Electric has been disconnected

withington

Over the last year my electricity only property has racked up a horrendous £1000 electricity bill which I have struggled to keep ontop of. Redundancy etc.
Four weeks ago answering letters to say I would be disconnected I came home to let in an authorised bailiff and electricity official who said I was having a meter.
They looked at the space and decided I couldnt have a meter as the space was too small. A few phone calls later and they disconnected me. My supplier is Scottish Power.
I dont really udnerstand and I figured if they had intended to put in a meter maybe this should have been said as i could have alerted them to the compactness of my property.
Anyway I have been without electricity for approx a month. Scottish power require the balance in full for re-connection and I just dont have it. Nor do I have a credit card, access to one or friends and family in a position to help.
I am on anti depressants and my mental health is deteriorating and I just feel I am about to go through a winter with no electric.
Why wont they accept the payments I can do?
I feel very down and I feel like life couldnt get much worse. Sorry to be so woe is me. Does anyone have any advice?

DarkConvict

**From the DFW thread.

Get in touch with your utility suppliers
Contact each utility company whose bill you haven't paid. Explain your situation and offer to pay an amount you can afford.
All fuel suppliers (electricity and gas) follow a code of practice that means they won't cut off your supply if you agree a payment plan with them and then keep to it. You'll need to ask your supplier for their code of practice details. They should take into account your ability to pay - complain to Consumer Direct if they don't - see 'What to do if you have problems dealing with your fuel supplier' below.
A payment plan could include:
paying by weekly or monthly instalments
using a pre-payment meter
With a pre-payment meter, you use a smart card, key or token (or sometimes coins) to pay for your gas or electricity as you use it. You recharge your card or key at PayPoint outlets like newsagents and Post Offices. If you have a pre-payment meter installed, remember you'll only get a supply when it's topped up.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10025592

So long as you were paying for your current usage, and something towards the arrears they should not have cut you off.

I would contact CAB, and given the mental health issues MIND as well.
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ - 08451 264 264
http://www.mind.org.uk/ - 0845 766 0163

Since this has gone far down the line, i would however give consumer direct a phone call first (08454 04 05 0)

Local numbers
East of England: 01438 737460
East Midlands: 01522 563000
London: 0208 1818956
North-East: 01642 692043
North-West: 0203 1035165
Scotland: 01851 822401
South East: 01622 626520
South West: 01209 720333
Wales (English language): 02920 367800
Wales (Welsh language): 02920 367801
West Midlands: 02476 786610
Yorkshire and the Humber: 0113 201 3670

davidgmmafan

"Why wont they accept the payments I can do?"

Its difficult to say because no amounts are given save for the debit of £1,000. In terms of a payment arrangement they would've been looking for a payment which covers your consumption and the balance over a given period of time. You should still be able to make payments and they should accept them but wether said payments cover your usage and pay something towards the balance is another matter.

Sadly I concur with Premier it is a tough situation now, post 2 doesn't apply as the disconnection has already happened. The only way I can see anything changing, is on grounds of vulnerability. CAB or MIND will know if this is an option, but I suspect it may be tough to argue.

As Premier says this must've been going on for sometime.

withington

Thank you for the helpful advice on the other thread. Those numbers have been very helpful.

Premier, much as i would like to put you entirely in the loop with my circumstances my main concern right now is keeping it together. I suggest if you do not actually have any helpful advice, you find something better to do with your time than traul other peoples problems and taking the moral high ground. All the best to you.

withington

Yes it has been going on for sometime. I have been in hospital. But yes I have also not been ontop of things, that goes without saying.

For those with similar issues, please make a note of the helpful numbers in this thread, these have been useful.

Premier_2

withington wrote: »

... I suggest if you do not actually have any helpful advice, you find something better to do with your time ...

I appreciate you may not have wanted to hear what I posted, but it is the reality of the situation and your approach to consider this as unhelpful is another clear sympton of having ignored the reality of the situation previously which has resulted in your present predicament.

But I'll leave you to it as requested.

withington

I think I may be in a position to speak on behalf of many people on here who have clearly buried their head in the sand and circumstances have deteriorated etc. I feel most people who have adopted the ostrich in them, have probably already reached the point of smelling the coffee which is why they are on a forum seeking advice from experts or those who have experienced similar and can share those experiences.
I feel it is probably unhelpful when that person has started to make steps to take control that they should have to sift through comments that yes I would deem unhelpful. Personally I dont have a problem with hearing the obvious, its just not constructive at this stage.
What has been constructive is that from just a few phone calls and a refreshing attitude around of 'yes you screwed up' but if you want help I will help you and things do not feel so overwelming.

For anyone reading this because they have found themselves in this situation 'for whatever reason'. then I suggest making a call to Consumer Direct, they will then refer the call to Consumer Focus. Consumer focus wll then look at your personal circumstances in more detail and can advise between the energy company and you on the best payment method to take this forward. It is not a fix to no electric, yes candles are the answer temporarily, but they will help to open negotiations with the supplier to facilitate when reconnection can happen.

undaunted

The poster has explained they have been experiencing health issues & is therefore probably vulnerable rather than merely "burying their head in the sand". If so, they should not have been treated in this fashion let alone have to face flack for it here

Withington please contact Consumer Focus who Ofgem engage to assist those faced with disconnection.

If you genuinely do not have the money to pay in full your supplier has a license obligation to consider the affordability of any payment plan(s)

If you are on benefits Fuel Direct may be an alternative to either a pre payment meter or disconnection (this would take a nominal sum from your benefits each fortnight and pay it direct to Scottish Power).


You may also be able to get some support from your local Mind.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10025592

http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/

http://www.mind.org.uk/

Best of luck

Scottish_Power

Hi withington

You have been given some useful links in this thread. I can certainly have a look at your situation and see what we can do to help you. Send me your details and I will do my best for you.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

withington

Hi,
Thank you for the advice and those who have been supportive.
I chose to follow the advice given in the first thread and contact Consumer Focus. They have been really helpful and without being pushed to give too much info regarding my health issues I found on my behalf an experienced negotiator who spoke to Scottish Power on my behalf. I have been able to negotiate a repayment and re-connection is due early part of next week.
My advice to those facing this, try to avoid getting to the stage of disconnection. If you are paying something then it shouldnt get to the stage I have been in.
Also, if you are being told you are getting a meter to help pay the bill, check where your meter is positioned, in my case I was disconnected as they couldnt fit a meter in the space and this had been my only option left. Disconnection was the next option.

davidgmmafan

"If you genuinely do not have the money to pay in full your supplier has a license obligation to consider the affordability of any payment plan(s)"

This is true, but I believe the other side of the coin is they cannot accept a supplier to accept an offer of payment as that is a commercial decision for the supplier. In practice if its more than consumption and will clear the balance in a reasonable (ish) timescale they should accept it.

Big well done to the OP for getting this sorted, I genuinly did not think this situation could be retrieved so bravo!

I would also like to extend a quick thank you to the scottish power representative as I always find thier posts to be tremendously detailed and attentive. I'm not sure if this is one person or several, if its one person then the quality and frequency of the posting is all the more impressive!

PS Adding this for general info, follows on from what the poster is saying. If you have any sort of vulnerability, be it physical or mental, make your supplier aware of it. Not only does it mean there is more chance of help, eg a social tariff, but some suppliers won't cut off for example an elderly customer in Winter.