British Gas opened an account in my name for an address that I have never occupied, and sent me a £571 bill. It declined to open a complaint because I “refused” to provide a tenancy agreement or mortgage statement which, since I’ve long since paid off my mortgage, I don’t have. It is now threatening me with a debt collection agency.

IW, Northampton

Your house is supplied by Octopus and you have no connection with the flat along the road that British Gas has conjured you into.

British Gas’s stance was that if you can’t prove you don’t live there, then you surely do. It ignored the bank statements you sent as evidence, and it never thought to question the competence of the tracing agent it uses to locate debtors.

Because your address is similar to the indebted flat, the tracing agents plumped for you when there was no response to bills sent to the supply address.

British Gas only investigated when I got involved. It has now belatedly apologised and removed you from its records.

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