Scottish Power & ongoing meter problems

sobie

Hi,

After my last post. A few updates:

Just to confirm, we have gas and electricity supplied by Scottish Power on a Online fixed energy price april 2014.

Email Notifications:

Scottish power send email reminders to submit meter readings. We have not received any email notifications from Scottish Power since 31st July 2013. Scottish Power admitted that due to a fault on their system they have been unable to send email reminders to submit meter readings.

March 2014:
Our current fixed agreement with Scottish Power expired. We signed up online for a fixed deal until summer 2015. We didn't receive any confirmation of our sign up, and our account is still showing as the April 2014 deal. Although Scottish Power have confirmed on the phone that we have changed to the Summer 2015 deal.

Billing
We are unable to see any bills on our account from October 2013. except for one that ran from January 30th -March 5th. All estimated.

Meter Readings
To sign up to the new deal, we went to read our meter. This was when we noticed that the display on the meter was blank.
We called Scottish Power on 7th April to report the fault.

No Show Engineers

17th April
Our first repair was booked in for April 17th. Engineer failed to show. When we called Scottish Power that evening. We we're told that although it was booked in on their system they failed to book it in with the repair company. They rebooked us for 7th May.

7th May.
Today we get home, and the meter is still broken.
We called Scottish Power at 5:20pm. My Partner spoke to someone called Leah, who promply put him back on hold.
25 minutes later.. Emma answered. My partner repeated the problem. Back on hold. Emma replied that yet again the repair hadn't been booked in. She has rebooked for 22nd May.
She also confirmed that there wasn't anyway to find out the exact ammount of electricity we have used since 31st July 2013 and that our bill would be estimated. In total my partner was on the phone for 50 minutes.

I guess I will just have to wait until 22nd May.

Buzby

And no doubt, change your supplier? The responsibility for your meter will not be SP, but the area regional supplier - even with a blank display, the units consumed can be reactivated.

sobie

I am honestly tearing my hair out.

Seimens showed up today to change the meter. Only they didn't change it so its the same broken meter with no LED display.

I called Seimens who informed me that we needed to be present, even though every single person my partner spoke to at Scottish power (Leah, Emma to name two) said we did not need to be in as our meter is on the outdoors of the front of our property.

They told me to rebook with Scottish Power. So I called Scottish Power, and sat on hold again - for another wasted 30 minutes of my life.

I spoke to Charlotte. She said that the engineer said there are more faults than just the meter and they would like to relocate our meter, to do so we must be present.

Then I was told by Charlotte that we will face a fee! Needless to say Charlotte got more than a few choice words shouted at her.

So, its been rebooked for 9th June. And Scottish power are waiving the fee (I should think so too!) Someone must be present, as I work 7 days a week I can't be present I can't just close my shop and turn trade away. So now I have to ask my elderly mother and father in law to be present on our behalf. He doesn't like driving anymore and they live 30 minutes drive away.

To say I am fuming with Scottish Power is an understatement. As its been over 8 weeks since the whole thing started - can I complain to the ombubsman?

[Deleted User]

Your blank meter is very common, usually a little white digital by Landys and Gyr. I have many customers who are very happy with their blank screens and do everything possible to keep it. The suppliers will bill an estimated bill as the meter cannot record your usage. The canny ones will switch off the central heating and use electric heaters and immersion heaters for hot water and save a packet on the gas bill in the winter months. I have customers in the 4 th and 5 th year of a blank screen, despite attempts by engineers to enter. If they dont answer the door when they come the meter fitter is soon off and away.
I would ve thought that switching off an electric supply without customer present is nt allowed for safety reasons. I know we are not allowed to do that. I dont personally think this problem is a case for the Ombudsman, after all ,its not Scottish Powers fault,( its not their meter) that they install such an unreliable electric meter, unless you want to report the Local Distributor who control your area.

Aquamania

sobie wrote: »

Hi,

After my last post. A few updates:

Just to confirm, we have gas and electricity supplied by Scottish Power on a Online fixed energy price april 2014.

Email Notifications:

Scottish power send email reminders to submit meter readings. We have not received any email notifications from Scottish Power since 31st July 2013. Scottish Power admitted that due to a fault on their system they have been unable to send email reminders to submit meter readings.

March 2014:
Our current fixed agreement with Scottish Power expired. We signed up online for a fixed deal until summer 2015. We didn't receive any confirmation of our sign up, and our account is still showing as the April 2014 deal. Although Scottish Power have confirmed on the phone that we have changed to the Summer 2015 deal.

Billing
We are unable to see any bills on our account from October 2013. except for one that ran from January 30th -March 5th. All estimated.

Meter Readings
To sign up to the new deal, we went to read our meter. This was when we noticed that the display on the meter was blank.
We called Scottish Power on 7th April to report the fault.

No Show Engineers

17th April
Our first repair was booked in for April 17th. Engineer failed to show. When we called Scottish Power that evening. We we're told that although it was booked in on their system they failed to book it in with the repair company. They rebooked us for 7th May.

7th May.
Today we get home, and the meter is still broken.
We called Scottish Power at 5:20pm. My Partner spoke to someone called Leah, who promply put him back on hold.
25 minutes later.. Emma answered. My partner repeated the problem. Back on hold. Emma replied that yet again the repair hadn't been booked in. She has rebooked for 22nd May.
She also confirmed that there wasn't anyway to find out the exact ammount of electricity we have used since 31st July 2013 and that our bill would be estimated. In total my partner was on the phone for 50 minutes.

