Scottish Power - When paying for what you use isn't enough Round 2

Simon7685

Received a short email response from SP re the email sent off to them. They have agreed in writing that as long as this years consumption does not exceed last years consumption on each quarter, then they will not attempt to increase my monthly payments and they can remain at £97.65 a month.

So I have it in writing now, which at least gives me some evidence, if / when they suddenly decide that I am going to use 4000+ units more than last year, which is what they did.

There was no explanation as to why they had not conducted the annual review following the end of the payment year and as documented on their site. Maybe that is because if they did and assuming they used the last 12 months figures, it would end up with a reduced Payment??? That would seem to make sense to me.

The potential remains that because they haven't conducted the annual review that in January when the next quarter ends, they will hike payments. My current one was done last April and forecast my usage to be the 4000+ units more than ever used before. So if someone was to look at that following meter readings being submitted, it could very easily trigger an increase, especially as that forecast says I should be paying £126 a month.

It could just as easily not happen, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Although I am going to contact them again and ask why they haven't done the review in accordance with their own practices.

vassa

LOL Scottish Power did this to us, tried to charge us £102 in a tiny 1 bed flat, ended up like £167 in credit and they wouldn't lower.

Solution - 'I'd like to inform you that unless you set my debit to what i'm using, and keep it there barring an increase in usage, i'm going to switch to a different company '

I'd switch anyway, they're really expensive.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

vassa wrote: »

LOL Scottish Power did this to us, tried to charge us £102 in a tiny 1 bed flat, ended up like £167 in credit and they wouldn't lower.

Solution - 'I'd like to inform you that unless you set my debit to what i'm using, and keep it there barring an increase in usage, i'm going to switch to a different company '

I'd switch anyway, they're really expensive.

At what point were you £167 in credit though? For instance, if you had been with them a full year, and it was September, to only be a month and a half's payments in credit would suggest your £102 a month is spot on, maybe even slightly low.

As for being "really expensive", as with all energy suppliers, it varies hugely by consumption and region. Many people find SP to be right up there on price.

vassa

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

At what point were you £167 in credit though? For instance, if you had been with them a full year, and it was September, to only be a month and a half's payments in credit would suggest your £102 a month is spot on, maybe even slightly low.

As for being "really expensive", as with all energy suppliers, it varies hugely by consumption and region. Many people find SP to be right up there on price.

January-September, and the boiler never went on except for two 15 minute showers per day, and for filling up one hot sink of water for dishes per day, from March til September. Heating didn't go on once. Very expensive for a one bed flat.

Simon7685

vassa wrote: »

LOL Scottish Power did this to us, tried to charge us £102 in a tiny 1 bed flat, ended up like £167 in credit and they wouldn't lower.

Solution - 'I'd like to inform you that unless you set my debit to what i'm using, and keep it there barring an increase in usage, i'm going to switch to a different company '

I'd switch anyway, they're really expensive.

I can't actually switch as I am in a locked deal until Nov 2014, the cancellation fee is £30, so I would need a pretty outstanding deal for it to be worthwhile.

Also as much as I like to moan about energy companies and their quite often underhand operations, SP are in fact giving me the cheapest deal out there at the moment. It is just the payment hikes and moving the goalposts all the time that annoys me.

eschaton

Simon7685 wrote: »

I can't actually switch as I am in a locked deal until Nov 2014, the cancellation fee is £30, so I would need a pretty outstanding deal for it to be worthwhile.

Also as much as I like to moan about energy companies and their quite often underhand operations, SP are in fact giving me the cheapest deal out there at the moment. It is just the payment hikes and moving the goalposts all the time that annoys me.

It would stick in my throat but I would consider giving them the £30 to get away from them.

I remember your last thread and I had the same constant battles with them.

I left them in early July for EDF Energy when my deal with SP ended. Monthly DD went down slightly on a fixed deal until 2015 compared to what SP wanted. Three monthly bills into my deal with EDF and they have reduced my DD by £2 from 1/11/13. Not much but not something SP would have done. They would just make figures up and increase it.

I was with SP for 13 years and will never touch them again due their crap customer service.