Scottish Power: Enormous Final Bill

seamusmeat

Hi guys, I hope you will be able to shed some light on our situation...

Having very recently paid approximately £300.00 for 3 months dual fuel useage (and bearing in mind this payment was made around 10 days prior our move-out date), I was shocked to discover that our closing payment covering said 10 days was greater than that for the previous 3 months.

Having called SP, and being transferred to the team that presumably deal with such queries day-to-day (poor souls), I was sternly told that the figures were right and that there was nothing i could do. Apparently it's all down to estimated readings - and my final reading being different thereby skewing everything we've paid for the last 6 months, however....

It is worth noting that my final readings are less than those estimated!

I feel I have a fairly good grasp on all the breakdowns on the back of the bills and think I have spotted various inaccuracies but I'm left feeling confused and defeated, lacking the confidence to verbally battle with the accounts receivable team at SP.

Does any of this sound familiar? Thanks

vax2002

What evidence do you have of your final meter reading, pictures ?
If not can you get back in and obtain some ?

jalexa

seamusmeat wrote: »

It is worth noting that my final readings are less than those estimated!

I feel I have a fairly good grasp too but I'm defeated by that comment.

Do you still have and did you pass the "final readings" to Scottish Power? Does the final bill (the >£300 for 10 days one) have your passed readings as the final readings? Regarding the comment above where and when in any recent bill are the "estimates" you refer to? Did you pay to the "estimates"?

Without knowledge of your actual consumption this is just speculation, but £100/month over 12 months is a good average consumption but £100/month for the winter quarter could easily be significantly less than your winter usage.

victor2

As jalexa says, you're confusing us.
If the final bill was based on actual readings (which surely it must have been) and previous bills used estimates, then that could explain an unusual bill. BUT, if the actual reading was less than previous estimates, it should have swung in your favour. HOWEVER, if you were paying a fixed monthly amount, and that wasn't enough to cover your actual usage, then even a lower than estimated actual reading might not have been enough to balance things out without you having to pay a "catch-up" figure.
Is that anywhere near what happened?

Terrylw1

The OP has moved out, hence the supplier estimates consumption where they are not provided with a Customer Own Reading (COR) or an actual taken by a meter reader.

In terms of accuracy, its no more accurate than a current bill set to an estimate which can be lower or higher than the meters readings at the time.

SP by saying its correct have probably recalculated the estimate again based on the data held on the account. This is to check that the previous operator doing the estimation, did it right.

Just because 2 operators or 200 of them do this, doesn't mean its accurate. Its only based on internal readings and it may joy take into account anything submitted which I'd not create a bill which depends on the suppliers system and practices trained to its staff.

To change it, the best way is to get a set of firm readings now. If no one has moved in, it will reduce the final bill. If someone is living there now, the supplier can get a set of readings off them and recalculate the estimates again, if try are close to the OPs readings, they should amend to the OPs reads.

Another thing to consider is...if the estimate is too high the next occupantt gets some of their energy payed by you!

Scottish_Power

Hi seamusmeat,

Sounds like you are having problems, if you e-mail me with your details I can have a look at this for you.

My e-mail address is [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL]

Kind regards

Graeme @ ScottishPower

jalexa

Terrylw1 wrote: »

The OP has moved out, hence the supplier estimates consumption where they are not provided with a Customer Own Reading (COR) or an actual taken by a meter reader.

Indeed. We will see if the OP returns to clarify. 24 hours and nothing which is a pity because there is a learning point for others. Does that sound familiar?:(

Terrylw1

jalexa wrote: »

Indeed. We will see if the OP returns to clarify. 24 hours and nothing which is a pity because there is a learning point for others. Does that sound familiar?:(

Sadly so, if they all posted an outcome MSE would become a useful database showing how the advice led to results.

The OP may have to take a hit though on re estimation as its not always possible to correct these between different occupiers.