2.5yr gas supply issue.

Skools_Out

russj33 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies thus far and sorry for the delay butcurrently I have very limited internet access.

Okay so to try and be more clear I have offered a condensedhistory,

Sorry it’s so long but please do try stick with it…opinions/viewswould be very welcome.



April 13

Initially I phoned SP who informed me they did not supply gas tomy property although I was informed by previous occupants that they did.

I gave them my gas meter serial number and my address but theysaid that no meter of that number resided at that address. I obviouslyexplained that it did but they refused to accept this.

SP informed me to contact the central gas meter register .I did andthey told me my gas was being supplied by SP.

Back to SP who still would not accept this.

I tried to correlate with SP the previous occupant’s names and themeter, and my address but they could not confirm nor deny it due to dataprotection.

Tried to get them to tell me if they had a gas meter of thatserial number registered to them…they could neither confirm nor deny.

Ask for the situation to be escalated, assured it would be andawaited call back.



April 13 –12 Dec 13

Never received call back.

Numerous Lengthy calls to SP to try and resolve issues, front linestaff at customer services never able to deal with situation, never any seniormanagement available, always assured call back. Noe ever received.



12 Dec 13

Eventually I got a front line staff member with some sense who Icoerced into admitting that they had my serial number registered, an account inthe names of the previous occupants but it was all registered to anotheraddress. ( I had told him what the incorrect address would be after I had donesome investigating from my end aftertracking down previous occupants – discovered issues they’d had in the past)

I explained that theaddress was incorrect, was assured this would be changed, gave a reading andawaited a bill.

Dec 13 –July 14

Numerous calls by me to SP chasing bill – every time having toexplain to front line staff the whole saga knowing they could not help to beassured of call back that would never materialise.

Every time, address and name on account still incorrect.



July 14

Received call from complaints - explained situation – that person could not help and was assured callback from senior personnel.

Did manage to get my name changed but address still incorrect.



Mid August14

Received first bill – name correct, address wrong, bill showedconsumption at incorrect address and was based on estimated reading.

I only received bill as postman recognised my name and know whereI actually live.



Mid August– 9 September 14

Numerous bills received, all incorrectly addressed, showingconsumption at incorrect address, varying amounts all based on estimatedreading.



Mid august– October 14

Numerous calls/emails to SP to discuss issues; give readings, getaccurate billing, get address changed, and acceptance of consumption to correctproperty.

All front line staff could never address issues, never a seniormanagement available, always assured call back – call back never materialised.



17 October14

Received letter from Debt collecting agency for outstanding moniesowed to SP

Letter had correct name but wrong address.

Again the only reason I got any correspondence was because postmanknew where I actually lived.



17 – 19Oct 14

Numerous calls to SP – assured call back – none materialised.



20 Oct 14

Refused to hang up until I spoke to senior management. Was assured call back that day.

Received call from Team manager who listened to whole saga, agreedto call off debt collecting agency. Whotook all my details and was to review my account and call me back within 2days.

That call never materialised.



23 Oct 14

Spoke to debt collecting agency – there account with me was stilllive

Rung SP and refused to accept call back promise – However wasinformed that there was no one, not one single person in the whole companycould speak to me.

I flatly refused to accept this and was eventually put through toa senior person. They informed that debt collecting agency had not be calledoff due to a coding issue !!

I also, once again, asked them to change address and address forconsumption – was assured this had been done.

Also informed that there was no complaints opened against myaccount….and no records of issues I had been having!!

Was assured my account would be looked into and would receive callback…Still waiting.



12 Nov -14

Sent registered letter and email to service director outlining myissues and asking for this to be resolved.



14 Nov – 14

Call back from SP – in relation to complaint raised on 23 Oct- notin relation to letter I had sent.

She informed that given I had sent a letter to service directorthat I had best await a response to that. I did not want to do this and wouldrather sort issues now but she said this was now, not possible.



27 Nov –14

Chased SP with regards letter – spoke to front line staff member –was informed my complaint was now closed (who knows why) but opened anothergiven my letter had not been responded to and that the other complaints hadbeen closed without satisfactory conclusion.

2 Dec -14

Bill received – correctly named and addressed (1st time)but still estimated reading and still for consumption elsewhere.



8 Dec – 14

Generic apology letter received for poor customer service –incorrectly addressed.



