scottish power refused to honour contract

pink_bagpuss

Please can someone advise me?
I am at the moment with British Gas. Just after their price rise a Scottish power door to door sales woman signed me up for a capped rate for dual fuel (4.8.08). Now i have 2 electricity meters as the owners before me had off peak for heating and peak. I don't use the off peak much but was not sure how to get it removed so left it in. I questioned her at the time if this would be a problem, she said no and took both meter readings. She also checked with a colleague too. I recieved the notification that they accepted me on 7th August. British Gas contacted me to check i did want to change to scottish power and offered me a capped rate. I refused as i already had a contract with Scottish Power.
Yesterday I recieved a letter from Scottish power dated 19/8/08 saying that due to the meter configuration in my premises they do not currently have a suitable compatible pricing arrangement to meet my requirements!!
What is really annoying is I know that i applied to them before their price rise -and that according to the saleswoman, they did have a tarrif for on peak and off peak meters - she showed me. I have also turned down other offers of capped rates over the last 2 weeks. Can i do anything. i plan to ring on monday and complain.

Incisor

Keep hold of your notification and equally of all details of offers you have turned down. Ringing up is [in my opinion] a total waste of time for a contract matter - call centres are ignorant of the concept. You need to write.

Basic things to check: Do you actually have a contract? [I am assuming thta what you have will show this]. What are your losses as a result of not taking other deals? Can you show this?

brysiewysie

I think Scottish Power, like some other companies are not able to take on the type of system you have. While you can rightly complain I think there's little chance of ending up with what you thought you were going to get.

I work for Eon and whilst they can take on some of these types of set-ups they don't offer any capped products for these tariffs. I'm guessing that may be the same for some other suppliers too.

Incisor

brysiewysie wrote: »

I think Scottish Power, like some other companies are not able to take on the type of system you have. While you can rightly complain I think there's little chance of ending up with what you thought you were going to get.

Whether or not SP have the capability to take the OP on, they have CONFIRMED on 07 August, and only by 05 September have they told OP that they can't [in a letter dated 19 August - which stinks]. OP has presumably missed other opportunities. AFAICS, there is a contract and SP should honour it until they can find an acceptable way forward from the OP's point of view.

brysiewysie

Incisor wrote: »

Whether or not SP have the capability to take the OP on, they have CONFIRMED on 07 August, and only by 05 September have they told OP that they can't [in a letter dated 19 August - which stinks]. OP has presumably missed other opportunities. AFAICS, there is a contract and SP should honour it until they can find an acceptable way forward from the OP's point of view.

Yes, I know that.

It probably happened that SP tried taking on the first mapn, hence the acknowledgement letter. Then when the transfer process was continuing SP were advised there was a 2nd mpan which caused the failure letter.

I was simply pointing out that the SP salesperson either didn't know or intentionally put through a sale that won't probably ever be accepted because their system can't take that kind of supply over ever, but I'm sure you know that dual mpan supplies often cause this type of problem.

Incisor

brysiewysie wrote: »

Yes, I know that.

It probably happened that SP tried taking on the first mapn, hence the acknowledgement letter. Then when the transfer process was continuing SP were advised there was a 2nd mpan which caused the failure letter.

I was simply pointing out that the SP salesperson either didn't know or intentionally put through a sale that won't probably ever be accepted because their system can't take that kind of supply over ever, but I'm sure you know that dual mpan supplies often cause this type of problem.

Actually, I know very little about MPAN other than what I have gleaned here. To me, although it is an explanation of why SP can't take this forward, the explanation is neither here nor there. If SP try talking about MPAN's when sorting this out, then they are getting it wrong. They need to put their hands up to a serious error and set about giving the OP a satisfactory resolution. It is now the resolution which matters, not the explanation.

brysiewysie

Incisor wrote: »

Actually, I know very little about MPAN other than what I have gleaned here. To me, although it is an explanation of why SP can't take this forward, the explanation is neither here nor there. If SP try talking about MPAN's when sorting this out, then they are getting it wrong. They need to put their hands up to a serious error and set about giving the OP a satisfactory resolution. It is now the resolution which matters, not the explanation.

But the resolution is very unlikely to be that they can take the supply on - exactly the point I was making initially!

Incisor

brysiewysie wrote: »

But the resolution is very unlikely to be that they can take the supply on - exactly the point I was making initially!

So what should the resolution be?

You can say it's all due to MPANs etc etc, so they can't take on the supply. Which is exactly what the call centre will say. Effectively they will try to blind the customer with MAPNs and wash their hands of the matter. Not good enough.

The OP has a contract now, the OP has probably missed deals etc. SP should now make sure that the customer is not disadvantaged by SP's failure. The moment SP mention MPAN, the OP needs to be quite clear with them that MPANs are irrelevant - what is required is something which puts them back in the position they were in before taking on this deal.

brysiewysie

It is now the resolution which matters, not the explanation.

I guess this is your decision? I'd think the OP may be interested in more to help them in what they now have to go through.

I think you need to read the posts again. I agree the OP has a complaint to make and they should make a fuss about the whole issue. I've never suggested they should give up, in fact my first post on this comment was;

brysiewysie wrote: »

While you can rightly complain I think there's little chance of ending up with what you thought you were going to get.

All I have consistently said is that the OP should not expect to have a resolution from SP that involves them taking the supply on a fixed rate - they have no actual way to do it with the type of supply this seems to be.

I don't know what the resolution would be, why would I? I've never offered a view on that and just thought it worthwhile setting expectations for the OP.

It's pointless arguing this further with you and doesn't help the OP giving him the impression that it may all come out all rosy on a nice old rate fixed SP product.

Incisor

brysiewysie wrote: »

.... I think you need to read the posts again. ... It's pointless arguing this further with you and doesn't help the OP giving him the impression that it may all come out all rosy on a nice old rate fixed SP product.

Not that I am giving that impression. I'll leave you to decide whether you should read it again.

Gatwick_Blade

I got this letter from Scottish Power today.

Looking at it the problem has to be either:

I have a Radio Time Switch fitted or
a Multirate Single Phase Watt Hour Meter.

I suspect the former as it talks about an Off peak supply for heating.

It suggests that I talk to my current supplier (edf) to get the meter removed and then I can get back to them. I suspect from the tone of the letter that the capped rate will not be offered. Actually I think they're trying to make me think it will be but I'm sure it's gone