Dispute with Energy Company - Help

sjs80

Well I find myself here as I dont know where else I can turn really. Im hoping some one here may be able to help.

I am having problems with Scottish Power and its getting completely unbearable, which is understandable considering it has been going on for 7 years, started back in July 2005.

After finally reporting Scottish Power to the Ombudsman a few years ago, they made a resolution that SP had to rebill right back to 2005. I signed up for capped rates for 3 years, it was a dual fuel, paid by direct debits and No standing charges, you only paid for what you use (or so I thought), until I received a letter this week telling me there is no evidence of the capped rate going past May 2007. After looking through my massive complaints log I found some notes which may help me but it all comes down to is - its my word against theres. It took SP over 2 years to set my electric account up, despite the numerous times I had rang about this. By the time SP set up my electric account my capped rates had expired they then implemented further capped rates for 2007-2008. This is where I thought everything was sorted & then the bills kept coming through incorrect again.
I continued to have further problems with SP so if I remember rightly was then offered a further capped rate deal from 2008 - 2009.

Main errors were.
1. No electric account for 1st 2 years
2. Kept charging me for a meter not in my premises
3. Billed me for another meter that had wrong serial number
4. Was charging my Standard Prices instead of Capped
5. Also charging me standing charges when I signed up for No standing charges.
6. Prices kept going up every quarter
7. Had wrong dates as to when my meter changed, was originally on prepayment, there dates were over a year out
8. Mixed my Electric Readings up for rate 1 and rate 2. This ended up being overcharged something like 6000 units more on my day rate and about 3000 less on my night rate
9. More errors but my brain is completely pickled - don't know whether Im coming or going

Since last year 2011 SP have produced 3 seperate bills for my dual fuel, everytime I would rework prices out going on the bits of information I have got and would manage to knock a massive amount off what they say I would owe. It was only this last bill where they have mentioned about the expiry of capped rates.

I have been searching the internet for all capped rates and tarriffs that Scottish Power have offered since 2005 onwards but cant get anywhere. Once I get these details I can then find the tarriffs that match my bills so I can go back to SP with further evidence that they are yet again still wrong. I would go off my old bills but am struggling because I don't think I have ever received one fully correct bill/statement off SP ever. I do have a rough idea of what my unit prices should be but im only certain about the prices for the first 2 years. From then onwards Im stuck because there are so many different prices I have been charged for for the same periods, i dont know which ones are right & which are wrong.

Can anyone help or be able to tell me where I can get the figures I need.

Today I have spoke to numerous people and no-one can help me. I spoke to the Ombudsman who dont hold records of tarriffs. Then I spoke to Consumer Focus and pretty much got the same reply. Also tryed ofgem, still no joy. Finally I rang the general number of SP and asked what prices they have against my account & what the capped rates were for 2005, 2007 & 2008. Now this is where it gets me, there is no record of tarriffs going back that far and they can only go back as far as 2009. So that leads me to the question, What am I meant to do now? And also if there is no record of previous prices and tarriffs how on earth does scottish power know what to charge me. I just feel Im being fobbed off.

Sp 1st rebilled what I owed approx £1500.00
I knocked approx £900.00 off this bill.
Sp 2nd rebilled approx £1200 (Took them a year to do 2nd bill)
I reworked it out at approx just under £300.00
Sp 3rd rebilled at approx £700.00

I not recalculated yet & this is why Im checking for Prices etc.
Everything SP have argued with me about over the last 7 years I have been able to prove them wrong every time & am hoping I'l be able to prove them wrong again.

Scottish Power have taken up a huge chunk of my life & I just want to get to an end before I end up having some sort of breakdown.

Please Please Please, someone must know where I can get these details from.

Thanks for your time

undaunted

I wasn't quite clear from your post what you were suggesting.

Are you suggesting that the solution provided by the Ombudsman was accepted by you but then not honoured by Scottish Power?

If this is the case write back to the Ombudsman informing them of this (with a copy of their original resolution and what SP have actually done if possible) and requesting that they act to resolve the problem.

If you are saying that the Energy Ombudsmans solution was accepted and honoured but you are no longer satisfied that the solution you accepted was what you wanted however then I'm afraid you are in for a long hard fight at best.

dogshome

Wow - Just goes to show that BIG companies can c*ck it up BIGTime

There is an awful lot going on in your post, but SP's reply to your telephoned request for details of historical tariffs, that they had nothing earlier than 2009 on file, is just plain rubbish.
They have to keep these details for at least 7 years to legally operate as a company, never mind their Ofgem licence.

