Leaving Scottish Power

James_N

How do I stand with each of these problems?

1. Continued use of owed money, even though no longer the supplier.
2. Move to higher tariff.
3. Trying to hold to a cancellation charge even though contract was cancelled.
4, Continued DD deduction even though account terminated.
5. Severe rudeness and hassle for about a three week period (in the order of five calls a day on both of two phone lines, even when told to stop).

Any advice welcome.

Consumerist

It is possible that your problem lies in a contractual obligation to pay Scottish Power by direct debit. If you cancel the direct debit, they may have the right to move you to a tariff which allows payment by some other means (See your Terms & Conditions).

You should, really, have waited for your new supplier to complete the switch and take meter readings on which to base your closing bill with Scottish Power. You should then receive any refund due.

It is unfortunate that you may have jumped the gun by cancelling the direct debit prematurely. You may have to live with the higher tariff until your switch is completed but this should take only about six weeks from the date you applied to your new supplier.
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James_N

Your observation is of course quite true. I'd thought it was almost sorted out. But there is still the matter of the proposed cancellation fee for the contract I did not make until Nov 2010.

Consumerist

My feeling about this is that much depends on your Terms & Conditions with Scottish Power.

It may be difficult to do much until you get your final bill and find out exactly what you have been charged. If you are not happy with their final bill then you will need to follow their complaints procedure with the ultimate option to refer the matter to the Ombudsman.

As irritating as this may be, I don't really see any other way to sort this out. Perhaps another contributor may be able to offer some further advice.
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Scottish_Power

Hi James_N

I sorry to hear about the inconvenience you have been caused. I will address each issue you have raised as best I can.

Without knowing the tariff you were originally on, I will assume that you were on a specific tariff that had an expiry date of 30 November 2009. If you transfer to another supplier prior to 30 Nov or you cancel your Direct Debit before 30 Nov then you will incur a penalty charge for not seeing out your original tariff. If on the other hand we receive notification that you are changing supplier, however the transfer date is not until after the expiry date of your original tariff and you do not cancel the Direct Debit before the expiry date, then no charge should be applied to your account.

If you cancel your Direct Debit we will change you onto our monthly cash tariff (higher price tariff) and will issue you with a bill up to date. If no meter reading has been provided at this time, we will send an invoice which has been billed to an estimated reading. If we bill you passed the transfer period, this will be due to us not being provided with the final meter reading from the new supplier.

You mention that your wife's account seemed sorted and was £30 in credit, was this the credit with the account billed to the correct transfer date and to the correct meter reading (the same start reading being used by your new supplier).

If your transfer date is 5th December for example, we may not receive the final meter reading from your new supplier for a few days after therefore your account remains active until such time that we do. At this stage if you wish to cancel your Direct Debit this can be arranged and you would not be disadvantaged as this is happening after the transfer date.

To confirm:

1. Continuing to charge after the transfer date will be due to the delay in receiving the final meter reading from the new supplier. When this meter reading is received the account will be finalised to the correct date.

2. You will be moved to a higher tariff if the Direct Debit is cancelled prior to the expiry date.

3. The cancellation charge will apply if the Direct Debit was cancelled prior to the expiry date of the tariff.

4. If your account is terminated (i.e. closed to the final meter reading provided by your new supplier) then the final Direct Debit that is taken will be for the remaining outstanding balance on the account. The normal Direct Debit amount would be taken if we have not yet finalised your account (we are still waiting on the final meter reading from the new supplier).

5. This certainly should not happen and I apologise for this. If you want to send me your account details (via email address held on our profile page) we can look into this for you and find out why this was happening and to also address any customer service issues.

I hope the information provided has been helpful. Please contact me by email if you would like me to look into your account.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

James_N

you have really missed the main point, which concerns Scottish Power thinking it has the right to create new agreements after the original agreement has expired, and then imposing new - un-agreed to - terms and conditions to "contracts" the customer has not signed up to. In my case I am being told i have "agreed" to a contract running until Nov 2010, which is simply not true.

Consumerist

James_N wrote: »

you have really missed the main point . . .

I would say that, since communications between you and Scottish Power appear to have "broken down", your best bet, at this stage, is to take up the offer in Point 5 of the post by Colin @ ScottishPower above to see if he can clarify or possibly even resolve the situation for you.

If you are still not satisfied then you will have recourse to the company's complaints procedure and ultimately to the Ombudsman - but this, of course, will take a lot longer.
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Scottish_Power

Hi James_N

If you opted out of a new contract rate and we have evidence of this then no cancellation charges should apply on your account.

Follow my instructions in point 5 and I will be able to check exactly what has happened with your account and get this matter resolved for you quickly.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Consumerist

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

If you opted out of a new contract rate and we have evidence of this . . .

The only thing I would add to this good advice is that Scottish Power will need to prove that you have agreed to a new contract. You should not have to prove that you did not.

Since you believed you had already switched to another supplier, it is unlikely that Scottish Power could prove that you knowingly agreed to a new contract with them.
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James_N

Thanks for the advice so far. The situation is still unresolved

I'll update this when I get greater clarity.

Scottish_Power

Hi James_N

I apologise that you are being provided with such poor service. In order to get this matter resolved quickly, I suggest that you escalate your complaint to Stage 3 of our Complaints Proceedure. Please see the link below.

http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/Home_Energy/Customer_Services/Making_a_complaint/

This way you will have one representative from ScottishPower investigating your account and you will be provided with all the relevant information you require.

Again, I can fully investigate your account and provide you with all the answers/explanations you require. Our email address is shown on our profile page.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower