Scottish Power Overcharging us

jillsweeney23

We started a contract with Scottish Power in December 2020, we started the contract in debt due to tradesman using the electricity before we set up a direct debit this was roughly £200. We are a monthly meter reading contract where we submit the readings per month and the bills are worked out based on these readings, we stay in a two bed flat, we both work full time with one of us working away from home (during the day no heating or electricity is being used). The bills keep increasing each month and so does the debit that we now owe them (£350) even although we paid £100 towards this one month. The most we have been one month is well over £225, we have phoned them numerus times about this issue however keep going round in circles. They say they cant send anyone out to check the boxes are faulty (however we know this isnt true as family members have had them out for non essential work). Their only solution is for us to keep paying the ridiculous prices and record a meter reading once a day for the next two weeks. I explained to them how this is impossible as I stay away 3/4 nights per week and couldn't commute back just to record readings. She explained that for a two bed flat we could be over £220 per month for electricity which we think is an obscene amount of money considering our parents live in much bigger houses and are a fraction of the price. Looking to see if anyone has had issues like this with Scottish and how was it resolved or if anyone has any advice they could give us. 

tim_p

What was the meter reading in Dec 2020 when you opened the account and what is it today (or when you last read it)?
are you saying tradesmen used £200 worth of electric? 1000kWh or so?

jillsweeney23

Our meter readings in December for heating were 90300 and electricity were 27067 and today they are heating 93608 and electricity 27801

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately the facts aren't yet very clear.  By 'heating', do you mean gas, or are you all-electric with a legacy tariff that charged heating at a different rate from lighting and everything else?  What is the heating reading, is it gas in m3, gas in cu.ft3 or electricity in kWh?  When comparing, you always need to think in terms of kWh.

Usage is always high during the winter, and this one has been cold, so individual  winter bills will be expensive.  You may also be on an uncompetitive tariff; what are kWh rates and daily charges?

If the meters are external to the flat you need to do some 'sanity checks' to make sure they are really your meters.  Check the serial numbers are the same as on the bill, and do some checks with everything switched off and then everything switched on, making sure that the meter(s) record appropriately.

jillsweeney23

We are all electric and the heating readings are in kWh. Our latest standard rate for electricity is 192kWh x 17.666p and for heating it is 551kWh x 15.64p. Our meter readings are external in a cupboard under the stairs along with everyone else in the flat block these are the ones we were told by the previous owners to use 

MovingForwards

Run downstairs, switch both meters off.
Run upstairs and try switching a light / the gas on. 
If you have gas and electric working, that's not your meter and then you need to work out which is.

Gerry1

At 4042 kWh for six months your electricity usage seems only slightly high: Ofgem's typical consumption annual values are Low 2400, Medium 4200 and High 7100 kWh.  Presumably it's economy 7?  If so, don't use an instantaneous electric shower and minimise the use of panel and fan heaters, convectors etc.

However, you are on quite an expensive tariff, especially if VAT is extra, and don't forget the standing charges.  You need to start comparing with Citizens Advice and 'Which Switch'.  Do the meter sanity test anyway, just look at the red LED marked '1000 Imp/kWh' or similar and make sure it never flashes at all when everything is switched off at the meter but goes crazy when everything is then switched on.

Robin9

jillsweeney23 said:

.................. record a meter reading once a day for the next two weeks. I explained to them how this is impossible as I stay away 3/4 nights per week and couldn't commute back just to record readings. She explained that for a two bed flat we could be over £220 per month for electricity which we think is an obscene amount of money considering our parents live in much bigger houses and are a fraction of the price. Looking to see if anyone has had issues like this with Scottish and how was it resolved or if anyone has any advice they could give us. 

Are you at home now ?  If so read your meters ASAP and read them again in 24 hrs.   Your heating (I assume you mean Off peak) should be less than during the winter but the electricity  will be about the same.  Is yours a Smart meter ? then there may be daily consumption history available.

Comparing with your parents and others is not a good idea - how do they heat their property.?  

To reduce your bills, - use less, turn the thermostats down and find cheaper tariffs.

welshmoneylover

How much are you paying by DD towards your usage and debt currently?
its not a good idea to compare your bills to your parents, bit like comparing your wages to your neighbours; total nonsense .
you also claim nothing is being used during the day, do you have a fridge / freezer that’s on?

jillsweeney23

Our direct debit is increasing monthly by Scottish power to try and clear the outstanding debit currently it sits at £115pm we have paid an extra £100 in total so far towards the debit. Obviously we have things like tv and fridges that are on all day but it’s not our electricity bill that is overly high it is the heating part of the bill that is high 

Robin9

Describe your heating to us please -  panel, storage rads, underfloor, fan heaters ............