Massive bill despite having Prepayment meter

niccid10

When we moved into our home a couple of years ago there was a prepayment meter in. We decided we would leave it in. We had no debt with our previous address and swifty moved to scottish Power within a couple of weeks.
We regularly top up our gas meter. We use it for heating, cooking and hot water and with 4 children we do use quite a bit.
Anyway we recently decided to switch supplier and have received a final large bill.
Now they say this is normal. But how can I get a bill when I pay for my fuel upfront?
Any advice

lisa110rry

That sounds completely mad niccid, they must have made a mistake, surely. I've never had a pre-payment meter (same house for 29 years), but it sounds completely wrong. Check the number on your meter, have they got it wrong? As I understand it, when you moved in to your current property, you had a pre-payment meter, then you changed suppliers, still pre-payment meter. Could the change perhaps not have gone through properly and you have been paying your old supplier but your new supplier has not been paid anything, thus they think you owe them?

mrsp1987

Scottish Power are renowned for issues like this, along with NPower.
Lisa makes a good point about paying the wrong supplier and you should check that out.
See if you can get a statement if account from your supplier showing all your payments and usage charged for.
Although you had no debt see if you can find out whether the previous occupants had a debt as maybe they think it's yours as the meter us calibrated to reclaim arrears.

Basically make sure you find out what and why they are saying you owe them so much and then check it against your usage

cranford

Hi, if you move this or repost it just to the 'energy' section rather than the LPG etc sub section it will get noticed by some metering experts who may be able to give you some help.

niccid10

Hi I went to the energy section....it gave me two options water and lpg and other fuels...can't seem to find any other fuel sections? Can you help please

niccid10

Yes I have received regular statements for the account over the past couple of years. Non including a recent statement in January showed any debt. But they are saying this is because it was estimated. But even if it was estimated surely I cant use more than I paid for as it's a prepayment meter?
I did make sure there was no debt on the meter when I moved in also so it cant be a previous tenants debt.

mrsp1987

Sounds like you've done some good investigation work. I'm not sure if estimated meter readings have any impact on PPM - like you said you'd think that it wouldn't because you pay upfront.
Does sound like Scottish Power have either made a big error or are trying something on.