Scottish Power overcharged me £1300 and are evading making a refund

Wilms47

This is my first attempt here, so may be rubbish. I just wanted to know when the standing charge was first introduced? It seems to me this costs more than our consumption of both gas and electricity! Or am I totally wrong?

spcustomer

(Wilms 47 you're probably right, but I don't know for certain).

Here is my update:-

Quite a lot more has happened since I last wrote here.

The reason I could not disclose what they had said was that I was away and I didn't want them sending in any criminals of any sort.

What SP said in three different letters was that they were very concerned to be fair and honest and that I should go to the (non) idependant ombudsman. Having done that a total of three times so far and come to the conclusion that their real job is to find ways of getting the energy companies off the hook I don't think I'll bother doing it a fourth time. It can be quite exhausting and exasperating.

On many occasions now I have asked SP to disconnect the supply, but they are desperately searching for ways of not doing so. On t least one of those occasions when I have requested this I have asked them to take all SP cables and equipment off my property, and this seems to have hinted to them that there may yet be a way of not disconnecting and blaming me for their non-action: -

In October they fitted a prepayment meter (without, as I have since found out, the necessary legal actions having been engaged in) and I asked them to cut off the power instead. They refused, and I have not put a penny into that meter (in fact i have lost the key). I have asked them in various ways regularly ever since to cut off the power and they have ignored me. BUT on the 23rd. December (most of three months is quite some time, I am sure you will agree) they wrote to me the following:

Beginning of quote:

(to have SP cables and equipment removed from my property)

"For this you will have to contact ScottishPower Energy Networks. Further information can be obtained by visiting the website https://www.spenerynetworks.co.uk and looking under the heading "Getting Connected" snf then "Disconnections". Alternatively you can telephone 0845 (etc - a premium number) for information. Should the supply be disconnected and removed and at a future time you require it to be restored, then an additional cost will be incurred for this and a further quotation can be provided by ScottishPower Energy Networks.

I hope that the above information is helpful but if you require any further advice please let me know.

Yours sincerely Allan Robertson,
Community Liaison Officer.
Directors Support Team"

End of quote.

In other words, no matter what you do we intend to try to get some more money out of you and we do not wish you to escape.

As to the notion of just dropping by and serving this very dissatisfied customer by doing what any honest business would do under such circumstances, I daresay one can whistle.

Maybe the solicitor will have a solution.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

In other words, no matter what you do we intend to try to get some more money out of you and we do not wish you to escape.

No.

In other words, you've been contacting Scottish Power Residential Customer Services when you should have been contacting the local DNO http://www2.nationalgrid.com/uk/Our-company/electricity/Distribution-Network-Operator-Companies/.

In your case this happens to be Scottish Power networks (I assume you're in South Scotland or the old MANWEB area). However, your supplier and the DNO are completely seperate entities.

What you've been doing is about as effective as harrasing Tesco Mobile about your gone off bananas.

spcustomer

Yes, it was MANWEB, and there was never any dishonesty. What a shame to flog them off cheap like that.


Here's an update.

I have already come to the conclusion (from the correspondence here) that Scottish Power pay quite a large team of people to write misleading and harrassing comments on any thread that disagrees with their marketed image, How pathetic can you get?

However, to update: I have now written to SP the following:


Lynda Clayton
Customer relations
ScottishPower
Cathcart Business Park
Spean Street
Glasgow
G44 4BE

Your ref. Complaint ref ***** (a different ref))

2 February 2014.

Dear Ms. Clayton

I have since 18 October 2013 in various ways let you know that I do not want your company's electricity at my house, and this is yet another time. I do not want any supply from Scottish Power at my address and I do want your company to account for the overcharges and subsequent extra charges since my discovering their dishonesty.

A set of credible and honest figures would have resolved all problems in 2007, but for some reason your company are very reluctant to supply them.

Here is a question which you have not answered (dated 15 November 2013):

open quote

Thank you for your letter dated 18th. October (what date did you actually write it, and on what date did it go in the post?) referring to a complaint that you have been avoiding addressing since about 2007.

end quote

Your company, by leaving electricity connected to it, are still obstructing me from working on my house and have been doing so since the 18th October when I asked that Scottish Power electrician to cut off the power. In the light of this I may undergo the dangerous task of disconnecting without removing the main fuse. My family might sue if I have an accident whilst doing so.

Yours

(spcustomer)

Of course, they might, on the other hand, be delighted if I killed myself. Who knows? The trouble is that I am reasonably skilled in this field - not an expert, but fairly knowledgable.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

spcustomer wrote: »

Yes, it was MANWEB, and there was never any dishonesty. What a shame to flog them off cheap like that.


Here's an update.

I have already come to the conclusion (from the correspondence here) that Scottish Power pay quite a large team of people to write misleading and harrassing comments on any thread that disagrees with their marketed image, How pathetic can you get?

