Scottish Power Rant!

purplepixi

I do apologise in advance, by I need to vent, they've really wound me up!

Our family is in the military, so we live in military accommodation, which is run by the Defence Housing Executive.

Now, last year - 1st Dec 04, we moved to another camp, when we moved the Defence Housing Rep took the meter readings, they then send this info to the gas and electric companies telling the company that any bills after that date should be sent to the Defence Housing Executive as the land lord.

My final bill was £0, which was about right as I had only been with them for 6 weeks and was paying £45 per month. However, in February 05, I recieved a bill for £100 estimated, dated from the 22 Nov 04 (so a weekish before I moved out). I rung them and they said it was because I didn't give any readings, and I said I don't live there anymore, and I had to pay.

So I rung the Defence Housing Executive to find out what the readings were, the girl told me and she said she would send them off again. Well to cover myself I phoned Scottish Power and gave them. I then asked what the bill was, and the bloke said, he didn't know as they would have to read the meters to check, but I would recieve another bill and not to pay the current one. I couldn't understand this, because the meters wouldn't say the same thing as I hadn't been there for 3 months.

So I waited, then an few months later I recieved a bill for £200. I was shocked and phone them again to say I DON'T LIVE THERE - and I may have said it very loudly, as perharps the phone operatives had gone deaf! The girl told me not to worry, and they would wipe the debt.

Now at this point, I knew that they had recieved the info from the Defence Housing Executive as they then send a demand to my mums house (the forwarding address I gave the Defence Housing Executive - the only way they would get that address is from them). Saying I now owed them £300 and if I didn't pay I would be taken to court for it. My mum wasn't having any of this, and she picked up the phone and screamed blue murder at them.

Once again they said they would wipe the debt.

I thought that was the last of it, which was about September last year.

But no, a few days ago, I go another letter from a debt collection agency asking for £80, OK that wasn't as bad as £300, but it still wasn't mine to pay.

So I phoned Scottish Power again, and said I wasn't going to pay it. The guy told me to take that up with the debt collection agency, I then explained agin that it wasn't mine to pay and that I don't live there.

They said, OK will put a hold on your account, and they wanted me to send proof that I no longer lived there.

So I had to drive all the way to the old base, to get a piece of paper that said I had moved out (as we don't actually have proper tenancy agreements). The girl in the office said, she couldn't understand why they had had no bills for that property and even showed me the form they sent to the power comanies. And she said I should also give them her phone number, she was brill - the only person so far that has been of any help.

So I then wrote them a very stern letter, saying that here's the proof that I don't live there and that I consider this matter closed, and should any more demands be placed upon me I will be seeking legal advice.

It got sent recorded delivery yesterday. However my stress levels are very high now - not needed!!!!

I know I've gone on, but I'm so angry, surly, if I've moved out, and I phone them the day I was leaving to say so, that should be enough - but no.

If they come back at me again, does any one know what I should do. My mum said I should go an see a Solicitor for a 30min free session and get them to write a letter. I'm more tempted just to ask Citizens Adivce.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Cardew

You are not the first to get involved in a triangle between Utitility company, MoD and yourself.

I have little doubt it will eventually get sorted out. However there is an additional thing for you to to be concerned about.

As the matter has been passed to a debt collecting agency, you will now be on the books of a credit reference agency. This can have severe implications and affect applications for mortgages, credit cards, HP, bank accounts etc. Even more worrying if they have your Mother's address(with you down as living there), that address could be 'blacked'.

When it is sorted out with Scottish Power you need written assurance that your name and mother's address have been removed from the Credit Reference agency.

purplepixi

It's been a while since I posted this - but I thought I'd give an up date.

After I sent the proof that I no longer lived at the old house I waited, and waited and waited. And I had no response. Low and behold this week another letter from the debt collection agency asking for this money. So I phoned them and asked if they had had any contact from Scottish Power, the girl said they'd had no contact to say this had been closed.

So I got back on the phone to Scottish Power and the bloke I spoke to said that they recieved my letter as it was showing up on the system. And he couldn't understand why no action had been taken. So he put me through to the Complaints Department. The woman who answered had a rant at me saying they had had no meter readings from me, so I lost it and shouted down the phone stating - yes you did - on 5 occassions, and they had to of had the original readings as they sent a bill to my mum and the only way they'd get that address is if they had had the readings.

So she spent some time search the system - and said oh yes there they are. I wasn't happy. She said she was going to look into it and phone me back.

She did - and later on that day I got a call.

It turns out that it wasn't my account at all. When I moved out, they opened a new account for the house and put my name on it -why? I have no idea. But she said this new account was opened in Dec 04, and I moved out in Nov 04. So she was giong to send the bill to the current tenants.

So after 1 and 1/2 years of telling Scottish Power it wasnt my bill, they've finally agreed it wasn't my bill! But I really think it shouldn't have gone on this long, and the amount of stress it has caused me is unbelieveable - even tho the amount of money wasn't that high.

But atleast this means theres hope there for other people who move and have problems with the utility companies.

alkip

At last! Success! Make sure that you follow Cardews advice about your credit references though.