Be Careful to check your final bill when leaving Scottish Power!

harrysmith_2

Had truly AWFUL service from Scottish Power supplying gas so switched to Zog (Great service so far from Zog by the way!:j). Switch over date was 27th April, 2015.

I submitted my final reading to Zog who confirmed they submitted it to Scottish Power.

Scottish Power decided instead to issue a final bill using their own estimated reading. They did not contact me for a final reading.

I did NOT receive a final bill from Scottish Power. I just noticed they took more than they should have from my bank account. I then managed to log onto my Scottish Power account (still open for some reason??) and see that they had made up their own reading when calculating the final bill.

Contacted them 4 times since. Zog has also contacted them. Scottish Power refuse to accept the final reading Zog and I have given. They say it is in "dispute". Not sure on what grounds Scottish Power think they can dispute an actual customer reading....

If Scottish Power are doing this to me, they may be doing it to you, so please check your "final" bills if you have recently left to make sure they have used your final reading.

Also, if you are about to leave Scottish Power, I would recommend you submit your own reading directly to them on or near your leaving date.

Cardew

harrysmith wrote: »

Scottish Power refuse to accept the final reading Zog and I have given. They say it is in "dispute". Not sure on what grounds Scottish Power think they can dispute an actual customer reading....

Whilst everyone knows that SP accounts are a disaster, they, like every other company, can dispute customer meter readings; and it is a very common occurrence.


There are several possible reasons and one, to put it bluntly, is some customers are less than honest. In fact some posters on MSE have openly advocated that you should 'fudge' readings to your advantage.


Of course if SP do dispute readings, they should take steps to get the meter read by a meter reader.

harrysmith_2

Cardew, thanks.

I'm afraid I just took an accurate and honest reading and submitted that to Zog. If you look at the reading, it is in line with normal usage for our house when you factor in less gas usage because weather was warmer - March/April not Jan/Feb.

The difference Scottish power are arguing about amounts to about £50 so not a massive amount. However it means that I have paid Zog and Scottish Power £50 for the same gas!

Bottom line is I can't prove the reading is accurate in the same way Scottish power can't prove it isn't. Scottish Power either need to accept customer readings in good faith or, like you say, send meter readers.

Cardew

Hi,
I am not in any way implying your readings are incorrect; I was merely pointing out that disputed meter readings when switching is a fairly common occurrence.

All energy companies use an algorithm(program) for their computer that estimates a meter reading on any given day; and presumably this is outside their error tolerance. That might happen if your previous billed meter reading was over-estimated.

However it means that I have paid Zog and Scottish Power £50 for the same gas!

If that has happed then Zog are at fault. As the gaining supplier they must sort out the meter reading dispute with the losing supplier. The closing meter reading with SP must be the same as the opening meter reading with Zog.

harrysmith_2

Thanks, Cardew. It's fine. I didn't think you were implying my reading was not correct. I just wanted to explain that I hadn't just plucked a figure out of the air! I did actually read the meter.

Scottish Power say the tolerance for disputed gas readings is 120 units. My difference is 150 units. The implication still is though that their estimated reading is right and my actual reading is wrong which does grate a little to be fair.

Like I say, not the end of the world as just circa £50 in my case but I just wanted other people to check their bills as they may well be in the same position and not know about it. Scottish Power didn't even post me a final bill. I just happened to notice they took about £50 more than they should have from my bank account.

matelodave

As Cardew says, the dispute should be between Zog & SP. They should both use the same reading. If SP are insisting that theirs is the one to use then Zog should issue you with a revised initial reading.