Ombudsman

strawberryblonde

Hi All
I have just submitted a complaint to the Ombudsman as I have been sent a deadlock letter from Scottish Power.
My energy switch fiasco has been going on since April and I am so fed up with it all. I have literally spent hours on the phone trying to sort it out.
Has anyone else had experience of the complaints procedure and know what happens?
Thanks

System

This should provide you with some answers.

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/complain-now-energy.html

barncopxx

strawberryblonde wrote: »

Hi All
I have just submitted a complaint to the Ombudsman as I have been sent a deadlock letter from Scottish Power.
My energy switch fiasco has been going on since April and I am so fed up with it all. I have literally spent hours on the phone trying to sort it out.
Has anyone else had experience of the complaints procedure and know what happens?
Thanks

Snap! My son is in exactly the same situation as you. A complaint was submitted two weeks ago to the Energy Ombudsman and he had to talk through everything to the advisor on the telephone, followed by forwarding onto them screen shots of the errors on his account along with his incident log as he had kept records of every contact, date,time,energy advisor along with their ID number and what happened during the calls. He was told that a response will be received within 8-10 weeks. Scottish Power are an absolute joke and that is fact! I switched away from them last year and my son is going to do the same as soon as his complaint is dealt with. The quicker and further you can get away from this incompetent company the better.:mad:

barncopxx

Just to add, this is what it says under Scottish Power on MSE's Energy Saver Club:
"Warning! We've had a disproportionate amount of negative feedback on Scottish Power. It's important you're aware of this and factor it into your decision on whether this is the right firm to switch to".

Daisygirl1977

When we moved into our property the previous tenant was on a prepaid meter with SP. We switched to British Gas, still on a prepaid meter! Thought all had gone ok however 6 months later we got a bill from SP stating we owed them over £60 - impossible as you can't run up a debt on a pre-paid meter!! After much going and froing with SP we got nowhere so we made a complaint to the ombudsman believing we had a strong case - how can you have a debt on a prepaid meter as if you run out of credit on it you get cut off!!! Finally the ombudsman got back to us - 3 months after initial complaint - and they have sided with SP despite agreeing with us that you can't possibly run up a debt on a prepaid meter! We now have to pay for the power we've already paid for!!!!! How can this be fair and now we don't know where we stand or what our rights are!!!

cing0

Daisygirl1977 wrote: »

- how can you have a debt on a prepaid meter as if you run out of credit on it you get cut off!!!

I'm no expert but if the pre-payment meter is charging the wrong rate, you may still owe as per the tariff terms and conditions. Also, if you run out of credit, you will still owe for standing charge I presume even though you don't use energy (all energy tariffs have a daily standing charge of 0p and above).

chanz4

Daisygirl1977 wrote: »

When we moved into our property the previous tenant was on a prepaid meter with SP. We switched to British Gas, still on a prepaid meter! Thought all had gone ok however 6 months later we got a bill from SP stating we owed them over £60 - impossible as you can't run up a debt on a pre-paid meter!! After much going and froing with SP we got nowhere so we made a complaint to the ombudsman believing we had a strong case - how can you have a debt on a prepaid meter as if you run out of credit on it you get cut off!!! Finally the ombudsman got back to us - 3 months after initial complaint - and they have sided with SP despite agreeing with us that you can't possibly run up a debt on a prepaid meter! We now have to pay for the power we've already paid for!!!!! How can this be fair and now we don't know where we stand or what our rights are!!!

you can run debts up on pre-pay:


Incorrect start reading if not provided
Using incorrect card to your account / supplier
not topping up regular which builds up s/charge
staying in emergency doesn't take s/charge
using new suppliers card to early before switch / final read

Daisygirl1977

chanz4 wrote: »

you can run debts up on pre-pay:


Incorrect start reading if not provided
Using incorrect card to your account / supplier
not topping up regular which builds up s/charge
staying in emergency doesn't take s/charge
using new suppliers card to early before switch / final read

Thank you for your help! Will check with British Gas that they gave correct start reading! Luckily we've kept them all nearly a year later lol!

[Deleted User]

Daisygirl1977 wrote: »

Thank you for your help! Will check with British Gas that they gave correct start reading! Luckily we've kept them all nearly a year later lol!

As Chanz4 says, you can run up plenty of debt on a prepay meter. Just like everyone else in the UK ( apart from a few no standing charge suppliers with very high tariffs ) you are paying approx £1.80 a week in standing charges on prepay electric and a lower figure on prepay gas meters. Screen A on your electric meter would show a debt if you haven`t been topping up, it would have either a minus sign against the amount owed (landys gyr meters ) or the word "debt " above the amount ( Actaris/Itron meters ). There is also another debt screen which refers to debt loaded for non payment on credit meters. These amounts are on screen "S" on electric and screen 26 on gas prepays. The most debt I have ever seen on any meter is £9000 on a prepay gas meter !
With electric prepays screen " G" is the total kwhrs since meter installed and each new occupier starts from zero automatically with a new card on screen "H " so no need to put a start read in with suppliers, just obtain a new card.