Taking Scottish Power To Court

ag1266

Please bear with me as this story is going to be a long one, but it needs to be told if only to serve as a warning to anyone thinking of getting involved with the shower known as Scottish Power…


In July 2015 I bought a property that had storage heaters and dual electric meters, but no gas. I had a gas supply provisioned by SGN in September 2015 (very expensive, but SGN were spot on – clear communication, good work, on time, left tidy etc). I then contacted Scottish Power, as the incumbent provider, about provision of a gas meter. This was done by their contractor on 16th October 2015.
A week or so after the install I phoned to ask when I could expect to see my online account updated to reflect the new gas meter/service. I was told it could take up to a month for my account to be updated so that particular issue was put on the back burner (no pun intended).

In December, with still no gas meter on my account, I telephoned. After spending an hour being passed from pillar to post, including being put back at the end of the queue just when I thought I was getting somewhere and no less than FOUR times having to repeat the same “security information” and repeatedly explain the situation to four different people, I was eventually fobbed off with “Oh, it can take up to two months for your account to be updated”.

As if the gas meter wasn’t enough to sort out, I gave SP an additional opportunity to mess things up. I contacted them to arrange to have the off-peak meter removed as I no longer had the storage heaters and therefore no requirement for that meter. The engineer turned up on 17th November whereupon I expected him to remove the heating meter and leave the standard one, however he removed BOTH meters and installed a completely different one. We get to January 2016 and my account still showed the two original electric meters (but no gas meter) leaving me unable to pay anything at all for gas and unable to provide any readings for electricity. It also meant I was stuck on the highest Standard tariff for electric, unable to take advantage of any dual fuel packages despite having both fuel types supplied by SP.

A letter was sent detailing precisely what needed to happen:

1. Remove electric meter WWWWWW from this account as of 17th November 2015 with a final reading at the time of removal of 86439

2. Remove electric meter XXXXXX from this account as of 17th November 2015 with a final reading at the time of removal of 56580

3. Add electric meter YYYYYY to this account as of 17th November 2015 with an opening reading at the time of install of 78524

4. Add gas meter XXXXXX to this account as of 16th October 2015 with an opening reading at the time of install of 99998. The MPRN for this meter is 00000000000000

They did eventually carry out the removal of the two electric meters from my account and replaced it with the new one, but with an opening reading of 00000, not the 78524 that was displayed on the meter. This left me still unable to provide readings (or else pay for 78524 units of electricity I hadn’t used).

I tried numerous times to contact SP in the next few months, but was either ignored or got a standard template letter saying we’re still trying to sort things out so, in May 2016, the complaint to the Ombudsman went in. In honesty, they have been very helpful. They agreed all my complaints were justified and gave SP a list of requirements to be carried out, but they are powerless to actually enforce those requirements.

Fast forward five months and…

My Gas Meter is in my online account, but it still hasn’t been registered with Xoserve (according to SP). I even provided an accurate reading to counter their estimated first bill of £1100. I was then hounded for payment despite the fact they were billing a meter that according to them hadn’t even been registered and was being billed under the incorrect tariff (Ombudsman instructed them to bill me based on best rate dual fuel backdated to 16th Oct 2015). I remain on the standard tariff for Gas. The hounding appears to have stopped after I eventually managed to speak to someone in their "Ombudsman Team" (the fact they have a "team" dedicated to Ombudsman complaints should set alarms bells ringing with anyone thinking of becoming a customer...)


I had been deliberately overpaying on electric by direct debit to help cover the cost of gas used over the past year. However, despite using circa £45 of electric a month, they changed my direct debit to an eye-watering £375 a month. They did this without informing me, in contravention of the direct debit guarantee and took the first payment. I had that recalled by my bank and the direct debit has now been cancelled.


They are generating bills against my electric account seemingly at random, yet I cannot view any of my bills at all and it has been that way for months.

According to my online account, I am still being billed at Standard rate for electricity (Ombudsman instructed them to bill me based on best rate dual fuel backdated to 16th Oct 2015) though SP claim otherwise. However, because I can’t view any of my bills I cannot verify this.

