Scottish Power help?

Raging_In_Glasgow

Hi new to the board so bear with me :money:

I bought my first home in June and when I bought it there was a prepaid electricity meter with between £150-£200 credit on it.

I didnt think to phone up and register myself as the new account holder because its a key meter, but regardless, in October - Scottish Power (the elec. provider) sent me out a welcome letter with a new key telling me to use the existing credit on the meter before inserting the new key. So I did.

I started topping up the meter as of November, and then in January I switched to EDF. Today I received an estimated usage bill of £192.63 + £9.63 VAT, minus the credit of £90 I had put on the meter.

So they say I owe them a total of £112.26.

Phoned them up to query this and they claimed that it was estimated first of all, because they didn't have a reading from EDF to close the account.

They also say that I used credit which I hadnt paid for, and that they had refunded to the previous homeowner (estate agents). So apparently I'm liable for the money. I explained to them the money was there when I bought the house and that they sent me a letter telling me to use it up. The chap on the phone told me that was only the case if I was moving from another provider, but I told him the letter doesn't stipulate that. He said I could raise a complaint but that I owe the money. Asked him if they had proof that they had refunded it to the previous owner which he also confirmed.

I contacted EDF to get readings from them, which they say they provided to Scottish Power on 25th January. I also asked their opinion and the two folk I spoke to said they haven't a leg to stand on. They said that the energy was bought and paid for and on the meter and there to use, and that in their case they wouldn't refund it. They said that any previous occupier would normally be advised to run down the meter as they wouldn't get a refund, and also if Scottish Power were daft enough to give a refund to the previous occupier after this time then its not my fault. They said if it goes to a collection agency, then goes to court it would be laughed out.

Anyone any advise or help?

Thanks

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

Whatever the merits of the case, it will probably go to a Debt Collection Agency, but not to court, and will reflect on your credit rating.

Raging_In_Glasgow

Cardew wrote: »

Welcome to the forum.

Whatever the merits of the case, it will probably go to a Debt Collection Agency, but not to court, and will reflect on your credit rating.

Ok thanks.

I was told it wouldn't reflect on my credit rating as Scottish Power don't mark against your credit rating due to the amount of mistakes they make. Have I been misinformed?

MAYAN65

You used someone elses credit. you used the energy and have now been billed for it so its your bill. SP have made an error so maybe ask for a reduced bill for being miss advised etc. You admit you didnt phone and tell them you moved in and you admit you didnt pay for electric. If there had been a debt set on the meter you would be asking for your money back its just the other way round and SP want there money.

Raging_In_Glasgow

MAYAN65 wrote: »

You used someone elses credit. you used the energy and have now been billed for it so its your bill. SP have made an error so maybe ask for a reduced bill for being miss advised etc. You admit you didnt phone and tell them you moved in and you admit you didnt pay for electric. If there had been a debt set on the meter you would be asking for your money back its just the other way round and SP want there money.

When I bought the house the estate agent said the money would be left on the meter.

When Scottish Power sent me a welcome pack, they advised me to use any and all existing credit on the meter prior to putting in the new key they sent me.

And if Scottish Power was aware I was the new occupier also, why did they continue to allow me to use the credit if, in their opinion, I shouldn't have been. Rather than writing to me before this telling me about the situation.

macman

But you were happy to use the existing credit (which you had not paid for) for 4 months (June-October) until they sent a new key. If SP hadn't contacted you, then presumably you would have used that until it ran out.
It's really got nothing to do with the estate agent, it's your property and your job to register for the supply as soon as you take up occupation.

Raging_In_Glasgow

macman wrote: »

But you were happy to use the existing credit (which you had not paid for) for 4 months (June-October) until they sent a new key. If SP hadn't contacted you, then presumably you would have used that until it ran out.
It's really got nothing to do with the estate agent, it's your property and your job to register for the supply as soon as you take up occupation.

I was happy to use it because the previous homeowner (who was the estate agent) advised they would leave the credit on the meter.

SP DID contact me, and THEY advised me to use it until it ran out. SP told me not to insert my new key they had sent me, until such times as I had used all the existing credit, in their welcome letter. So THEY told me to use it themselves.

I purchased the house, with credit on the meter, was told this credit was on the meter, used the credit, while using the credit received a welcome letter from the energy supplier telling me explicitly to CONTINUE AND RUN DOWN the credit before inserting the new key. Which I then did for another month or so.

If I shouldn't have used it, then they knew I was the new occupier for about a month before the existing credit ran out and I had to start topping up with the new key.

Scottish_Power

Hi please can you e-mail details to [EMAIL="onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com"]onlinecomplaints@scottishpower.com[/EMAIL] and we will look into this for you.

We will register defaults against customers if necessary for non-payment of bills, but we do try for some time to get customers to settle accounts before it gets to this stage.

Thanks

David