Fair and accurate direct debit from Scottish Power?

cheytz

FAO scottishpower company representative

Hi
I have been with SP since 2008 and been very happy, until now.
Despite using 5518kWh of gas last year and 1029kWh for the first quarter this year SP are now estimating my next 12 months use at a huge 26512kWh. This obviously takes my direct debit payments up, to a level that is basically unaffordable for me.
We are an energy conscious couple with no kids. How can they justify our usage being at the same level as a family of four? Why will they not lower it to a level that more accurately reflects what we use? Do they care that I haven't slept since they told me of the rise? Does being a customer of three years not count for anything?
Sincerely hope you can help us.

ian1969uk

Can't you cancel the direct debit and just pay as the bills come in, that way only paying for exactly what you use?

Mulson

ian1969uk wrote: »

Can't you cancel the direct debit and just pay as the bills come in, that way only paying for exactly what you use?

Poor advice without knowing more about the OP's specific situation.

By cancelling the DD the OP would automatically be going onto more expensive unit prices therefore paying more immediately.

The OP may also be on a capped or fixed package and would be removed from this package for cancelling the DD.

What package are you on?

Are your meter readings always up to date and accurate?

KevinG

cheytz wrote: »

Despite using 5518kWh of gas last year and 1029kWh for the first quarter this year SP are now estimating my next 12 months use at a huge 26512kWh. This obviously takes my direct debit payments up, to a level that is basically unaffordable for me.
We are an energy conscious couple with no kids. How can they justify our usage being at the same level as a family of four? Why will they not lower it to a level that more accurately reflects what we use? Do they care that I haven't slept since they told me of the rise? Does being a customer of three years not count for anything?
Sincerely hope you can help us.

SP has obviously made a mistake - what did they say when you contacted them to query it? No point in getting worked up about it until you have their response. And most families of four wouldn't use that much!

2010

cheytz wrote: »

Hi
I have been with SP since 2008 and been very happy, until now.

If you have been with SP since 2008, they MUST know how much energy you consume in a year, and so should you.

Phone them on freefone 0800 400 200 and ask how they arrive at the new figure and the monthly DD.

Jaycee_Dove

Hope the OP got this sorted.

But I do wonder how SP work out the DD to charge.

We were quoted in writing a deal to stay with a DD of £157 pm. Accepted it and they then asked us to enter our meter readings.

When we came to do so we noticed that they had significantly under estimated our electricity use since the last actual reading. Given that they had several years of actual readings from us for this same three months that have been consistent that is odd.

But worse still was that they 'estimated' our gas usage as the exact same figure as the last actual meter reading three months ago. Self evidently this was not an estimate but an impossibly low total (as in ZERO!) that you can only assume was done to artificially decrease the offered monthly DD so that it was below what they would have to actually charge. Presumably these misleading estimates were done to make us say yes.

ubdai

2010 wrote: »

If you have been with SP since 2008, they MUST know how much energy you consume in a year, and so should you.

Phone them on freefone 0800 400 200 and ask how they arrive at the new figure and the monthly DD.

If you have been with them since 2008, you should be able to go online to view your bills and usage.

ubdai

KevinG

Jaycee_Dove wrote: »

We were quoted in writing a deal to stay with a DD of £157 pm. Accepted it and they then asked us to enter our meter readings.

When we came to do so we noticed that they had significantly under estimated our electricity use since the last actual reading. Given that they had several years of actual readings from us for this same three months that have been consistent that is odd.

But worse still was that they 'estimated' our gas usage as the exact same figure as the last actual meter reading three months ago. Self evidently this was not an estimate but an impossibly low total (as in ZERO!) that you can only assume was done to artificially decrease the offered monthly DD so that it was below what they would have to actually charge. Presumably these misleading estimates were done to make us say yes.

Sounds more like cockup than conspiracy to me, but I do wonder why people accept "deals" based on a monthly direct debit figure. These are pretty arbitrary - the only thing that matters is the unit price for the energy and whether it has gone up, down or sideways.

2010

Jaycee_Dove wrote: »

Hope the OP got this sorted.

The OP asked this question last Thursday 23rd and hasn`t been back since.

Seems they can`t be all that bothered, despite the fact they have been unable to sleep because of the problem.

Or maybe SP have cut them off and they can`t get online. :rotfl:

WISEYC

Hi All

My family are with Scottish power, its an online plan & have been for just over 3 months. We are supposed to give readings every 3 months otherwise they estimate readings. We began paying £60 per month for Gas & Electric Dual Fuel & thought that this was average. We then had an email saying "provide your meter readings" we sent a few days late so our bill was estimated (well over estimated) It said our DD was going to be £92 for the next 3 months, I knew this wasn't right so checked the meters & sent them through. I also worked out our actual usage with costs etc based on their figures & stuck it all into an excel sheet, the results were astonishing. We should have paid £70.95 by my workings out for the same 3 month period & when I called them (30mins to get thru) they seemed to know that I'd used that yet said they would reset my DD to £60. EH? I said I'm not using anywhere near that a month so eventually agreed at £30 for next 3 months & they agreed to give me a credit. I then check a few days later & it says £42 in credit & from info provided my DD should be set @ £24.50 yet the guy on the phone advices £30 lowest. Also 60 x 3 = 180 - 75 = 105. £105 should be the credit on my account & I have challenged this awaiting a decision.

Bottom line check your meter readings & provide them & challenge if you think wrong charge. sorry so long:beer:

cheytz

Ahem! You know what patronising means, don't you? SP know damm well how much energy I use and so do I. If you had read the second sentence of my initial post you would have seen it. SP ignore how much energy I used previously so that they can put more of my money into their bank account, whatever you think, I'm not stupid.
I didn't come back because for some reason my email alert didn't work.
I sorted this myself, thank you, and am sleeping quite well at the moment.
Bet you're a big Carkson fan.