill but cannot afford to pay them the way they are demanding it is paid. She is worried if she sent post-dated cheques they would just try to cash them immediately in the hope most of it them would clear. The phone calls are now pretty often and they are threatening to refer it to their debt collection agency.

Can they do this even though they never took payment? Do they have to accept payment however my mother can give it?

I.e. If she offers £50.00 per month and thats that, do they have to accept this? She can't really afford any more than that.

Any help would be great, she is pretty worried.

[MelanieGiles]

You cannot cash post dated cheques immediately, so they would be safe. I suggest that she tries to speak to a Customer Services Manager within British Gas to offer a sensible arrangement. She is legally responsible for the bill and will have to pay it - but clearly this needs to be affordable for her.

[plasticdaft]

I think given the facts she should be able to make affordable payments every month to clear the bill. I wouldnt send post dated cheques to anyone.

[kallis3]

Me neither plastic.