skotish power-debt

lumja

hi,can anyone tell me what to do?
I swiched energy 2-3 years ago& I set up a dd with them,years went by, I got only 3 letters from them telling me how much I spend or something like that I can't remeber,but never something to tell me that I have to pay or warninig & I never thought of that cause I had set up DD, during this years I was having problems with hubby we split up & sice then in-out,simley Im mess,.
On 2nd of this month I recived a letter from scotish power that my bank has rejected the DD,but I thought that I gave my housbands bank details not my acc,that I rearly used it since I have no money on that acc.I don't know how they got it! So I call them to see what is going on,she tells me that it has benn 5 years that I had not payed & I own tham £ 2600 she did not have a clue how this happend but she offerd me to set up a new DD & start paying monthley £180 wich of course I can't afford!

dogshome

In your post you only mention recieving letters, did you not get any bills?
Or was it the case that your husband received them and did not show them to you?

I ask these questions because if Scot. Power did not issue bills over this period, they cannot demand payment for anything going back for more than one year.

lumja

No,no my husband checkt his bank statements they never got any payments,I never ever recived a bill or warning or something to let me know,it has been 5y,all that money I don't know what I'm going to do!
If you are saying that they cannot demand any payment for more than a year.(wow a relife),it is not my foult,I set up a DD and that is it,I have three kids & lots of problems & to be honest I forget a lot,
thanks a lot&god help me

dogshome

A little confused with your post - You say you Switched to Scot. Power 2-3 years ago, yet now Scot. Power say you owe money from 5 years back ? !

However be it over 2, 3 or 5 years, you say you are positive that you have not had any bills over the period, in which case you have a strong case for the 12 month Back Billing agreement to apply.

To start this ball rolling you need to WRITE a letter of Complaint to Scot.Power - However I guess that English is not your 1st language so it would be as well if you took all your paperwork to your local office of the Citizens Advice Bureau, ( See local phone book ), this service is free and they will draft letters for you

Rupert_Bear

Are we really talking about Scottish Power. I have never heard of Skotish Power. The OP sounds just as confused as I am.

lumja

thanks for reply,as u can see english is not my 1st language,& is "Scottishpower" I thought is has been 2-3 y, but when I talked to them they told me is 5y since I swiched elc.& thats confusing for me,no bill or a call, If u don't pay a bill in a month I belive they will cut-off my elc.or threaten me with court or something,but no,hard to belive!
thanks again,I'm going to go to CAB

Scottish_Power

Hi Lumja, I am sorry to hear you are having problems. Can you please send me your details and i can check your account and see if i can help. please e-mail [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL]

Thanks
[EMAIL="Marie@scottishpower"]Marie@scottishpower[/EMAIL]

lumja

hi again
I was at the CAB they didn't give me an appoitment,couse they are moving offices it is going to take 3 weeks,but I talked to them shortly,he told me that you have to pay the bill couse you have used electrity! after he finished I said is it true that they can not demand money for more than a year? he was not sure and told me try and write tham a letter,or find a friend or family to help you write a letter,no help at all,.Can you tell me anything else what I can do?
thanks a lot

dogshome

Hi lumja - The CAB are manned by volunteers and obviously the one who knew about Utility bills wasn't on duty when you spoke to them.

However your claim that Scot. Power never sent any bills, seems likely as a Utility Co would not let an account run up to £2600 over 5 years, if they had issued regular bills which were then never paid.

I'm afraid that to stop Scot. Power pursueing this debt by Court Action and/or fitting a pre-payment meter you will have to write your own letter, thus

Your Ref. put in your acount number and any ReferenceNo.
on the letter
COMPLAINT
Dear Sirs,
I am in reciept of your letter dated ( put in the date) with it's demand for ( put in the exact amount of money ).

According to my phone conversation with your Service Desk, this sum has accrued over the 5 years since I switched my supply to you.
However, I would point out that over this entire period up to today's date, I have never recieved a bill from you and in these circumstances believe the 12 month Back-Billing agreement should apply.

With this letter on file, Scot. Power should cease chasing the debt until they have resolved the problem, which if they don't do in 8 weeks opens the path for you to go to the Ombudsman

Good Luck

jalexa

lumja wrote: »

Can you tell me anything else what I can do?

Did you respond to the offer of help from the Scottish Power forum representative?

lumja

No I did not,I was not sure is it from scotishpower