Scottish Power Over Charging?

screwedoveragain

Hey,

I am a young and new to electricity companies and their tricky ways. I moved into a two bed flat last year and started a new account with Scottish Power. When I just moved in there was an old bill left from the old tenants, I opened it to be nosey and see how much they were paying for their electricity and it was around 60-70 pound for three months. BELTER I thought thinking the electricity is cheap enough. I set up a direct debit of £21 a month as they said direct debit would be cheaper than getting a physical bill every three months.

The year went on and I checked to see how things were going every once and a while. There was periods I was £15 over. By the May I was roughly £60 over, which I was ok with paying once tenancy was up.

Yet in May they asked for a metre reading. I gave them the most up to date metre reading and get back saying we are £1250 pounds in debit to them. When on the phone to them they said they never received a metre reading from this house for a few years. This all happened end of May and it is now August. I got the odd message on their app saying they are dealing with my complaint. On the phone it seemed like they had no idea what was going on, was put on hold alot and was even hung up on a fair few times - literally think they saw the problem and had no idea how to deal with it so just hung up. They were changing the amount I owed them constantly then erased everything and now just say I owe them roughly £800.

The last tenants were only paying £70 every three months now Scottish Power are trying to say I should have been paying £90 a month for the energy use?? Is that fair that Im paying more than the old tenant because they weren't assed to give a metre reading? Any advice or anyone with similar stories? I'm a 21 year old graduate - broke beyond belief and have no real clue on what I should do.

Thanks

Ms_Chocaholic

Did you give SP an opening meter reading when you opened an account with them?

What tariff are you on?

Robin9

You cannot compare your lifestyle with that of the previous tenants - for all you know they may have been on holiday for most of the time.

screwedoveragain

I don't think I did give them a metre reading when moving in. They don't seem to have a metre reading on the house since 2016 and I moved in 2017.

screwedoveragain

Considering the previous tennants were also students - met them when viewing the house - I'm pretty sure they were in the flat as much as I was.

molerat

You now have learned an expensive lesson, there was one person who could have saved you from being screwed over and that was you. Simply reading the meter on moving in would have saved all this aggro. Because you did not do that you will likely be paying part of the previous tenants use. The previous tenants bills were low because they would have been based on estimates. Now that you have submitted an actual read the account is being brought up to date. You need to submit meter readings monthly to get an accurate picture of how much you are using and to avoid estimated bills.

screwedoveragain

So I should have just moved out never giving a metre reading? Plus I did not know the last tenants weren't giving metre readings. For all I knew the £70 a month was an accurate bill. When setting up the direct debit I was recommended £21 a month direct debit by the website, unknowing me thinking it would cover the costs as their bill was the 70.

Now the cheapest tariff I am recommended is 170 a month - significant rise compared to how much they recommended when I first moved in obviously.

[Deleted User]

Hi,


it's meter not metre (that's length).


The £170 will be to cover your potential usage in future and to collect what is owed.


When you had a nosey at the old bill did you notice if estimated (E) or actual (A)?


Take regular meter readings weekly or at least once a month to keep an eye on usage.

Cardew

screwedoveragain wrote: »

So I should have just moved out never giving a metre reading? Plus I did not know the last tenants weren't giving metre readings. For all I knew the £70 a month was an accurate bill. When setting up the direct debit I was recommended £21 a month direct debit by the website, unknowing me thinking it would cover the costs as their bill was the 70.

Now the cheapest tariff I am recommended is 170 a month - significant rise compared to how much they recommended when I first moved in obviously.

£21 a month for an all-electric 2 bed flat is completely unrealistic. I suspect the website that that 'recommended' that sum 'thought' that you had gas central heating. Around £100 a month would be a more realistic figure - if you are careful with heating!



If they haven't 'had a meter reading for years' you are clearly paying for some of the previous occupant's consumption. However you have no way of proving that because you didn't supply a meter reading when you moved in.


When you gave your details to Scottish Power as a new tenant, did they not ask for a meter reading?

Hasbeen

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hi,


it's meter not metre (that's length).


The £170 will be to cover your potential usage in future and to collect what is owed.


When you had a nosey at the old bill did you notice if estimated (E) or actual (A)?


Take regular meter readings weekly or at least once a month to keep an eye on usage.

"I'm a 21 year old graduate - broke beyond belief and have no real clue".

Sorry but OP is already planning to move out?

I just fear for the future of the country.

As stated the next place you move into GIVE a meter reading, take photo of it date stamped. And ensure the utility company receive it, also give actual readings every month. Do not rely on estimates! You will get there in the big world outside LOl:)

macman

OP, how did you manage to open an account with SP on taking up the tenancy without giving a meter reading?
The supplier only has to read every 2 years, intermediate reads are your responsibility. All your bills would have been shown as estimated, and it's normal to check the billing reads against actuals to avoid a huge catch up bill.
The £70 bill may well have been accurate, but, if you moved in in the autumn, then it was presumably for summer usage, when the heating is off and usage is minimal.