Scottish Power - Can they Increase A Fixed Tariff Mid Term?

Mark_F

I am one of the people unlucky enough to be a customer of Extra Energy with an account transferred to SP after EE went bust in November- a decision I had no ability to challenge.
When I was transferred, I was put on the SP basic tariff which is their most expensive and they increased this by about 10% within two weeks of me being a customer.
I tried to get onto a lower fixed price tariff but SP wouldn’t allow me to do so initially as I had no account number, but I managed to find this out (after numerous calls to them) and because I will be selling the property and did not wa not to switch suppliers, I went onto a fixed price tariff called ‘Super Saver April 2020 B3’.
I thought this meant I would have a fixed rate until April 2020 and am very annoyed to find that on my first SP invoice, although initially the rate was correct, within 2 days they have applied a rate increase of around 12.50% to both gas and electricity.

Does anyone know how they can do this? - my attempts to contact SP has so far been unsuccessful (we have a heavy call load, please call back later).

victor2

Did your DD payment not go through on time? Their T&Cs say:

If you pay by Monthly Direct Debit and fail to make a payment to ScottishPower under this payment method when it is due, we shall be entitled to transfer you to an appropriate cash payment method on this tariff. This will increase your unit rates by 1.696p per kWh for electricity and 0.395p per kWh for gas (both inclusive of VAT).

Otherwise the rates should be fixed until April 2020.
It is a tariff only avaiable through "selected price comparison websites" though, so not sure how you got it direct from SP (if you did).

Mark_F

Victor- thank you for your prompt response, you are correct and the increase is the amount you state but I have not missed any payments.
As you state, the tariff is not available on the SP website and I got it from the Cheap Energy Club, but because the property belonged to my Mother who died recently, I was set up by the SP bereavement team who did not mention this penalty and even told me to pay on an invoice basis.
The situation is even more annoying in that I have been submitting regular meter readings and when the automatic invoice is generated by their system, I have paid immediately and therefore have never had any outstanding debt- I could have gone on direct debit but was told not to !!
I also can’t understand why, if I have broken the rules, part of the invoice has been invoiced at the ‘correct’ rate.
So thanks for your help, at least I know what has happened although it will mean a further call to the dreaded Customer Services

onlyfoolsandparking

Good luck sorting it out and another good example for me as to why I never use any of the 'big 6' rip-off merchants, I really don't know why anyone uses them!

Mark_F

Onlyfoolsandparking- ironically I only went to SP because my supplier went bust - Extra Energy who were a smaller supplier,As a result of this my 2 year fixed rate which had just started became null and void and I was transferred to SP by OFGEM with no right to appeal.

onlyfoolsandparking

Mark_F wrote: »

Onlyfoolsandparking- ironically I only went to SP because my supplier went bust - Extra Energy who were a smaller supplier,As a result of this my 2 year fixed rate which had just started became null and void and I was transferred to SP by OFGEM with no right to appeal.

Yeah I gathered that, absolutely disgraceful, good old OFGEM eh!!!


Hopefully you will get rid of SP ASAP, I've never found them to be any good at all.

Mark_F

Slight update- SP have moved me back to the correct tariff but I have not yet had a credit for the over charge where they changed the tariff incorrectly although they have agreed to pay it.
When I originally switched tariffs, I did so via the MSE Cheap Energy Club and ridiculously I was due to get £25 cash back (switching from SP to SP) but I suspect I will lose this now as in order to sort out the tariff SP closed my original account and opened a new one.

Mark_F

Update and major miracle!

Scottish Power have admitted their error, put me on the correct tariff, refunded me what they over charged me (although cheque not yet received!) and have given me £25 'goodwill'.
This has taken relentless pursuit and in striking lucky in getting the one person I have come across at SP who seems to really want to resolve issues.

It should not be this difficult.!!