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Re: Robbing people with false bills
Have similar problem, also raised complaint 2 weeks ago or so and no reply... Smart meter says we're using £40-45 per month with DD £66, yet they told us that we use too much and that we will pay £84 monthly. I simply don't understand how they calculate it?
Re: Robbing people with false bills
Hi Diane, I looked again at your 6 messages. You have left SP and closed your pre payment accounts. They have created a new final account with a debt on it and are pursuing you for the debt, is that right?
Look at the new account, where did the debt arise? what was the last meter reading on the bill, and how does it compare with the meter reading in your house?
Was there any credit left on your old accounts? check the final closing statement. If there was credit on the bottom line (not during your payments which are listed as credits) then claim it back quoting the old account numbers.
I hope you can see what has happened and that you and Ofgem can sort it out. The debt may be an error, if so it will be corrected, but if it is genuine and maybe built up slowly over some time, then it would have to be paid. It is odd to have built up a debt with a prepayment system, and you are right to complain and raise the matter higher.
It might all be caused by a wrong meter reading so take a photo of your meters showing today's readings and send it to Ofgem and SP.
Re: Robbing people with false bills
Hi davc,
I have looked into my accounts I was £227 in credit on my electric and £235 in credit on my gas as they sent me a statement which I have in my documents box... as if already closed my accounts by december 2017 so I applied to get my credits back in February this year... so they said they'd look into it the next thing I see on my account was the new account number which was generated in March 18 convientley so now you see my point I had no debit on each I'll upload the screenshots of my account later thank you
I have looked into my accounts I was £227 in credit on my electric and £235 in credit on my gas as they sent me a statement which I have in my documents box... as if already closed my accounts by december 2017 so I applied to get my credits back in February this year... so they said they'd look into it the next thing I see on my account was the new account number which was generated in March 18 convientley so now you see my point I had no debit on each I'll upload the screenshots of my account later thank you
Re: Robbing people with false bills
That is good work Diane.
One thing I do not understand is that the credit is stored on the prepayment card, so what happened? Could you use the card with your new supplier?, if not there should still be credit left for you to claim, I hope you still have the SP card.
I found this on a prepayment help line:
"Prepayment energy meters are usually installed into homes that have slipped into debt with their energy supplier at some point, to help them manage their debt and their budget more effectively.
Some landlords also like to have them installed in their rental properties , to try and cut the risk of their tenants running into debt.
If you have to switch to a prepayment meter because you're in debt to your energy supplier, you will pay off your debt bit by bit at the same time as you pay for the gas and electricity you use.
This means that as well as paying the unit rate for the energy you use, you'll pay a little extra to go towards what you owe.
If you've moved to a new home which has a prepayment meter, it's vital that you register with the energy company as the new account holder. If you don't, you could end up paying the wrong rates as the previous occupier could be in debt to the energy supplier."
This could explain what has happened, the debt on the gas account could have been from a previous occpier from before the prepayment meters were put in. You will know if this is possible if you moved in and took over the pre payment meters.
Good Luck sorting this out.
Re: Robbing people with false bills
When I bought my new build, I had to go with Scottish power. They have caused me nothing but stress ever since. Not billing, cleaning out my account, not dealing with complaints. Telling me my dept was £300 then suddenly it was £600. Arrangement of call backs that never happened. I have to contact them, they don’t know what is happening, so arrange for call backs.. that never happen. I try to call my complaint manager, the number they give is to the general switch board that do not have the ability to put me through and do not have a number I can call.
I left in December, they are still creating my final bill. Nothing but a complete mess. I am at my wits end. DO NOT GO WITH THEM, THEY ARE UTTER CRAP.
I left in December, they are still creating my final bill. Nothing but a complete mess. I am at my wits end. DO NOT GO WITH THEM, THEY ARE UTTER CRAP.
Re: Robbing people with false bills
I used to be quite happy with the service I was getting from Scottish Power. However, they have suddenly decided to raise my direct debit from £54 a month to £85 a month. When I queried this with them, they told me that I am using £82 a month in fuel. It is now almost the end of the month, & according to my smart metre readout, so far this month, I have used £35.71. This being the case, how can they possibly justify charging me £85 per month.? At the beginning of May, my account was in credit by some £127, & now, | am supposedly in debit by £63. It is the middle of summer for goodness sake, & we have just had a heatwave, plus, I was away for half of May. Where do they get their figures from? I asked them three times to justify how they came to their conclusion about how much fuel I use & three times they evaded my question. In consquence, I am in the process of switching, & having given my exact usage, according to Scottish Power, to the new company, they are only going to charge me half the amount. So now, how can Scottish Power justify charging me £85 per month???
Re: Robbing people with false bills
The May reading was probably estimated and you have just caught up after the cold winter. Sorry to lose you, always read bills to check if they were estimated.
Re: Robbing people with false bills
Can electricity be stolen from a fusebox? Or an inverter? I am also concerned by my sudden increase in the monthly amount for my direct debit since late March 2018. Like other comments in the Scottish Power Community, it just doesn't make sense after some considerable time of very good service from this company. Everything is being checked out of course but what will the outcome be when I have been a careful and sensible user of natural power for some considerable time? I do value our global natural resources.
Re: Robbing people with false bills
Just had a very helpful conversation by phone with a representative at Scottish Power before they close for the night. It seems part of my problem could have been a lack of actual readings in relation to estimated readings. The dates for my estimated readings make sense because I wasn't around. I also can't recall reading a quarterly email alert but admittedly I could have missed it? My email address is recorded correctly with the company. Anyway a very good outcome for me after a very reasonable phone call as my direct debit is going to fall back into line with my usual payments subject to no repetition by the Beast from the East of course.
Re: Robbing people with false bills
One final additional but important point would be the graph on my account that shows my actual readings from 2017 and my estimated readings from 2018 so far. This has helped in my discussion with the company representative to have my monthly direct debit brought back to a more usual amount. I can also account for the unusual estimated readings on my account due to circumstances beyond my control. I have been unable to provide actual readings as usual.
