Scottish Power ignore all meter readings

westonbeach

Hello I was advised to join here to get some advice.

I took ownership of a flat last august and informed Scottish Power of this and informed them of the meter readings. I told them it will be empty for at least a year and arranged disconnection of the gas supply as it will not be needed in the future. I got my first bill and despite the gas removal they were charging me for gas usage and massive electricity usage. They also totally ignored my original readings and had their own estimated start readings which were massively higher than the true ones. I rang and told them the flat was empty, gas removed etc and their readings are out by a huge amount. I told them in total 3 times by phone, set up an online account where i gave the readings twice. Every time they ignored the readings. I have now had 3 meter readers down and they have confirmed the gas meter removal and electric readings which have never changed, there is no load. They even ignore the meter readers inputs and just make up their own.

This seems to be stemming from the fact that they have over estimated the previous occupants bills by such a massive amount that recognition of the true readings will result in them having to refund the previous occupant. The discrepancy in readings could lead to a refund running into thousands of pounds. I have been told the previous occupant was a woman who probably was not capable of reading meters.

Today I rang them again to organise the electricity meter removal, it will not be needed going forward as the flat will be reconverted back into a house. The SP operative called Neil put me on hold and then came back saying that he could not organise it and that he also could not give me a phone number to organise it. He could only do it by email but his email "was down" at the moment and he would do it later.

It seems clear that SP are so desperate not to refund this woman they will ignore all meter readings, pretend the gas has not been disconnected and are now trying to stop me getting the electricity disconnected. It has been suggested to me that if they can continue this behaviour on for a year then they will not have to refund the woman which is why they are doing it ?

I feel this is more a matter for the police as surely they are falsifying meter readings ?

CashStrapped

Just to clarify a few points. You say you took ownership of a flat last year. You later mention that they will not refund "this woman". Are you refering to yourself, or are you acting on behalf of someone?

Furthermore, you say the property was empty for more than a year. Who was responsible for the payment of bills (there would probably have been standing charge accruing during this period)?

When you contacted Scottish Power initially, did you inform them you were now responsible for the property and set up a brand new account giving opening readings?

Finally, contacting the police would be a waste of your and their time.

You need to follow industry guidelines. Raise a formal complaint via letter, and explain the situation, clearly stating the opening meter readings and the date you moved in/took ownership, when the meter was removed, final meter readings etc.

Remember you will be responsible for any usage and standing charge costs from the day you took ownership, to the day the meters were removed. Even if you did not live in the property, the bills are your responsibility and you will at least have a standing charge to pay.

Let them try to resolve the complaint as per the require time-scales.

If they do not resolve it with in the prescribed time-scales, or it is not resolved to your satisfaction, then contacts the energy ombudsman and continue action via them.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/Energy-mis-selling-complaints#complain

Scroll down on the link above. The guide to complaining with an energy company is there.

westonbeach

Hi CashStrapped
I took ownership last year and it has been empty ever since, no load on anything. Yes I realise I am liable for standing charge, that is not an issue but they are constantly charging me usage when there is none. The woman who I referred to is the previous occupant before I took ownership, never met her myself. I mention her as i am sure this is why they are acting this way, their readings where so massively over estimated at the start that the previous occupant is clearly due to a large refund.

I gave the true original readings when I informed them I had taken ownership but they ignore them.

S0litaire

initial post is rather clear for me!

"This woman" was the previous occupant who could not read meters properly so sent in inaccurate readings to SP.

SP failed to give her a refund when it was noted she had paid more than required.

Also CashStrappet you seem to be missing the whole point of the post in that SCOTTISH POWER are not accurately recording the meter readings even after multiple visits to read the meters by authorised personnel!

As to the OP's post. Get Scottish power to Double check the meter serial numbers and address of the property as it is listed in their records!!

I had an issue with SP last month. I started to get Debt collection letters from SP about a supply at a totally different location which as no connection with me! (I'm not even a SP customer!!)

Turned out from what I can piece together, is they had a systems crash around christmas which messed up some records. So my address somehow got listed as the billing owner of another property!

Took me weeks to sort out over the phone and by letter!

CashStrapped

Regardless if it is "clear to you" I am quite at liberty to get clarification if I want it.

Furthermore, I did not miss the whole point of the post.

I clearly stated the best course of action.....which is to raise a formal complaint, not just continually sumbit meter readings which Scottish Power are not acting on at his stage.

Then (if the issue is not resolved) go to the ombudsman and go from there.....not ring the poilce, as they will do nothing.

Unless you have a way of contacting the woman in question or her family (do you not have a method of contact via solicitors if you purchased the property), there is nothing you can do with regard to the possible refund she is owed. The best thing to do is force scottish power to correct the opening meter readings for your account and if needs be via the ombudsman as I said.

westonbeach

Thanks for the replies.
Sol yes that is a major issue. Not only do they ignore my readings that I give but also that of their official G4S meter readers. I have stood and watched them type in the correct electricity readings and also send a message that the gas meter has been removed and capped. Yet the next bill charges gas and the electric readings are inflated, not what was input.

Cashstrapped I have complained to Scottish power twice. First time when I rang back for an update they said they had no record of it. Second time I managed to get a complaint reference number, this has been open for about 3 months and nothing has happened.

The reason I mentioned the police before is this. If I or anyone was fiddling the meter then we would be prosecuted under criminal law for fraud/theft. Scottish Power have had official confirmation of the correct meter readings from their G4S readers but they are willfully ignoring them to try to charge me more and get out of refunding the previous occupant. So how is this not fraud also ?

CashStrapped

So have you gone to the ombudsman - the next stage in any complaint process.

Pincher

Theory

The previous owner also kept it empty, and no readings were taken. This meant the computer kept estimating, which creates a big difference between the estimate and the actual reading, which you did provide. The computer thinks the meter reader and you lied, because the estimated reading is the reality to it. See the movie Dark Star for an illustration of the situation.

There is a luxury tower block, in Battersea I think, where half the flats are bought for investment, and the overseas owners never turn up. They probably think they have no utility to pay, since they never signed any contract, but the computer just estimates merrily away, no doubt.

CashStrapped

Exactly Pincher. That is exactly the scenario I was thinking could have occurred.

That is why going to the ombudsman is the the next reasonable course of action, having tried and exhausted their internal complaints procedure.

westonbeach

Cash I have contacted the Ombudsman and awaiting an investigator to get back to me.

Pincher don't forget they have had 3 meter readers confirm the correct readings. Also they organised the removal of the gas meter last September but are still charging gas standing charge and usage. As soon as they acknowledge the correct gas readings and removal they are contractually bound to adjust the previous bills, but are doing everything possible it seems to avoid this both with gas and electricity.