Switching while paying back over long term

knack92

A relative's fixed contract with Scottish Power is about to come to an end and I'm trying to work out if it will be beneficial to switch providers.

This time last year SP removed an unused electricity meter. A couple of months later my relative noticed that payments hadn't been taken for a while and upon investigation we discovered that the account had been closed when the meter was removed. We contacted Scottish Power and they eventually calculated how much was owed and sent a bill. It then took a further five months for them to set up a direct debit to take payments.

Due to their error my relative is repaying a very small amount per month on top of their usual DD to cover the uncharged energy.

Does anyone have experience of switching supplier when repaying their existing supplier over long term? Do you think they would demand full payment if switching away? I realise the definitive answer will come from Scottish Power but thought I'd ask here first.

Thanks.

Horseunderwater

Am sure they will want settlement. Power companies normally do. Get acount holder to ask SP if an arrangement to pay debt should they move could be arranged.

Cardew

When a customer wishes to switch supplier, the 'losing' firm(SP in this case) can veto the move if the customer has substantial debt - and they invariably exercise that right.

knack92

Thanks both.

After reading your post, Cardew, I did a search and came across this:

"Are you in debt because your supplier made a mistake?
If it is your energy supplier’s fault that you are in debt, maybe because they read your meter wrongly, they cannot stop you from switching to another supplier. However, you will still have to pay back any debt."