A war veteran says he was “hounded” for around seven months by a gas firm to pay an incorrect bill following a council mishap.
Benjamin Robinson was given the keys to his new home in The Mailyns, Rainham, on November 30, but before moving in, he looked to get the central heating reconnected.
As the house was supplied by British Gas he called the service provider, however, it refused to set him up as a new customer as he was told there was already significant debt.
Instead, the 41-year-old said he was asked how he would like to pay for the outstanding bill.
Mr Robinson believed the bill was outstanding debt from a previous tenant but his energy provider has since clarified his local authority, Medway Council, had given it inaccurate meter readings which had resulted in the incorrect energy bill.
Speaking to KentOnline, Mr Robinson said: “I thought it was a bit weird. I told them I had just moved in today and I was not the previous tenant but I was told I could be lying.
“At that point, Pandora’s Box opened up. Every time I returned to the property there was another bill on the floor or a bailiff letter.
“Every time I called British Gas I was asked how I wanted to pay. No one was listening.
“It is almost like I am being terrorised into paying a bill I do not owe. I am being continually hounded and chased.”
Although he eventually was able to reconnect the gas supply, the war veteran, who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), did not move into the property as it needed a lot of work doing to it.
Mr Robinson decided to hand the keys back to Medway Council at the end of February and alerted the service provider after the “extreme stress” of the situation started affecting his health and he lost his ability to speak.
The Pride of Medway nominee added: “Eventually, everything hit me. The stress became too much and I was overwhelmed with it.
“I was absolutely terrified of going through the door as there was always a letter.
“I am scared to open my door. I am having to make sure there is not someone there asking for something I am not liable for.
“It is constantly playing on my stress levels. They could come in and take all my belongings and I would not be able to stop them.
“British Gas is acting like a cartel. It was pay this or we are going to get you and that is still going on.”
Despite Mr Robinson no longer being the tenant of the property, he continued to receive letters and emails from British Gas at his new home in Beacon Hill, Chatham, telling him he still owed money.
He was sent multiple bills all with different amounts including £326, £230, £221 and £193, and bailiff letters.
However, looking at his meter readings from when he was given the home and after he left, the volunteer calculated, at the highest rate, that he only owed around £80 to £90.
Mr Robinson said: “It honestly seems that British Gas is simply pulling figures out of thin air. It sends me an invoice and when there is a dispute, send the bailiffs for a complete stranger’s debt.
“I am facing a wall of bureaucracy. Send me the right bill and I will pay it.
“Every time I returned to the property there was another bill on the floor…”
“They are doing what they want when they want. You cannot just do that.
“I will not give up. It cannot just be me and there is part of me that wants to protect others.”
For almost seven months Mr Robinson, who was injured while serving in Iraq in 2004, said he had been “hounded” by British Gas to pay the bill he did not owe.
He complained to the service provider, Medway Council on multiple occasions, and sought the help of his ward councillors and his fellow veterans in the RBLI but could not get the issue resolved.
However, after KentOnline contacted British Gas earlier this week within three hours Mr Robinson was contacted and told the entire sum of the bill had been written off.
A spokesman for the firm said: “We have spoken with Mr Robinson and have resolved this for him.
“We were given incorrect meter readings by his local council when he moved into the property, and this led to an inaccurate bill.
“This did not include a balance from any previous tenant.
“We have since corrected his meter readings and as a goodwill gesture, we have credited his account as we should have put this right when he first contacted us.
“We have said sorry for this and confirmed to Mr Robinson that there is nothing for him to pay.”
Medway Council was contacted for comment.