Scottish Power-great Start!!!!

devildog

Recently decided to switch electricity to Scottish Power and received email today stating that they were now providing my electric and to check the following details. Great joy, they had put me on monthly direct debit instead of the quarterly on receipt of the bill type. Phoned and got it changed. Then happened to be checking bank account to discover that they had already taken the first months direct debit without advising/notifying me in any shape or form. Had to phone again and then informed that I had to contact bank re an Indemnity Claim!!!
It was their mistake so they should sort it out!!
Needless to say not impressed at all right now and if this is a taste of things to come will not be staying with them too long!!
I guess this should be in the vent section but it is about electricity

glider3560

Why did you give them bank account details if you weren't setting up a direct debit? :think:

devildog

I was setting up a Direct debit for the money to be paid quarterly on receipt of the bill(have always done this)
They in their wisdom decided to place me on monthly DD and then to deduct money without me being notified.
Had I opted for monthly direct debit they would still be in the wrong because I had no notification eg. Your first monthly premium of £ will be deducted on whatever date and on the same date every following month!
But as I asked for quarterly DD they are wrong on both counts

rb10

Just to make sure ... are you aware that it's cheaper to pay by monthly direct debit?

And if you submit a meter reading every couple of months or so then you don't have any estimated bills so can quickly spot before you end up owing them a lot of money or them owing you a lot.

Swipe

And on the monthly DD you tell them the day of the month it goes out, that's why you get no email.

devildog

Yes, I am aware but prefer to keep control of exactly what money I put aside for electric every month(rather than have companies dictate to me how much they will take) Also have offset mortgage acct so whatever in my bank reduces my morg interest. Realistically prob would make more by doing dd monthly just refuse to do it
I will still be doing my own reading every quarter so there shouldn't be any need for an estimated bill(Have done it this way with other suppliers and no unpaid bills!)

I didn't give them a date by which they could collect money from my account because I was not paying monthly-once they issue the bill they can collect that amount(by direct debit) from my account. Am I talking double dutch here

glider3560

When I switched to them, I received a letter which was an A3 sheet of paper folded once to make it into a booklet and then folded again to stuff in an A5 envelope. This letter detailed all the payment information (including dates and amounts). Did you receive this?

If you didn't, you can download it from your personalised "My Scottish Power" website that they will have emailed you about.

devildog

I received one email informing me that they had informed my(then)current provider that I was switching and that it should take 4/6 weeks.
Another email asking for a meter reading. A letter informing me that due to a technical problem they had noticed that I hadn't received their welcome letter and then todays email stating that they were now supplying me, with account no etc and that I was paying by monthly dd and the payment amount and if any details wrong to contact them(which I did)
Hopefully it is all now sorted-the issue was that I never asked or agreed to a monthly direct debit and that they have taken money without advising me that they were going to do this(and DD guarantee states that they must notify you in advance of any money to be taken) and that it was their error yet I have had to contact bank to reclaim it! I just think it is poor service from Scottish Power.

Scottish_Power

Hi devildog

This is poor service and I apologise on behalf of ScottishPower for this error. Hopefully we have now changed you onto the correct payment method and you will have no issues within the near future.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower