completely lost - dual fuel

oldboy64

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Unless the direct debit payment causes you to be overdrawn the amount, within reason, is irrelevant. If you overpay now you can underpay or request a refund in future. It makes no difference to the annual cost.
Keep us posted:)

Scottish Power do not refund any credit balance at the end of the year unless it exceeds 3 times the monthly DD. In my case that figure was 3 x £84 = £252.

If the credit balance is below this figure they keep the money and adjust the DD, which in the past has always meant a credit balance in the summer of over £500 whittled down after the winter to about £200. In other words Scottish Power will always hold 3 times your DD amount as a credit balance rolling forwards.

oldboy64

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

SP have a call back service, I've used it and it works. How long it takes is irrelevant in the sense that their call back is quicker than you calling the phone jockey - and free. Ask for help from the SP rep [if ever they reappear] on here, and put your tail between your legs before you shoot your other foot off. Given your other thread you may not get back onto the SP social tariff, or any of their competitors social tariff. Your starter for ten in the hole you have made .. .. is to stop digging my friend.

Kick back, do nowt till Monday, then goto your e-account and request a call back, tell SP you are grief stricken because the budgie died without tweeting even a goodbye and your GP changed your prescription sending you 'do lally' over the last week. Tell them you are better now, apologise, ask for a payment plan of CAC ÷ 12 paid monthly via direct debit and ask them to rewind to their offer of £100pm and the original [social] Online Fresh Start Energy tariff.
[STRIKE]Andy[/STRIKE]

Yes I tried that call back thing and if I had waited until that time had expired the bank would have closed and the DD for the vastly increased amount would have been taken by the next morning - leaving me with no chance of getting it reversed or refunded.

I'm confused - what e-account??
Are you suggesting that I tell them a pack of lies when they already know exactly what I did and why I did it?
Apologise?? Why?? I didn't start all of this - Scottish Power did. If they sent letters out when they should have I would have had more time to sort it out - the girl at Scottish Power admitted that a whole bunch of letters were sent out late and in one whole bundle - hence why I couldn't get through - there were many others complaining as well!!

I don't understand your point of view - the only power a customer has with anybody is to either not pay the money until it is sorted out to everybody's satisfaction or simply walk away and try to find another energy supplier.
I don't want to change supplier - I have had Scottish Power for the past 12 years and have always been a good customer which should count for something. I want Scottish Power to admit that they failed me and then I will start talking.

If they want to push - I'll push back!

I just wanted to protect myself from an excessive payment being taken from the bank. The amount wasn't really the problem - the real problem was not being told at the time why they wanted to increase it from £84 to £120 and for not giving me ample time to discuss the increase with them.

eschaton

OP - I had' a bit of sympathy for you. I have just left Scottish Power after 13 years due to constant DD battles and moved to EDF.

BUT - after listening to your crap about what you will do to people that may come to change your meter etc... then all you sounds like is some kind of crack pot nutter.

You better hope that you don't abuse or threaten anyone as you might pick the wrong one, that might return when it's dark and knock YOU out.

oldboy64

eschaton wrote: »

OP - I had' a bit of sympathy for you. I have just left Scottish Power after 13 years due to constant DD battles and moved to EDF.

BUT - after listening to your crap about what you will do to people that may come to change your meter etc... then all you sounds like is some kind of crack pot nutter.
.

No not really. Too many just turn the other cheek when they are screwed especially when they know they are being screwed!

As I said to the other poster - should I just offer them access to the property, say nothing and maybe give them a cup of tea and some cake?

No, I'm certainly not a 'nutter' - just someone that will always fight back any way that I can especially when I know I have been screwed!

Richie-from-the-Boro

Andy ......................

Norman_Castle

I have just left Scottish Power after 13 years due to constant DD battles and moved to EDF.

Expect annual DD battles and an illegible bill.

brewerdave

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Expect annual DD battles and an illegible bill.

...annual?? With EDF I have to phone them after every bill to get the DD adjusted - think its 6 or 7 times in just over two years:rotfl:

Battleaxe44

I am wondering why they are wanting to instal pre-paid meters?

It seems to be an easy option for them to stop complaints regarding DD's. We used to be with Scottish Power and there was no customer service.

Two days notice of a change of DD is appalling and this seems to be one of the main points of the complaint. This could have put the OP into an unauthorised OD, and bank charges if the DD was not paid..

The other is why the increase with no explanation, just increase the DD.

I would be moving to another provider, get the best tariff you can from them and pay quarterly ion receipt of bill.

The go for the refund from Scottish power.

Perhaps a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman, with a copy of the complaint to Scottish Power? Of course after you have switched providers.

I know you don't want to switch but I think your relationship Scottish power has run it's course .

You have not given them pernmission or agreed to install the pre-paid meters and as you are not in debt to them techinacally, they have no right to apply for a warrant. Threatening violence though is not the way forward, but perhaps a Tort of Trespass letter just might slow them down a bit.

Nothing invokes such passion as the cost of fuel when you are on a fixed income.

Have you approached the CAB regarding this?

If you want to stay with Scottish Power you are going to have rebuild a realtionship with them, but I feel it is time to move on.

eschaton

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Expect annual DD battles and an illegible bill.

Quite happy with the first bill. A decent deal from EDF and no tie in period so free to leave without penalty if they start to annoy me.

oldboy64

Just as an update

Well they attended late this afternoon, rep from Scottish Power, someone that sounded like he was a bailiff and three police officers!
My wife wasn't in thank goodness.

I was asked by the police to sit in their car with one of them whilst they entered the house. They had a warrant to enter.

They installed prepayment meters for the gas & electricity.

must admit it caused a stir with all the neighbours - all thinking that I had been arrested with men coming in and out and the police guarding the house.

There wasn't a lot I could do to resist - I was warned that any attempt on my part would result in me taken to the police station.
They asked me for the keys to my gun cabinet where I keep my shotgun and removed it and put it in the boot of the car I was sat in.

Eventually I was allowed to go back in the house. They had made a right mess. Understairs cupboard tipped all over the dining room floor, furniture upside down in the lounge.

The worst of it was having to explain to my wife when she came home.

Anyhow what's done is done. I have to go to the police station on Monday morning to be interviewed over what had happened.

All of that I can sort out.

How the hell do I get rid of these meters? They put the credit on them from the last bill I had from them.