Scottish power large bill!?

Haabit

Ok lets start at the beginning:

Naive 20yr old moves out into a 1 bed flat with less space then a portacabin. Falls into debt due to work issues. Scottish Power agree to install a pay as you go meter. I dont top it up then i dont get gas or electricity.

I eventually pay back my debt and call them to confirm they are taking off the extra payments. Fast forward a couple of years and i have a child on the way and need to move out. the mother is living at home so i start spending less time at the flat. let the meters run out as i dont need the gas and electric but top up when on my way back to stay there a few times paying of the debt accrued whilst meters have run out. a couple of times I've had a large bill come through most of the time £300+! ring them up and told the system doesn't like it when you run out and picks a random amount (yes i was actually told this by 2 customer service assistants). topped up amount needed on the meters to clear the debt on the meter as i have been told that would be the correct amount.

I have now moved out entirely and the property was empty for about a year whilst i was trying to sell it. topped up ocasionally but mainly leaving it to run out as im not using the services i just need to pay for the accrued service charge surely. top it up a few times towards the end to show boiler working and clearing debts.

when i called them to close the acccount as it was sold and completed i asked several times. do i need to go and top it up to clear any debts as the meters have turned it off or will it all be turned back on for the new owners? i had my bank card in my hand but was told there was nothing to pay.

Today i have recieved a bill for £790.40 just for electricity! they are now investigating but are their systems so bad that it cannot cope with basic maths!? Have i done something wrong? i have asked several times for someone to come out and read/check the meters when the large bills came through but noone was ever sent. i thought the point of having these meters installed was that i couldn't fall this far into debt.

McKneff

Have you taken into account that there is still a daily standing charge whether you are there or not and whetehr it has run out or not. It can soon add up to hundreds of pounds

Haabit

Sorry yes that's what I meant by debt accrued when the meters hadn't been topped up. I knew there was still a charge constantly going out but would it seriously be almost £800 just on a standing charge for a year?