Scottish Power - Advice Needed

newfork

Hi all, this might be a long post. I am one of those affected by the Extra Energy collapse. When it happened end of last year to earlier this year, I was not informed of the transition. It was only after two months of not receiving a bill, did I call them and found out that I was being transferred to Scottish Power. This was a terrible surprise but once that was sorted, I started paying my energy bills.

Come May earlier this year, I had to leave the country as my job was taking me elsewhere. I did due diligence, closed my account and provided my final meter reading. Received a final bill which I paid, and even got back £0.02 from. I thought this was done. Left the country and now working in another.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I received an email from Scottish Power saying that I owe them £85. The bill didn’t make any sense as it was the same duration as I had made the payments once my move from Extra Energy was transitioned. After calling up customer service, the fellow over the phone indicated that the owed amount was from Scottish Power finally getting “revised” calculations from Extra Energy, and that even if I choose to escalate to the complaints channel and seek resolution (ie. Dispute) I’ll still have to pay them.

So I’m wondering: despite having closed my account, made the final bill payment based on actual meter reading, and moved country – is it fair for me to not pay Scottish Power? £85 is no small amount.

Thank you in advance.

danthemoneysavingman

Gather your evidence and raise to the ombudsman, perhaps.
Only evidence will resolve this I suspect.
Good luck!

Streaky_Bacon

If you look at all of the bills from your last pre-collapse Extra Energy bill up to the latest bill, do the meter readings tally up? Are the opening readings of each bill the same as the closing readings of the previous bill?

Did SP mention what the "recalculation" involved? (perhaps they claim that a meter reading was wrong, or the wrong tariff was used, perhaps)

My experience of SP is that the staff will tell you that black is white, and will then, without missing a beat, tell you that they've never even mentioned black or white to you. So their statement about the futility of disputing the complaint should simply be ignored.

That said, if there is an obvious mistake with the billing and SP can show that there was, then you would be liable to pay (as they have 12 months to correct their mistakes).

However you should at the very least raise a complaint, and ask for compensation for your inconvenience.

If they have clarified the "revised calculation" to you then let us know and we may be able to advise further. If not, you should ask them (in writing) to explain it.