I guess I will just have to wait until 22nd May.

sobie wrote: »

I am honestly tearing my hair out.

Seimens showed up today to change the meter. Only they didn't change it so its the same broken meter with no LED display.

I called Seimens who informed me that we needed to be present, even though every single person my partner spoke to at Scottish power (Leah, Emma to name two) said we did not need to be in as our meter is on the outdoors of the front of our property.

They told me to rebook with Scottish Power. So I called Scottish Power, and sat on hold again - for another wasted 30 minutes of my life.

I spoke to Charlotte. She said that the engineer said there are more faults than just the meter and they would like to relocate our meter, to do so we must be present.

Then I was told by Charlotte that we will face a fee! Needless to say Charlotte got more than a few choice words shouted at her.

So, its been rebooked for 9th June. And Scottish power are waiving the fee (I should think so too!) Someone must be present, as I work 7 days a week I can't be present I can't just close my shop and turn trade away. So now I have to ask my elderly mother and father in law to be present on our behalf. He doesn't like driving anymore and they live 30 minutes drive away.

To say I am fuming with Scottish Power is an understatement. As its been over 8 weeks since the whole thing started - can I complain to the ombubsman?

I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you have experienced with your supplier.

No show, broken appointments usually result in a small goodwill payment on request (about £20 per occassion)

It is also sad that at least 2 different advisors informed that you do not need to be present when the meter is changed; that was wrong and perhaps those advisors require further training. Someone needs to be present to ensure all consumption is turned off before the engineer starts pulling out wires from the old meter and sticking them into a new meter, else there's a chance of a better lightening display than last night.:eek:
An agreement on the start meter reading is also required, else no doubt that will be cause for a later dispute. :cool:

I am sure the supplier will look favourably on a request for a further goodwill payment for the incorrect advice given by their employees to you.

As for the working 7 days a week, that is something you need to overcome. You can usually obtain an appointment 8am-8pm Monday to Friday or Saturday morning. I'm sure you can leave the shop in the hands of a capable employee for a couple of hours sometime during that period, or as you say you can arrange for your parents to be present ... or even a friend or neighbour you can trust. Sounds like you are not really trying to meet the supplier even half way on this one.

No point complaining to the ombudsman at this point - it will just delay matters, introduce a third (or forth) party to go through, and you (or someone) will still have to be present when the meter is eventually changed.

Contact the supplier and try to come to a mutally agreeable resolution; I'm sure as an adult and business owner you can do that if you really try.

sobie

Thanks for the replies to date.

So our appointment was this morning. I called Scottish Power this morning just to check, and was told it was definately booked in.
Gets to 11:50am no show by Siemens.
So I called Scottish Power and was given a number to call once the appointment time had lasped (ie 10 minutes later).
Gets to 12noon - no show so I call the number 0141 5686137 only to get the automated message that the number had not been recognised.

So I call Seimens directly. Praise where its due, they we're very helpful. BUT they said that two levels of appoinments are raised:
soft & firm. Our appointments other than the 22nd where booked in as soft appointments, therefore they we're not 'booked in' and no compensation can be given. On the 22nd we broke the agreement so could face a fine. I have rebooked the appointment for Friday. This time I actually have a little faith.

Now to face Scottish Power.... :mad::mad::mad:

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

sobie wrote: »

Then I was told by Charlotte that we will face a fee! Needless to say Charlotte got more than a few choice words shouted at her.

And maybe that is why your appointment wasn't prioritised.....

sobie

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

And maybe that is why your appointment wasn't prioritised.....

I work in retail I hear it all. It doesn't make any difference to how I treat the person with the complaint, everyone has to vent, its the first thing you allow the 'complainee' to do. When they've calmed down, which the vast majority of people do pretty quickly, is to resolve the complaint in a way which is fair and to an agreed outcome. Its basic training.

Sitting on hold for the last 1hour, doesn't help anyones mood or temper!

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

sobie wrote: »

I work in retail I hear it all. It doesn't make any difference to how I treat the person with the complaint, everyone has to vent, its the first thing you allow the 'complainee' to do. When they've calmed down, which the vast majority of people do pretty quickly, is to resolve the complaint in a way which is fair and to an agreed outcome. Its basic training.

Sitting on hold for the last 1hour, doesn't help anyones mood or temper!

That, quite frankly, is a load of rubbish.

Most people know the polite and correct way to behave. When people used to swear at me when I worked in a call centre for an energy company, I just used to disconnect them. They soon picked up how they should do things.

sobie

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

That, quite frankly, is a load of rubbish.

Most people know the polite and correct way to behave. When people used to swear at me when I worked in a call centre for an energy company, I just used to disconnect them. They soon picked up how they should do things.

Excuse me, but when did I say I swore? Choice words means a few words selected with care, nothing to do with swearing! I suggest you look in the dictionary before you add a few meaningless words to an already strained situation in future.

sobie

After 1hour 50 minutes on hold to Scottish Power I spoke to a gent who put me through to the claims department. Only to go on hold again, and then they hung up.

Requested another call back, and shortly after, right on time, a chap called Iain called back. Very nice man too, polite and for the first time since this happened I received not 1, but 3 appologies. So big thank you to Iain :T

Finally feel like I am getting somewhere.