Scottish power - unnecessary increase in dd!!

foreversummer

I hope this is not going to be a regular feature with Scottish Power. I moved to them mid-September, made my first payment in October so so far only two payments. They emailed me a week ago to ask for meter readings within 7 days which I duly did.

I could see the potential pitfall with the timing of these meter reads. Two payments in a three month usage period and guess what they have increased my monthly payment from £111 to £134!

I rang them and told them there is no need to raise the direct debit as my usage has not changed. I gave them full details of my usage when I joined them and I have checked my usage again when I gave them readings last week. The only reason that I am now £138 in debit is because of the timing of the meter reads. My third payment is in the process of going through at present which will give me a £27 debit at the end of this first quarter. About right at this time of the year I would say.

No can't do anything about that they said. Our system will only let us reduce it to £120.60. Ridiculous!

My mistake? Maybe I should have let them estimate this first quarter. So much for keeping on top of your usage and keeping your meter readings up to date.

I've been with Eon for years prior to this and they never messed around with my payments.

If this is going to be a feature with SP, I'm off sooner rather than later.

Rant over!

Foreversummer

dogshome

As I am sure you know, the value of each monthly D/D payment should represent
1/12th of of your Annual bill - However not just SP, but all the suppliers are "Pushing the envelope" to bring customers to the point where they always have a credit balance.

Your phone conversation where a demand for an increase to £134 was lowered to £126.60, shows that it is all about policy and nothing to do with annually correct mathamatics.

The only way to combat this is WRITE an Email/Letter headed Complaint, setting out your yearly Kwh useage v the tariff costs, with the demand that if SP's figures are different, then they give you their figures in writing

brewerdave

Sounds like SP's systems have been set up to ensure that you are not in debt AT ANY STAGE of the Winter ie zero balance by Spring review. This is what caused so much unhappiness with EON a couple of years ago for new accounts set up in the Autumn.

withabix

brewerdave wrote: »

Sounds like SP's systems have been set up to ensure that you are not in debt AT ANY STAGE of the Winter ie zero balance by Spring review.

All suppliers try to do this now.

SP have just put my DD up by 50%, even though I have provided them with gas and electricity figures for the last 3 years' usage (two of which are THEIR records), showing that our annual consumption only varies by about 5%.

This was triggered by a meter change and two readings within a week.

They won't budge, even though the previous DD amount WILL cover the bill.

At least I know it will change back again in 6 months!

Scottish_Power

Hi foreversummer if you e-mail [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] we can take a look at your account for you. Thanks David

foreversummer

Thank you David, I will do this.

Can you confirm SP's policy on direct debits please. Is it SP's policy to keep customers accounts in credit all year round?

Foreversummer

Scottish_Power

HI foreversummer it is not our policy to run accounts in credit year round. We try to match the consumption to the payments as closely as possible inevitably some will run in credit but the general pattern is to accumulate a credit over the summer period to cover the winter when you use more than you pay. If the account runs more into debt over the winter then we would adjust accordingly.

Hope this helps

David

foreversummer

Thank you David. It's good to hear that. For that reason I can see no justification for an increase in my payments. I have raised a complaint and I look forward to the response in due course.

Thank you all who have responded to this thread. I'll update the thread when I get a response.

Foreversumer

foreversummer

How long would one expect to wait for a reply from Scottish Power? 24, 48, 72 hours maybe. In my experience companies usually send an automated acknowledgement telling the customer the time-scale for dealing with such matters. Not SP it seems.

jalexa

foreversummer wrote: »

How long would one expect to wait for a reply from Scottish Power?

The SP complaints procedure says this...

If we can’t resolve your complaint immediately, we will give you a unique complaint number (quoting this when you contact us helps us provide a faster service) and will acknowledge your complaint within five working days of recording it.

We will pass your complaint to one of our specialists and aim to give you a full and straightforward response to your complaint within 5 working days.

Complaints Procedure — Level 2
Our specialist will contact you within 5 working days of you registering your complaint. Where possible they will be personally responsible for resolving your complaint.

We will try to provide a comprehensive and straightforward reply within 10 working days. If we need more time to look into your complaint, we will agree this with you and keep you fully informed of our progress.

My tactical advice is to extend a 5 working day length of rope, though the phrase "within five working days of recording it" doesn't address how and when it is recorded.

foreversummer

I thought I would update on this one and also would like David's comments as he has commented before.

My complaint was answered and I was told that the system had upped my direct debit because I had only made two monthly payments in that quarter instead of three. I moved to SP on 21st September 2012, my first direct debit payment was 20th October, then another on 20th November and my first bill was raised on 14th December. They eventually reduced my DD back to the original amount.

I asked if it was possible to change my billing date in future so that I would make thee monthly DD payments in each quarter but I was told this was not possible. I therefore decided to change the date of my DD to 11th of each month to make sure I had made three DD payments before 14th March. Great I thought, that will prevent the issue arising again.

Today to my disgust I have received a request for a meter read which I apparently must make within 7 days. If I do this I am back to square one and only two monthly DD will have been paid.

I honesty now believe that Scottish Power do this DELIBERATELY. What other explanation is there?

So sorry David, but it seems to me SP's policy is to deliberately raise payments and keep customer's accounts in as much credit as you can get away with!

Foreversummer