Scottish power kidnapped my money!!

dazedandconfused_123

Hi

I'm sure this has been said before, but I'm sooo angry, and want to arm anyone thinking of swapping to them with the facts.

I've read my meter this morning and submitted it online. After todays bill I'm still £112.81 in credit. Great, I thought.

Then on the next screen they inform me they want to INCREASE my DD! This happens everytime!
When I ring their "customer services" I get the scripted reply "we are the only company to return your credit Blah blah blah"

Been with them for about 18 months now and they have NEVER offered to return my credit, so the situation will just go on and on and they will make interest of customers money!

They know from last year we don't have the heating on a lot (can't afford it! Have to freeze instead!) so the increased DD will just leave us in credit for them to earn interest off!

Sorry for all the exclamation marks but I'm really unhappy with them :mad: and know from experience the people on the phones don't want to help.

aloise

had the same with British gas, £181 in credit but my monthly payment up be £5. I think it is because they all go up soon and don't want you to be in the red. I don't mind, i'd rather know i am in credit and don't have to worry about turning the heating on. I'm quite happy with BG, but have not tried to get the credit refunded so don't know how they would be.

lilac_lady

I'm in credit with gas and electricity and just let the suppliers alter the direct debit rather than have a refund. At one point I was paying £20 per month for my gas supply. Swings and roundabouts really.

somethingcorporate

You use less in the summer when you are not using your heating so build up a surplus so you do not go into debt when you use more in the winter. Common sense really!

Otherwise you would pay different DD depending on the season.

peter_the_piper

Can't see them making much money in interest at the present.

2010

I`m with SP and in credit by £197 with another DD to be taken on the 15th Oct.
(I had a bill about three weeks ago)
The thing that annoys me is they keep saying on their site to put regular meter readings in so they can adjust your DD so you don`t pay too much.

When they increased my DD in May I emailed them my annual useage, saying the increase was too much.
They sent me back a long winded reply based on their figures saying the new DD is correct.
Well obviously, next week when I`m £270 in credit, their figures are not.

Somwhere on their site they claim to pay interest on your money if you`re over £100 in credit.
From what I can make out for every £33 over the £100 you get £1 interest.
I don`t know how long you need to be £33 over or whether as soon as you are over you get the £1 at your yearly review
There is a maximum of about £450 in credit that they pay on.

Whether by next week I`ve earned £5 is anyone`s guess.
(£270 less £100 divided by £33)

Maybe the SP rep will spot this thread and give us all an explaination.
(don`t hold your breath)

realised

Same thing happened to me... But we are starting to use more now on heating so may go back to normal during winter

charlieann

aloise wrote: »

had the same with British gas, £181 in credit but my monthly payment up be £5. I think it is because they all go up soon and don't want you to be in the red. I don't mind, i'd rather know i am in credit and don't have to worry about turning the heating on. I'm quite happy with BG, but have not tried to get the credit refunded so don't know how they would be.

Not so much help for OP but with British Gas i've had credit refunded me on several occasions. They do like you to have a credit on the account and I usually leave £10 which they are happy with. They have tried to put my DD up several times before if i have a debt on the account. They will manually over-ride this on request to leave it the same or only marginally higher if I pay off the debt when the bill is generated.

ladylouise62

OK, so the actual values collected may or may not be correct, but it's exactly at this time of year that you should have a big credit. You build up credit during the summer months and use it up during the winter. The problem is that the companies know the sort of price rises they are going to be making, and are probably guessing that it's going to be another cold winter (that's what's being predicted).

2010

ladylouise62 wrote: »

OK, so the actual values collected may or may not be correct, but it's exactly at this time of year that you should have a big credit. You build up credit during the summer months and use it up during the winter.

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and that is the precise reason I`ve resisted ringing them about my £200 plus credit.

aloise

Thanks for that charlieann. I will leave the excess in for the winter and if i have a lot of credit i will get a refund in spring. Will just come in handy for a wedding i'm going to then.