SSE SouthernElectric

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

scarletthollie7 wrote: »

I have always found these forums a source of help. While you are entitled to your comments it really is not helping by slating me for the words l am using . My mum has been a council tenant for many years her rent includes a charge for heating and hot water which us always paid in advance. It is this payment that l am asking for help on.

We have and are in contact with the housing department and SSE my frustration is we keep hit our heads against a brick wall . We tell them what is happening to no avail.

I was just posting to see if anyone was aware of a avenue that l might not have considered.
Constructive replies welcomed - thank you

I'm hoping that wasn't directed at me - I've tried being constructive in each of my responses.


However, the response doesn't change - the local authority bear the responsibility here, and the letters from SSE you will have to put up with as evidence of the LA's incompetence.


If you're not getting the required response from the LA employees, contact your councillor, or even your MP.


I'll ask again, what have the council actually said about all this? Have they given a reason for non-payment?

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

naedanger wrote: »

If you are sure the bill should be in the council's name then I suggest you ask SSE for a copy of their complaints procedure. Then make your complaint in writing. Be clear what you want SSE to do e.g. ensure all bills are in future correctly addressed and an apology given for any distress their previous failures have caused.

The complaint process is unlikely to be quick. However if after 8 weeks it is not solved to your satisfaction then the complaint can be taken to the Ombudsman. (SSE's complaint process should explain this.) If you are planning on complaining on behalf of your mother then I suggest you draft a letter for her to sign saying she is giving you her authority to act on her behalf in dealing with SSE. Then ensure you include a copy of this in any correspondence with SSE.

I suggest you also contact the council to hear what they have to say.

It is good that you are helping her. I fully understand how an elderly person could find this both threatening and distressing. I also find the ignorance of some other posters regarding the elderly as surprising.

Why in the name of blue !!!! would the OP complain to SSE? What on earth have they done wrong? Inform a vulnerable user in a timely fashion that due to non-payment measures are being taken to fit a PPM - I think it's good that they're flagging it early!

naedanger

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

Why in the name of blue !!!! would the OP complain to SSE? What on earth have they done wrong? Inform a vulnerable user in a timely fashion that due to non-payment measures are being taken to fit a PPM - I think it's good that they're flagging it early!

If the bills are the responsibility of the council I would argue it is unreasonable of SSE to chase a vulnerable user. They should instead pursue the council.

I am not saying they don't have the legal authority to fit a prepayment meter. But I don't think they should resort to that measure in this instance. The council is hardly going to do a runner. Therefore in my view SSE should enforce the debt against the council and not fit a prepayment meter.

If SSE don't see it that way I would, in addition to formally complaining, raise the matter with policy makers.

scarletthollie7

Thank you Naedanger, I appreciate your understanding and constructive comments.

Bluebirdman of Alcathays , sorry l missed reply to your question. We have met with being passed from one person to another each denying any responsibility. However, by a stroke of luck we managed to speak to someone who understood our concern and can see that these direct payments have been paid late. He is trying to get these letters stopped .

Your comments have been constructive - thank you

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

naedanger wrote: »

If the bills are the responsibility of the council I would argue it is unreasonable of SSE to chase a vulnerable user. They should instead pursue the council.

I am not saying they don't have the legal authority to fit a prepayment meter. But I don't think they should resort to that measure in this instance. The council is hardly going to do a runner. Therefore in my view SSE should enforce the debt against the council and not fit a prepayment meter.

If SSE don't see it that way I would, in addition to formally complaining, raise the matter with policy makers.

Chase? Really? From the limited information given, it appears they are keeping the occupier informed of what's going on.


No doubt if they just turned up with a warrant having not informed the occupant, they'd be equally lambasted.


As you well know SSE can't cut people off - so they are limited to fitting a PPM - that is their only way of enforcing the debt. If the OP wants recourse they need to (as I've said multiple times) do so against the council.

naedanger

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

Chase? Really? From the limited information given, it appears they are keeping the occupier informed of what's going on.

I am saying they should not fit a prepayment meter at all if the council are responsible for paying the bills. And they should not take any steps towards fitting such a prepayment meter in these circumstances.

No doubt if they just turned up with a warrant having not informed the occupant, they'd be equally lambasted.

That would be even worse, so yes they should be lambasted were they to do that.

As you well know SSE can't cut people off - so they are limited to fitting a PPM - that is their only way of enforcing the debt.

Yes I know they can't cut people off. But that is definitely not their only way of enforcing the debt. Do you really not know how debts can be enforced other than via a prepayment meter?

If the OP wants recourse they need to (as I've said multiple times) do so against the council.

If the supplier tried to use my elderly mother as leverage against the council in similar circumstances then I would certainly be complaining to the supplier. (I would have no idea whether the fault lies with the supplier or the council. However I would expect them both to resolve this matter between themselves without involving my elderly mother. Therefore I would direct my complaint at the party who was unnecessarily trying to involve my mother.)

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

naedanger wrote: »

I am saying they should not fit a prepayment meter at all if the council are responsible for paying the bills. And they should not take any steps towards fitting such a prepayment meter in these circumstances.

That would be even worse, so yes they should be lambasted were they to do that.


Yes I know they can't cut people off. But that is definitely not their only way of enforcing the debt. Do you really not know how debts can be enforced other than via a prepayment meter?


If the supplier tried to use my elderly mother as leverage against the council in similar circumstances then I would certainly be complaining to the supplier. (I would have no idea whether the fault lies with the supplier or the council. However I would expect them both to resolve this matter between themselves without involving my elderly mother. Therefore I would direct my complaint at the party who was unnecessarily trying to involve my mother.)

[Text removed by MSE Forum Team]

I am aware that there are other ways to recover a debt, however, upon applying to a County Court (which is the only way to "enforce" such a matter), the claimant is expected to mitigate their losses. For an energy company, this has to be fitting a PPM, and any clued up judge would ask why on earth that hasn't been done. I understand that you personally don't want to see the elderly encumbered with PPMs, however the precedent has long been set in that regard.

OP - if you ever come back, ignore the people that instantly bash energy companies, you really need to take this up with the council as it is only they that can resolve this issue.

GingerBob_3

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

I don't think that excerpt is threatening - it's factual. Your fight isn't with SSE, it's with the council.


What do the council have to say about this?

It is threatening.

GingerBob_3

Skools_Out wrote: »

So the letters you originally claimed were threatening, are now only distressing?

You found that speaking to SSE was "absolutely horrendous" and now you say speaking to the council you have found them "far from being helpful"

Are you sure that is is not the way you are speacking to both of them that may be causing the issues, or perhaps that they are simply not giving you the sanswers you want to hear that is the fundamental problem here?

Anyway, if you really are having problems with the council, follow their complaint procedure. Or consider contacting your locally elected councillor to assist you.

If your mother is ill, she should see her doctor.

Really! Must we put up with this sort of stuff?

naedanger

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

I am aware that there are other ways to recover a debt, ...

Good.

however, upon applying to a County Court (which is the only way to "enforce" such a matter), the claimant is expected to mitigate their losses. For an energy company, this has to be fitting a PPM, and any clued up judge would ask why on earth that hasn't been done.

[Text removed by MSE Forum Team] the council has not suffered any financial loss through the use of the energy. (They would have had to pay for the energy in any event e.g. via the prepayment meter in your scenario.)