Scottish Power handed my 'debt' over to collecting agency

brenda50

Hi

Sorry to have to write again about a continuing problem - problems that is, one with British Gas which I wrote about on another thread, and Scottish Power. Both companies have increased the final gas readings that I have given them.

Here is a summary:

Final gas reading for British Gas when moving on 17.05.17 - 07201
which was diputed but resolved because I had it verified by a housing officer on the day I moved in.

Reading on 03/07/17 - 07214 to British Gas whom I changed back to on the MSE collective fix from Scottish Power, the previous occupiers company on 23/05/17.

Reading on 14/08/2017 to British Gas - 07224

Start Reading on 25/09/17 - 07234 when I switched to OVO with MSE but which BG have disputed.

Reading on 15/10/17 - 07239 which OVO have accepted due to dispute with BG and after I sent photos of meter readings.

Now the dispute with BG is on hold but the one with SP has escalated to them giving my 'debt' to a collection agency and have ignored all of my communications to them, that their final read is 07300 and wrong which they say is my usage over the 6 days that it took BG to take over after the house move and they will not accept the final read I gave them.

As you can see, my meter is not there yet. If I pay them the amount they are demanding, a bill of £44.56 - it means that I will be paying twice for the gas, once to BG and again to SP.

Please help!

molerat

Raise a formal written complaint including telling them reclaim the "debt" and to stop the third party enforcement. Mention they have 8 weeks to resolve the issue or you will escalate to the ombudsman. Include a dated photo of the meter and any documentation you have from the gaining supplier who will have used reads validated by the industry third party.

System

brenda50 wrote: »

Hi

Sorry to have to write again about a continuing problem - problems that is, one with British Gas which I wrote about on another thread, and Scottish Power. Both companies have increased the final gas readings that I have given them.

Here is a summary:

Final gas reading for British Gas when moving on 17.05.17 - 07201
which was diputed but resolved because I had it verified by a housing officer on the day I moved in.

Reading on 03/07/17 - 07214 to British Gas whom I changed back to on the MSE collective fix from Scottish Power, the previous occupiers company on 23/05/17.

Reading on 14/08/2017 to British Gas - 07224

Start Reading on 25/09/17 - 07234 when I switched to OVO with MSE but which BG have disputed.

Reading on 15/10/17 - 07239 which OVO have accepted due to dispute with BG and after I sent photos of meter readings.

Now the dispute with BG is on hold but the one with SP has escalated to them giving my 'debt' to a collection agency and have ignored all of my communications to them, that their final read is 07300 and wrong which they say is my usage over the 6 days that it took BG to take over after the house move and they will not accept the final read I gave them.

As you can see, my meter is not there yet. If I pay them the amount they are demanding, a bill of £44.56 - it means that I will be paying twice for the gas, once to BG and again to SP.

Please help!

You will not pay for the same amount of energy twice. Suppliers are under no obligation to accept your meter readings - particularly, when a transfer of supply is involved. All meter readings are validated before they are used. That said, suppliers do have an obligation to use the SAME meter reading/s to open and close your account. It is the responsibility of the gaining supplier to ensure that this is the case.


My advice is 'pay up and argue about the couple of £s later'. You are really making this more difficult than it needs to be. You will now probably be liable for debt collection fees.

Edit: Reading through the chronology of this again, you are conflating two separate issues. It would seem that the opening and closing readings did not agree when you switched from SP to BG. As the gaining supplier, BG has a Licence Condition to manage all aspects of a transfer of supply. Presumably, you have a copy of your closing bill from SP and opening bill from BG. If the reads differ, then complain to BG and ask them to raise a Readings Dispute with SP. SP should then put its claim against you on hold.

brenda50

I have requested a copy of the bill from the start reading month - May - with BG and am waiting for it to arrive as I cannt find it in my files. As I said before I cannot access my BG online account now as it has been disabled.

If I pay the bill, then I have paid twice and it is not a 'few pounds' to someone on a state pension. I have no quarantee that I will be refunded.

System

brenda50 wrote: »

I have requested a copy of the bill from the start reading month - May - with BG and am waiting for it to arrive as I cannt find it in my files. As I said before I cannot access my BG online account now as it has been disabled.

If I pay the bill, then I have paid twice and it is not a 'few pounds' to someone on a state pension. I have no quarantee that I will be refunded.

It is ALWAYS wise to check that the readings on closing and opening accounts are the same. If you do not have a copy of the BG bill, then how do you know that the opening and closing readings are not the same? They DO NOT need to agree with the ones that you have provided. Whenever a transfer is initiated, the losing supplier will lock the account and ignore all readings provided by the customer. It is obliged under its Licence to close the account with industry-verified meter readings which is a process managed by the gaining supplier.

brenda50

Yes I know all of things I SHOULD have done but the move was extremely stressful due to my age and the health problems I have related to an episode of pesticide poisoning and I tried my hardest to keep up for example getting a housing officer to verify the start meter readings. I was also told that a supplier will not bill you for a short time like under a week, of a changeover period. I was only with SP for 6 days and used hardly used any gas, being in the summer period , yet they are demanding £44 that I did not use from them. I will phone BG again but they just tell me to ring SP.

System

brenda50 wrote: »

Yes I know all of things I SHOULD have done but the move was extremely stressful due to my age and the health problems I have related to an episode of pesticide poisoning and I tried my hardest to keep up for example getting a housing officer to verify the start meter readings. I was also told that a supplier will not bill you for a short time like under a week, of a changeover period. I was only with SP for 6 days and used hardly used any gas, being in the summer period , yet they are demanding £44 that I did not use from them. I will phone BG again but they just tell me to ring SP.

You have been ill advised. Even if you initiated a transfer on the day that you took over the property, it would take something in the order of 17 days (minimum) and 35 days (allowed for in the Licence) to go through. You would have been charged for these 17 to 35 days - not the 6 that you believe is the case. The charges will include a daily standing charge irrespective of how little energy you used.

You need to make it clear to BG that it has a Supply Licence responsibility to ensure that the readings used to open your BG account and close your SP account are the same. the problem that you have is that you think that they are wrong but have no evidence to back this up.

With respect, and in an attempt to relieve your stress you need to look at the issue again. Your request to switch suppliers is not the same as the date of actual transfer. A losing supplier has the right to charge you for all the days and all the energy consumed until the actual transfer of supply takes place.

brenda50

SP have changed the meter readings many times, both start and finish. They make no sense. I will get my start readings from BG hopefully tomorrow and remind them of their responsibility. Thanks.

brenda50

Finally, it seems to be resolved with a call to BG. They rang SP and gave the final readings which means I owe them nothing. The readings did not get though when they should. I have asked for compensation for the stress, time phone calls etc and they are considering the amount.

brenda50

Back again and no it has not been resolved as I received another demand from the collecting agency today.

Last time I spoke to Scottish Power they said that The issue is resolved and that the debt is cancelled. This is because BG phoned them and told them that their final reading for me is not the ones they are claiming. I have already paid BG monthly for my fuel from these start readings. SP has been adding various readings onto what BG says is their final reading.

I get no satisfaction when I ring SP so where do I go now?

D_M_E

As advised in post #2 by molerat KEEP OFF THE PHONE and WRITE a letter headed COMPLAINT in BIG BOLD LETTERS and send it by post to SP detailing everything and ask them to recall their "debt".

Refuse any further discussion by phone and, 8 weeks after you have sent the letter, escalate your complaint to the Ombudsman.