£2500 outstanding??

ped078

Hi, im new so be gentle

Cut a long story short... I'm on prepay electric and have been since 2001 , i had a meter change to a new key meter 3 months ago, and they put a charg of £16 a week on, when i enquired about this they said i owe them £2500!!

As im on prepay i cant see how this is possible, an investigation started (instigated by me) and they (scottish power) are now saying that the period between sept 2001 and oct 2002 i was using someone elses electric card!.
I wasnt, but when i asked whos they wouldnt tell me, and they wont investigate further untill i get the charges for this period transferred from thier account to mine, but they wont tell me whos it was, so how am i supposed to do that?? the thick and thin of it is i cant afford that, but they wont help me further, where do i stand on this? what are my options?

Regard

Ped

spiro

You say you have just had new key meter fitted, what type of prepayment meter did you have before that? Was it a token meter? If it was and they have been around a least a couple of times over the last year or so to reset it then you have probably been paying an old or very old tariff. If this is the case they are probably trying to con you as OFGEM has clamped down on they back charging you becuase they didn't update the meter. Have you kept the electric card you used to use and has it been the same one since 2001 or did you use a different card when you first moved in?

ped078

Hi and thanks for your reply.

Yes it was a token meter, they never did call to my house to reset it, and yes ive been using the same card since 2001.


*edit*

Ive had this advice from a freind, is this correct?

They have to furnish you by law with the FULL details of the discrepancy of the account before they can start deducting.They cannot assume you have used the so called amount.They have to produce proof to you.

I thought in the eyes of the law, if i dispute it, they HAVE to prove i'm guity, i dont have to prove i'm innocent?

spiro

I haven't found exactly what I was looking for on the OFGEM website but here is some useful information. Regarding recovering 'debt':

The licensee must take all reasonable steps to ascertain the Domestic Customer's ability to pay and must take this into account when calculating instalments,

In relation to updating the prices on the meter:

Where a Domestic Customer pays Charges for the Supply of Electricity through a prepayment meter, the licensee must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the meter is reset within a reasonable period of time:

This link is even better from the Energywatch site as it sets everything out including each suppliers policy. Read this and then get on the phone:

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/uploads/Using_an_electricity_token_meter_Dont_get_a_Debt_Shock!_Make_sure_your_meter_is_up_to_date.pdf

Good luck.