Jan –- 15

Final demands received – all for consumption of gas at anotherproperty.



Jan – Feb15

Numerous calls to SP to try once again to resolve issues givereading or at minimum know exactly what was outstanding.



Jan – 15

Informed SP I was taking this to Ombudsman(OM) was assured accountwould be put on hold.



April –May - 15

2 x final demands received from SP and a letter from escalatedcollections threatening debt collection agency.

Spoke to SP who assured account would be put on hold. No record ofprevious correspondence informing them of OM action.



Ombudsman(OM)

Oct – 14to Jan – 15

Tried to get OM to take case but was informed without letter ofdeadlock they could not take case.

Jan -Mar -15

To get to deadlock stage you need to refuse an offer from supplier– in my case SP

To get any offer from SP they need to recognise my account andissues with it…….i think the above shows this has proved impossible to achievewith them.

Numerous calls/emails and I eventually got an offer of sorts fromSP

I refused the offer which was based on estimated reading and thatthe consumption was still at another property and eventually received a letterof deadlock.



Feb - Mar– 15

Spoke to OM, by which point I did not really want to pay SP anymonies and actually felt I was due some recompense but l accepted this wasunlikely but that was to be my stance.

The ombudsman informed that I would not get this and the best I couldhope for was 20% discount max and most like 10% if lucky. …..

I asked how he could comment on this given he had no details of my caseor any understanding of it….his response was “because that all they ever offer”– “the code that the ombudsman assess against is just voluntary so they neveroffer more”.



May - 15

Received informal offer – Ihave not added this here as this post is very long but key paragraph is;

You advisethat between April 2013 and July 2014, you contacted Scottish Power on multipleoccasions to set up an account your gas supply, but the company were unable todo so as your meter was not showing at your address.

During ourinvestigation, we have established that Scottish Power initially incorrectlyset up the gas meter on its system, meaning that this showed as ****************

We have noreason to doubt that you first contacted Scottish Power in April 2013 and it isreasonable to assume that the company were unable to set up your account due toit not registering your meter correctly.



RJ – to me that essentially says, no matterhow much I tried to pay them, I couldn’t’ which has been the case all the waythrough!! This is the point that time and time again I have been trying to getthem to resolve!!



July – 15

I refused OM offer which was

apply a credit to your account to remove anyoutstanding charges which relate to

energy used before 15 August 2013, in linewith the requirements of Energy UK’s Code

for Accurate Bills (the Code);

RJ – thisis in line with the ‘back billing’ however the only reason they know I receiveda bill in Aug 14 (thus the Aug 13 date) was because I was honest enough (ornaive); to tell them. If it was not formmy postman knowing, I would neverreceived the bill as it was incorrectly addressed.

· contact you to obtain up to date meterreadings and use the readings to issue an up to

date bill;

RJ– so the 20+ times I had already informed them was not enough??

· update the national gas database to ensureyour meter is registered at your correct

address;

RJ– as far as I am aware, this is and always has been correct and up-to-date

· offer a payment plan to help you repay theoutstanding amount, taking into account your

ability to pay;

· confirm in writing that once you agree apayment plan, it will allow you to transfer your

supply without penalty;

· apply a credit to your account for £150 as agesture of goodwill, due to the shortfall in

customer service you have

RJ - £150against what?? I actually find this offer offensive given the service received.



On- going

July –Sept – 15

I have contacted SP 3 times to try and set up payment with themfor the current time for consumption being used from July - 15 onwards while Ilook to dispute what’s happened previously…

Front line staff, “obviously” can’t deal with this, there is nevera senior member who can so have been assured a call back…..I am still waiting.





Help?????

If you have got this far, thanks so much for reading, I have triedto condense what’s been a huge amount of time and effort trying to solve SPsown issues that I feel I am now being punished for.

I have never denied using the gas and all I have ever tried to dois pay them for what I owe….by their own admission, this has been impossible forme to achieve due to their own error…..

The moral of this, as far as I can see, is to lie and bedishonest.

I don’t feel that the OM offer was reasonable or morally right (Iknow what may be morally right has no weight to it though!!).

Sometime you have to stand up for what you think is an injustice….that’swhat I want to do but don’t know how else to further this situation.

Equally, it may be that I am to emotionally wrapped in this andthat to the impartial eye I just have to suck it up and accept it…it just feelsvery wrong to do so!! But I will not judge others opinions.



