A BEMUSED couple say their standing orders were suddenly cancelled without warning - after their grown-up son asked for HIS to be stopped.

Neil and Rosemary Morton are worried British Gas has somehow mixed up their bills with those of 24-year-old Daniel and his wife, who live nearby in York.

The parents, of Stonelands Court, Rawcliffe, complained to the company after they started receiving bills and were told by their bank that British Gas had stopped their monthly payments.

Mr Morton, 61, a part-time driver, said: "Eventually, we found out our son, who lives round the corner, had been paying by standing order as well.

"He didn't use much gas but for six months he had been paying about £100 a month.

"He got a letter saying he had overpaid and that British Gas owed him about £600."

But the money never arrived. Instead Daniel received a letter saying he was in debt and the company was applying through the small claims court for it.

"He knew this wasn't right so he stopped his standing order," said his father.

"In between all this I received mail from the gas board addressed to my son - but coming to our house."

British Gas admitted there had been a mix-up, but while it was under investigation, a meter reader came round to the house of Neil and Rosemary, 62, a dinner lady, and told them there was a problem with their serial number.

"The woman told us that whenever she came round to our house, the address on her handheld computer came up as Reighton Drive," said Mr Morton.

"She said she always told the company to change it - but it was never done."

Mr Morton wrote a six page letter to British Gas about the problems, and said: "Whose bills are we actually paying, ours, our son's or the person at Reighton Drive's?"

Representatives of the company have been due to visit the Morton house on several occasions to discuss the saga - but each time no one arrives.

"One time, my wife popped round to see our son and he told her We've just had someone from British Gas round'. But he didn't realise they were supposed to be visiting us and sent them away," said Mr Morton.

"In the meantime, our meter has been read again - and we still come up as the wrong address."

A spokesman from British Gas said: "I was concerned to hear about the problems the Morton's are having with their bills.

"We will look into this as a matter of urgency and will contact the Mortons to resolve the problem as soon as is possible."

Wait goes on for Malcolm Bell

A HOMEOWNER has waited for six months to get his house supplied with a new heating and hot water system after bungles by a gas firm.

Malcolm Bell, 57, moved into his new home in Rawcliffe Close, York, in April and contacted his gas company, who put him in touch with contractor Fulcrum.

He paid Fulcrum £497 in June and was told the work would be done on July 8.

But Malcolm was on holiday until July 7 and he received a call asking if workmen could visit his home three days earlier than planned.

He said: "I was on holiday so I said there was no way. I told them they would have to wait until the date they set. They said they would cancel it."

When he returned from his holiday, he learned all Fulcrum's contracts had been taken over by another firm, United Utilities.

Since then Malcolm has phoned and written to the firm regularly but is still waiting for the work to be done.

He said: "They never write back or explain anything and they keep telling me I am not on their system. It is unbelievable.

"I thought there is plenty of time before winter to get the gas central heating on.

"Luckily, I kept the gas storage heaters in place, otherwise I would have no hot water or heating. It is just so annoying how they treat people. It is a disgrace.

"Once you pay, you expect the job to be done and not to be messed about and left with nothing.

"I can't understand it. If they had taken Fulcrum's work on I would have thought they would have needed more work."

The Press has reported how a string of United Utilities customers, including a blind and disabled man and two pensioners, have been left waiting for months to have gas connections fitted.

Richard Felton, spokesman for United Utilities, said: "We're very sorry that Mr Bell has experienced a problem in getting a date for this work to be carried out.

"We perform thousands of gas connections every year but we acknowledge there has been a delay in this instance.

"A member of our customer service team has left messages with Mr Bell this week to set up a planned date."