I'm afraid it's down to writing yet another letter headed Complaint
demanding the historical tariffs and complaining of the verbal lie.

chanz4

When did fixed tariffs come in? Didnt think prior to 2007 they had any

sjs80

Hi Undaunted,

Thanks for your comments. Yes my description is a little complex I admit.
I finally reported to ombudsman in September 2009, The Ombudsman's final decision came through Nov/Dec 2010. This I accepted, providing that Scottish Power rebilled me with my capped rates, no standing charges and discount for having duel fuel and paying by D/D.
Scottish Power first billed in January 2011, No capped rates were included, I was billed for Standing Charges and probalby the highest rate I have ever seen. (Example the were charging me 0.19340 per day, had I of been on standing charges I would of only paid something like 0.06540 back in 2005-2007) Not that this makes a difference to me, but proves how high there rates are compared to what I have. And I know these figures were correct as of 2007 because Scottish Power supplied me with these rates, which is what started one of my 1st disputes, obviously because I wasn't meant to be charged standing charges. Also my duel fuel and direct debit payments was not taken into account or was any discount applied.
At the time I informed Scottish Power there bill was wrong I also notified the ombudsman. I reworked the bill out and sent copies to both Scottish Power & Ombudsman.
It took Scottish Power over a year to re-calculate again, even though I was constantly chasing them, again informing Ombudsman of every contact I had made. In this year, I received an urgent text message off a debt collectors acting on behalf of Scottish Power. I also had someone different than who was originally dealing with my re-billing contact me in regards to my outstanding bill, but then realised they had contacted me by mistake.
Finally I received Scottish Powers 2nd bill in Jan 2012, again this was wrong. Constant repetitiveness gets quite stressful when you've been at it as long as what I have. The excuses I have had as to why it has taken them over a year to re-issue the bill, is completely unacceptable. When I asked why I hadn't received anything they said that when my bill was produced, Scottish Power sent my bills to another department within Scottish Power in error, instead of sending these bills to me. How can they possibly send themselves a customer bill,,, by mistake !!!
I have recalculated twices since this, again managing to knock a massive amount off what they say I owe. Only this time, after receiving Scottish Power's 3rd bill, was it mentioned about my capped rates not existing beyond 2007.
So I guess what I'm saying is yes I accepted the Ombudsmans decision but as far as I am concerned Scottish Power have still not honoured what it is I signed up for in the first place.
This is why I am looking for all records of existing tarriffs for my area (North West) for the years between 2005 - 2010. I finally wised up & moved house to prevent incurring more ridiculous charges in April 2010.
I have been back in contact with the Ombudsman explaining about me needing to find the tarriffs & they were the ones that recommended I ask at scottish power. I have avoided going to the person who is rebilling because I feel that he will not give me all accurate tarriffs for the period I was with them.
I hope this makes sense, lol, not that Ive got much to laugh about.
Thanks for your time though

jalexa

sjs80 wrote: »

The Ombudsman's final decision came through Nov/Dec 2010. This I accepted, providing that Scottish Power rebilled me with my capped rates, no standing charges and discount for having duel fuel and paying by D/D.

You can't conditionally accept an adjudication. So is the problem that you didn't accept the adjudication? In which case you are on your own (though legal process remains open to you).

sjs80

Hi dogshome,

Yes I believe you may be right , another letter I have to write. Thanks for taking your time to read my massive problem.

sjs80

Hi Jalexa,
Thanks for your comment.
No I accepted the decision. The Ombudsman clearly states in their final decision, that Scottish Power were to remove all erroneous charges from my account, rebilling me from July 2005 using correct prices. It is Scottish Power that still haven't billed me with the correct prices. This is why I am trying to find all prices so I can do it myself and go back and compare there bill to mine.

jalexa

sjs80 wrote: »

No I accepted the decision. The Ombudsman clearly states in their final decision, that Scottish Power were to remove all erroneous charges from my account, rebilling me from July 2005 using correct prices.

My strong advice on this to quit micro-managing the outcome with Scottish Power and make the Energy Ombudsman manage the outcome in accordance with the adjudication as seen by the Ombudsman.

sjs80

Hi Chanz4,

I understand why you question the capped price.
It was me that signed over to Scottish Power, I still have their booklet where I signed a contract for capped prices, NSC, and so on. Although I can prove my contract exists for these offers it does not include any values or tarriffs.
Believe me I have read enough about Scottish Power to know that I am right on this one, just as I have been with all the other dis-agreements Ive had with Scottish Power.
Scottish Power were one of the first companys to introduce a capped tarrif rate, shortly after the other energy companys followed. This was also the same year that scottish power was sold to a foreign company, and this was when there were a lot of talks about the windfarms, blah blah. By 2007, capped tarriffs were one of the most popular deals going round at the time. This is also the start of a whole new world of unhappy customers, because a lot signed up for a deal of a set amount per month & within a few months of starting their new contract amounts would go up, which then leads into complaints & disputes.
God have you seen the reviews on Scottish Power, I have read 53 pages and overall, there were some bad bad comments. Trust me I have done my homework, just stuggling to get this final information.
Thanks for your time though

sjs80

jalexa wrote: »

My strong advice on this to quit micro-managing the outcome with Scottish Power and make the Energy Ombudsman manage the outcome in accordance with the adjudication as seen by the Ombudsman.

Yeah I know what your saying & appreciate your advice. Had it not been for my Micro-managing, throughout this whole process, i wouldn't of been able to prove half of what I have done in the past. But yes, I should go back to the ombudsman... again.

Thanks