Can anyone offer some advice?



Best

Russ

Just some comments on your post.

The ombudsman will not consider any complaint unless you have first allowed the supplier the chance to address that complaint.

You don't need a deadlock letter.
The supplier is permitted up to 8 weeks to investigate and resolve a complaint, at which point the ombudsman will help you (if you ask)
A deadlock letter is only given if the supplier feels they will not be able to resolve your complaint, and so with this you could go to the ombudsman before 8 weeks have elapsed.

I understand eventually the ombudsman did investigate your complaint and offered you a final resolution. But you did not wish to accept this proposed resolution made by the ombudsman.
That will therefore be the end of the matter. The ombudsman will have closed your complaint with them. The supplier is not obliged to take any action the ombudsman proposed in there resolution that you failed to accept.

You have the right to take legal action if you want. It's about the only avenue now left open to you if you wish to continue to pursue this matter. However, the supplier will be aware that you asked the ombudsman to assist, will be aware of the resolution proposed, and will be aware that you failed to accept such proposed resolution.
If you take legal action against the supplier, expect this all to be disclosed to the court (if you do not do so yourself in your claim).

In the meantime, expect the supplier to prevent you from leaving them (to take up a cheaper tariff elsewhere) because of the outstanding debt, and probably the implementation of a PPM (and so possibly a higher tariff than you currently are on). This may be under warrant if necessary. You could try and appeal against a warrant, but the ombudsman issue will probably be raised there too if you try.

The supplier has probably already filed a report at a credit reference agency about your conducty also that may cause you difficulty getting credit elsewhere.


Good luck!

A couple of options.

1. Pay what you owe (or is claimed you owe) and then bring legal action to recover this. - that will probably prove easier from a legal standpoint (although I'm not sure you will win everything you claim for) and would allow you to switch supplier if you want. It would avoid you getting fitted with PPM.

2. Move (and hope the existing supplier at the new address is not the same one)
However the supplier will still pursue you for what they claim is owed.

russj33

Thanks Skools_out - much appreciated,

I am not too sure moving is an option......however I have always fancied disappearing off around the world!!........could be a good excuse:D

It looks like the first option, as mentions by others seems to be, unfortunately, my most likely route.

I presume I can attempt to claim back my money through the Small claims procedure ??
(I am based in Scotland - if that makes any difference.)

Is this a relatively straight forward exercise...I presume the crux is getting the argument clear and concise?

Best

Russ

naedanger

russj33 wrote: »

I presume I can attempt to claim back my money through the Small claims procedure ??
(I am based in Scotland - if that makes any difference.)

Is this a relatively straight forward exercise...I presume the crux is getting the argument clear and concise?

Best

Russ

The following may be of use:

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/taking-action/small-claims

I understand the process is relatively straightforward but you need to get the procedure right yourself. So for example if you named the wrong company then you would lose your case (and your court costs).

You should read the terms and conditions of your contract with SP carefully and explain what terms it has broken. You can then claim for the financial losses you have suffered as a result. You can't just claim that because they messed you around they should give you free energy.

Depending on the circumstances your losses could be more or less than the cost of the energy. The point is that you need to claim for your losses.

As part of your losses you could include the value of your lost time dealing with this. This is easiest if you are self employed and can demonstrate that you spent time dealing with the consequences of the bad service that you would otherwise have spent earning money. (If you are not self employed you will probably find it harder to convince a judge to compensate you for your lost time.)

The court will also not be interested in moral arguments.

One thing, in places your description of events reads like you refused to pay anything when SP used the wrong address, or used estimated readings rather than your actual readings. You may need to elaborate on why you took this action. You don't want the judge to think you were nit-picking to avoid payment. Generally if you are in dispute over bills you are expected to pay any amounts that are not in dispute - so if you got an inflated bill you should pay what you believe is the correct amount and only withhold that part which you dispute is actually due.

PS I still don't really recommend you take legal action in your case because it seems quite long and confused rather than clear cut. Also while you feel you have been really badly treated the courts will probably consider it a very minor matter compared to some of the cases they see.

chanz4

If the meter was not registered / supply was it a legally installed one first question, second was it Scottish power networks perusing you?


This sounds to me like a new build or new conversion property, where a dummy postcode was used under an IGT