Can I put a "hold" on a direct debit

CSandL

Those useless articles at Scottish Power have sent me an enormously large (and incorrect) final bill - funny how a disputed read extends the time taken to switch isn't it!) Anyway, they are claiming about £400 more than I owe. I can clearly prove it (the meter read they are claiming is almost 3000 units above my current read so it is unlikely to have decreased by 3000 in the last 2 weeks...) so I know I am in the right but I do also agree that I owe them about £100 so I don't want to just cancel the direct debit but I also don't trust them not to just take it and expect me to claim it back.

My question is, can I put a hold on it and say to my bank don't pay anything before I tell you, or should I cancel it and then just pay a one off when they finally give me a sensible bill.

Thanks for any advice.

Archi_Bald

The only "hold" is the cancellation of the DD. Presumably they allow payment by a different method - card, Faster Payment etc? So you could cancel your DD, and pay them what you owe later when you have an agreed bill.

Your other option is to let them take the money, and then tell the bank it was unauthorised and the money needs to be recalled. This sounds a lot more painful.

In any case, you need to urgently write to them disputing the bill (and telling them that the DD authority no longer exists as you would be paying your outstanding debt by different means as soon as they have provided you with a correct bill, if that is what you will do)

CSandL

Thanks, I disputed the bill on 26th June but they have still not acknowledged my dispute, nor have I managed to get a straight answer out of them. Or even an answer on most occasions since they are unobtainable by most rational means. I do have a complaint number so I'll go to the Ombudsman if necessary, it just seems so completely ridiculous for them not to just generate me a correct bill...

Archi_Bald

You could try writing to the CEO - that helped me when I was in a similarly ridiculous position with npower. I found the Ombudsman about as useful as a chocolate teapot in the matter.

The Scottish Power Retail CEO is Mr Neil Clitheroe

His email address should be neil.clitheroe@scottishpower.com

EDIT: I see he has "completed the Achieving Breakthrough Service program at the Harvard Business School" so let's put him to the test, lol