Debt on Scottish Power Pre-Payment Meter

runmichellerun

I have just moved into a new house which has a Scottish power pre-payment meter for its gas supply. I am getting this changed over to a normal gas bill but it will take a while.

In the meantime I am pre-paying for the gas.

Each time I put money on the card (a new card from Scottish Power as we are new owners) it takes a huge chunk out in debt -i.e. today I put on £15 and it took £10.50 off as debt, leaving only £4.50 as gas.

I haven't gone into emergency supply and have never had a debt with Scottish Power.

Any ideas why this is happening? Is it a debt from the previous owner?

PNPSUKNET

they need todo a debt reset on the meter, call them and ask for a decom-recon this will wipe the debt. If the property was empty for a longtime it can be a buildup of standing charge

Tupperware_Queen

did you ring up and get a new card, or are you using the one left by the previous occupant? You need a card in your name, I know with BG you can buy them in the shops where you can top up, but give them a ring first, then they can refund you the cost of the card

ironpetal

Get a new card from Scottish Power and make sure you dont get told to BUY one from a paypoint shop because I have had six weeks of hell over a card for the meter. The end product of this is Im being sent a cheque for the value of the card I was told to buy when Scottish Power should have sent me one out. I had no gas for over a week when the really cold weather had started and when I got told to phone them up and arrange for them to send around a guy to put some emergency credit on my meter that guy told me the card I bought wouldnt work and was a dummy card because it didnt have my details on it. I spent money on phone calls money on fares going back and forth trying to get the card charged. I was absolutely at my wits end over this gas card. Ive never had so much trouble out of obtaining a gas card in my entire life. Even British Gas was straight forward. All I can say is get on to them and stay on them.

Cate1976

If the debt is from the previous owner, then Scottish Power is breaking the law. I can't remember the name of the act but you can't be held liable for someone else's debt. In your situation, I'd go to CAB. I'd also be asking to have the money taken off you which shouldn't have been refunded to you.

runmichellerun

Hello. Thank you everyone for your answers. It turns out it WAS a debt from the previous owners and we're slowly getting it sorted out. So convoluted though. Why aren't these things simple?

kkpolobear

with Scottish power its never easy sorry

it sounds like they didn't bother to reset the meter when u moved in which doesn't sirprize me really

Scottish_Power

Hi runmichellerun

When you moved into this property did you contact us and confirm that you were the new owner? The reason I ask this is that if this happened, you would have been transferred to our Change of Tenant team who would have taken all your details and set up your new account. In doing this they would also have arranged for a new Prepayment Key to be sent out in your name and provided you with instructions on using the key for the first time. The instructions provided should also have covered resetting the meter.

If this did not happen then I can investigate this for you and I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

runmichellerun

scottishpower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi runmichellerun

When you moved into this property did you contact us and confirm that you were the new owner? The reason I ask this is that if this happened, you would have been transferred to our Change of Tenant team who would have taken all your details and set up your new account. In doing this they would also have arranged for a new Prepayment Key to be sent out in your name and provided you with instructions on using the key for the first time. The instructions provided should also have covered resetting the meter.

If this did not happen then I can investigate this for you and I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower

Hi Colin

Yes we did set up a new account and get a new key and followed all the instructions we were given.

According to the customer services reps we've spoken to, we should get a refund of the money we shouldn't have paid but did automatically credited to the card on top up, but this doesn't seem to be happening.

We're topping up £2 a time at the moment

However, we do appear to have stopped paying any debt which is good news.

If we have trouble again I'll pm you Colin.

thanks for replying.

RMR

Scottish_Power

Hi runmichellerun

Thanks for getting back to me. Some requests to alter Key meter setting can take up to 3 seperate vends over 3 seperate days. If this happened in your situation then you will be due money back that you have paid towards the previous tenants debt. Check on your meter that screens S and T are showing £0.00. These screens show the total debt and the debt recovery rate.

If they are both showing zero, call our Prepayment team and arrange for the money to be credited onto your meter.

If you have any issues at all, you can contact me directly by email at [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] and I will be more than happy to help.

Kind Regards

Colin @ ScottishPower