However, to update: I have now written to SP the following:


Lynda Clayton
Customer relations
ScottishPower
Cathcart Business Park
Spean Street
Glasgow
G44 4BE

Your ref. Complaint ref ***** (a different ref))

2 February 2014.

Dear Ms. Clayton

I have since 18 October 2013 in various ways let you know that I do not want your company's electricity at my house, and this is yet another time. I do not want any supply from Scottish Power at my address and I do want your company to account for the overcharges and subsequent extra charges since my discovering their dishonesty.

A set of credible and honest figures would have resolved all problems in 2007, but for some reason your company are very reluctant to supply them.

Here is a question which you have not answered (dated 15 November 2013):

open quote

Thank you for your letter dated 18th. October (what date did you actually write it, and on what date did it go in the post?) referring to a complaint that you have been avoiding addressing since about 2007.

end quote

Your company, by leaving electricity connected to it, are still obstructing me from working on my house and have been doing so since the 18th October when I asked that Scottish Power electrician to cut off the power. In the light of this I may undergo the dangerous task of disconnecting without removing the main fuse. My family might sue if I have an accident whilst doing so.

Yours

(spcustomer)

Of course, they might, on the other hand, be delighted if I killed myself. Who knows? The trouble is that I am reasonably skilled in this field - not an expert, but fairly knowledgable.

Since I believe the section in bold is addressed at me, I'll answer. I've never been in the employ of Scottish Power. This is a public forum, and people will challenge you on things they believe to be incorrect.

However, I don't expect you to believe me, as it would appear from the last paragraph of your post that you're seriously mentally unhinged. I urge you to seek medical attention.

spcustomer

Meanwhile, I have got bored with the subject and will disconnect the cables from their meter to my consumer unit so that I don't any longer have to rely on 12 volt lighting (which, incidentally, seems much cheaper to run).

There are one or two comical letters from SP, and if I remember to copy them to you on some day when I am bored I will do so.

Essentially, they are swindlers rather than comedians.

spcustomer

Cheapskates!

SP have now started trying to bill me for electricity I do not want and have not used! They have still not disconnected despite my requests, and I now have a quote for a standalone system that will do the whole job most of the year but might need a bit of assistance form a petrol generator or a wind generator during the shortest, darkest days. And I have not yet even started my various energy experiments that might do some more.

Judging from other people's writings it will cost me about the same as three years of electricity bills, after which there will only be routine maintenance and the replacement of batteries every few years.

Andy_WSM

spcustomer wrote: »

Judging from other people's writings it will cost me about the same as three years of electricity bills, after which there will only be routine maintenance and the replacement of batteries every few years.

Having your property taken off grid will cost you thousands of £s in the long run and make it hard to sell in the future. The obvious answer would be to drop Scottish Power as a supply and move to Ebico who have a "no standing charge tariff" - so If you don't use it won't cost and if you end up using a few units a month run some LED lights that is all you will pay for (the few units).

I'm really confused reading this thread exactly what you are trying to achieve and it seems to me you are cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Very odd indeed.

Andy_WSM

cajef wrote: »

If you think this is a normal train of thought by any sane person then you have problems, enough said.:eek:

Quote SP: I can tell you as a one-time mental health worker

I wonder if it's catching?

littletommytucker

I read this thread from start to finish with great interest last night. What initially started out as an extreme feeling of anger towards the OP's cynical paranoia towards SP has quickly turned into grave concern about an elderly, vulnerable and delusional old man.

I, like the ombudsman, am unable to understand the full nature of the complaint. To understand and investiagte your concerns, we need to be able to see an actual copy of the deadlock letter from SP. You only appear to have pasted copy's of emails explaining they have deadlocked you, and not actual copies of the deadlock. A true deadlock letter/email will set out the companies understanding of the complaint, what their response to the complaint was and their proposed resolution to the complaint. I'm confident if you post the deadlock letter/email into this thread everything will become much clearer.

SPcustomer, it appears to have been brushed over that you believe SP have sent you some apparent app that took control of your email inbox, however you appear to have limited understanding on how to use of a PC, and have apparently struggled to copy and paste plain text at some points. Do you know how difficult it would be to code a virus of this type? Do you believe SP would really be able to employ world class hackers to develop such an app, and have them freely liaise with the customer service teams to implement such an app into their correspondence with you? It just isn't feasible that this would ever happen without a leak to the press/national scandal (possibly global).

It's upsetting that someone that once worked as a mental health professional is now suffering from the very issues you spent your life trying to combat for others, yet due to the nature of such illness you're now unable to spot the signs yourself. Do have you have friends or family members that you've been able to discuss your account with? Is anyone aware of your intention to isolate yourself from a supply of electricity at such a vulnerable age?

To SP rep Dave, Qdos for the great work you've done so far with SPCustomer, however I do believe as a responsible organisation you have an obligation to notify the local health authority about SPcustomers mental health. His paranoia is so deeply routed he believes you're working in cahoots with the local police? I believe at some point you will have to address his request to disconnect his supply but believe contact with the relevant authorities first is the next step to ensure he's getting all the mental health support he needs.

Whilst I understand you cannot comment on individual cases on a public forum, can you let me know what your companies policiy is when you identify elderly/vulnerable customers that could potentially be in immediate danger?