Scottish Power cancellation fee

Ernisius

I received the email from Scottish Power and followed the link to opt out of the new plan.

I received no confirmation from SP that I'd done this, so i did it again to make sure I did nothing wrong but still got no confirmation

Near the end I switched to another supplier.
After I switched I got a call telling me I would have to pay an early cancellation fee unless i stayed with them.

I complained about this and got a call saying the charges would be waived, but I just got a final bill from them that includes these charges.

This bill shows they moved me to the new plan even though I had opted out.
I think this is a disgraceful way for a company to behave,
I don't believe they have the right to lock you into a contract with penalty clauses with an opt out email rather than an actual agreement.

Newcroft

You have to be as sharp as a tack when dealing with Scottish Power. Even when you have conclusive proof that you are in the right, they will argue with you. This causes more phone calls to their customer support (at 0845 rates) complete with the inevitable long waits.

The only way to sort out problems is either to demand to speak to a manager, or expose them on a website like this one. Hence the reason for the Scottish Power rep being on this forum (for damage limitation purposes).

Scottish_Power

Good mornign Ernisius,

Sorry to hear about the problems you have had.

If you have opted out then you should not be asked to pay the cancellation charges, it is possible that you will receive and amended bill shortly with the cancellation charges reversed. Occasionaly this is the only way we can remove them.

If you would like to me to look in to this for you, please e-mail me at [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL]

Kind regards

Graeme @ ScottishPower

JasX

Well just spoken to scottishpower about my switch away from them:

-Back in early April I clicked the online link in the email to opt out
-Also telephoned them to tell them I was opting out
-Then went ahead with a switch via Topcashback to npower

Called them again to check how things were going, seems they've no record of the online opt-out and nothing was processed by telephone so they'd applied cancellation charges to my switch :mad:

BUT fortunately the guy I spoke to on the phone had put a clear unequovical note on my account along the lines of "6th April, customer called to inform us they were opting out" so they're getting them removed.

It seems chaos is indeed reigning over at scottish power customer operations and anyone who relied on the online opt out or cancelled by phone without speaking to someone who took good notes might find themselves in a pickle.

I do hope OFGEM take the line of OFCOM and start throwing the unfair contract terms book around as the combination of automatic lock-ins and administrative chaos Scottish power seem to be operating with doesn't seem all that great :j

moonrakerz

I recently moved from SP and was incorrectly charged £20 for doing this. I wrote and pointed this out - the letter I received said (I think !) that I was liable.
The letter was the most incomprehensible piece of junk I have ever tried to read. It even informed me that I had ceased to be their customer in Nov 2011.

I wrote again, then got a phone call of apology - the cheque duly arrived in the post !

Tim_Fox

We also completed the opt out online before the 31st April and at the same time switched supply to BG as it was cheaper than any SP deals. We have now received our final bills from SP with the cancellation charges on!!!

Having emailed SP we still await their response...................

To say we are a little unhappy with SP at this moment would be an understatement.

MsVictoriaMeldrew

I received information from Scottish Power that my existing online deal was to end in early June and that I would be transferred to their standard tariff unless I took action. I emailed them on 10th May, stating that I did not wish to be transferred to their standard monthly tariff and was in the process of switching to a cheaper supplier. I requested, and received, an acknowledgement of my email.

Within a couple of days, I applied to transfer my custom to Ebico but the process took a few weeks and the transfer did not take place until 22 June.

I have now received a final account for my electricity which shows that Scottish Power are charging me £30 cancellation fee and doubtless will do the same for gas.

Scottish Power sent me a letter after they heard of my switch to Ebico asking if I would really be better off leaving - I received it a day or two before they announced their whopping price hikes which would have hit me, as a very low energy user, disproportionately.

At the time I switched, I told SP that my decision was made purely on economic grounds and that I had been happy with their customer service. Unfortunately, it appears that I shall have to revise my opinion - I shall certainly think very carefully about whether to use this company in the future and I am considering a complaint to the Ombudsman as I gave notice of my intention to switch.

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

Seems like Power Companies impose punitive Cancellation Fees to hit Switchers as we have been advised to do by Martin MSE. Not fair IMHO and exploitative by Big Business of the Consumer/Citizen.

Scottish_Power

Hi MsVicotriaMeldrew,

If your Online deal had come to and end and you were not moving on to another deal then I see no reason why you were charged for leaving.

If you wish to e-mail me your details at [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] I can look in to this for you.

Kind regards

Graeme @ ScottishPower

challengedavid

Online Price Tracker Energy October 2011
im on the above tarrif, im thinking of leaving after october if i leave it till december does that mean i will be locked into another contract automaticly