They have had three month-long extensions from the Ombudsman yet have made absolutely no progress and the situation is now so messed up I have zero faith in ever being billed the correct amount for the gas and electricity used, at the correct tariff. I cannot move away due to the lack of gas meter registration so am being held financial hostage, forced to remain a “customer” of the worst company I have ever had the misfortune to have to deal with.

The latest email from the Ombudsman (giving them yet another month long extension) states “…as the decision is binding on Scottish Power, we can advise that you are entitled to take the matter to the courts to enforce the remedy if you wish.” Google isn’t much help on how to go about taking SP to court to escape their clutches as the results are all about them taking their victims to court, not the other way round. Has anyone done this? Some idea of procedure would be very helpful as I just want away from them as soon as possible.

WF85

Hi - did you ever get any decent advice on the above?

I've had a similar problem with Scottish Power, albeit ongoing for the past 38 months; the company is an absolute sham. Had the ombudsman involved and they've agreed SP are completely in the wrong but I'm seeking compensation (over 25 hours of calls, correspondence etc. plus a lot of stress and anxiety based on threats, with zero grounds, from SP) so will need to take SP to court as the Ombudsman can only allow a good will gesture of £150.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

JJ_Egan

First quantify your losses then add on the £150 .

WhoIsThat

WF85 wrote: »

Hi - did you ever get any decent advice on the above? ....

I think you are pushing your luck a bit.

If there was any response, it would have been posted in this thread.

I can see no previous response to the OP who created this thread back in 2016

In fact, I see the OP did return to MSE later, but hasn't been seen or heard of for almost a year now.:cool:

WF85 wrote: »

Had the ombudsman involved and they've agreed SP are completely in the wrong but I'm seeking compensation (over 25 hours of calls, correspondence etc. plus a lot of stress and anxiety based on threats, with zero grounds, from SP) so will need to take SP to court as the Ombudsman can only allow a good will gesture of £150.

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Just to clarify any misunderstanding, there is no limit to how much compensation the ombudsman service can award a person who can demonstrate loss, suffering, etc.
Also there is no limit to the amount of goodwill the ombudsman service can propose by way of resolution (although admitedly, this is rarely in excess of about £150)

Courts don't give judgement at all for claims for goodwill payments; they only deal with compensation for loss, suffering, etc.(and imho, the burden of proof required is much more than the ombudsman service usually requires)

e.g. You will not be compensated at all for your time spent on the phone, but you could claim the cost of making the 20 hours of calls.
However, as Scottish Power offer a freephone number to call them, there should have been no cost to you in making those calls.
You are obligated in any litigation to show that you have endeavoured to mitigate (i.e. minimise) any loss you are claiming for.

But thanks for joiningh MSE and bumping this old thread.; it will now be another 2 years at least before it gets locked. :cool:
(Unless a friendly board guide elects otherwise )

Delboy57

i to am having trouble with Scottish Power. MY claim goes back to 2015 .The ombudsman found in my favour but i felt the compensation of £75 over above the £800 i was over charged was unacceptable. this case has gone on for nearly 3years . The trouble is i am having trouble finding a solicitor that is willing to take the case. all the no win no fee adverts only cover accident and i cannot afford the costs required. does anyone know solicitor in Edinburgh or Glasgow that can help

Cardew

Delboy57 wrote: »

i to am having trouble with Scottish Power. MY claim goes back to 2015 .The ombudsman found in my favour but i felt the compensation of £75 over above the £800 i was over charged was unacceptable. this case has gone on for nearly 3years . The trouble is i am having trouble finding a solicitor that is willing to take the case. all the no win no fee adverts only cover accident and i cannot afford the costs required. does anyone know solicitor in Edinburgh or Glasgow that can help

Welcome to the forum.


Once you have gone to the ombudsman - who are a waste of space - and they have made a ruling, you are unlikely to get anywhere with pursuing your case.



The small claims court will not normally compensate for the time you have spent on the case; and it is unlikely even a county court would look at the case favourably.



Given those odds it is unlikely any 'no win no fee' solicitor would look at the case.