Scottish Power - Penalised for moving into a pre-pay property

PNPSUKNET

We were with Scottish power for about 6 months at our previous address on a credit meter and paid by online direct debit, never had a problems they provided a service we paid our bill on a monthly basis and had no debt even at the finish with them.

So we moved address which unlucky for us has pre-payment meters in, which have been there for years. We moved to scottish power as they always offered us a good customer service, with weather getting very bad and been in a remote area we asked for these to be removed we dont have any money problems at all and we would like to get a discount for paying by direct debit on a online tariff instead of standard electric prices.

Now we have a 4 year old child and my partner has problems walking and breathing and with me working away, could mean that she is stuck in the house with no power and unable to get out or even move. Scottish power at first wanted £149 deposit along with £49 to change the meter. They say its their policy, to me it seems like they dont want custom and want to put people at risk.

So to sum it up, if you move into a property with pre-pay and you normaly pay by direct debit dont choose scottish power! Anyone else had this with them?

Premier_2

Who would you recommend going to who will lend you money on credit without any security?

Ain't that the way this world got into the financial mess it currently is in?

PNPSUKNET

when you have been with them before and always paid them it builds up a previous history. What your saying is similar that to take a mobile contract out and pay a deposit, take it you do this everytime?

PNPSUKNET

think scottish power will loose customers that pay them, just by adopting this policy. Why should those that pay ontime be stung for those that dont

C_Mababejive

Advise Scottish power that you intend to change suppliers. Go on uswitch, find the cheapest and ring them. Tell them your situation and see if they can accommodate you if you switch to them.

icefall

Go to Southern Electricity they will remove them free.

dogshome

Hi PNPSUKNET - You have a good credit history with Scot. Power, but it is at a different address with different meter numbers. Write to SP pointing out that you are the same person they dealt with at your old address - if you still have some paperwork, quoting your old account No would be great - Then hopefully they won't demand the deposit. So far as the meter change cost is concerned, it will mean a change of supplier to get it done free, and tell SC in the letter that, that is what you propose to do if they insist on chargeing

PNPSUKNET

thanks for that, they even looked at the previous account and they just wouldnt budge. the thing that gets me the most is that the advisor at spower had the nerve to say pre-pay are the same price, they are in deed the same price as the standard expensive rate rather than the discounted tariffs by direct debit

Mankysteve

BG will swap for free although there may be other who are cheaper.

cajef

We moved into a property last December with prepayment meters which we had never had before, the supplier was EDF when we phoned to ask them to change them they said there would be a charge.

We contacted Scottish Power who were our supplier at our previous property for over eight years, they agreed to switch us to them and then changed the meters free of charge as we had been long standing customers of theirs and had no bad payment history.

marmitedog

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

So to sum it up, if you move into a property with pre-pay and you normaly pay by direct debit dont choose scottish power! Anyone else had this with them?

You don't have a choice when you move into a property, you are automatically supplied by whoever the previous residents used.

British Gas will remove a PP meter if you sign up to them but ONLY if you pass the credit check. Otherwise, it will be as Scottish Power ie charge and consumption based deposit.