Desperate for help with SSE!

RuthLancs

A tenant was living in our house for several years while my husband and I were working abroad.  In August she moved out and we moved back in.  (Actually we don't move back in until Christmas as the tenant left the house in such a state that it needed refurbishing - but that's another story!)  We discovered that a pre-payment meter had been installed without our permission.  Now, every time I top up the meter an amount is taken off for 'debt'.  It transpires that there is a debt of £1,330 on the account!  This can't be our debt as we've only just got the house back.  I've had long phone calls with SSE over the last few weeks and have got nowhere.  I keep being transferred from one department to another and sometimes am just cut off.  No-one seems to know how to deal with my issue.  I simply want the debt cleared off my account - but of course I need to top up the meter to get heat in the house and SSE is perfectly happy to keep deducting the debt!  It's obviously up to SSE to chase the tenant for the debt.  After a two hour phone call with them yesterday and a 1 hour call today, I am nearly in tears and at my wits end.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I've filled in their online 'complaints' form but don't hold out much hope.  What should my next step be?

Gerry1

You need a new card or key in your own name.  Submit a formal complaint via snail mail.  As SSE's record is so poor, you can go to the Ombudsman after six weeks instead of the usual eight.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

did the tenant do a runner or have you got an address.

If you were to provide SSE with a f/a then they could chase up.

RuthLancs

[Deleted User] said:

Hi,

did the tenant do a runner or have you got an address.

If you were to provide SSE with a f/a then they could chase up.

No, they didn't do a runner and I have a forwarding address.  I'll tell SSE but frankly they are so hopeless I'm sure they'd rather do nothing and leave me to pay off the debt through the meter top ups.  

Fred2712

As the previous poster said you need to get a new account set up in your name & new pre pay reset key to clear the debt off the meter.
SSE should then chase the tenant for the debt..

RuthLancs

Fred2712 said:

As the previous poster said you need to get a new account set up in your name & new pre pay reset key to clear the debt off the meter.
SSE should then chase the tenant for the debt..

The trouble is, the existing account is in my name even though I didn't set it up.  Anyway, thanks for your advice.

BobT36

Then who did? How can someone set up something in your name? Surely it would be using a different e-mail address etc. 

RuthLancs

BobT36 said:

Then who did? How can someone set up something in your name? Surely it would be using a different e-mail address etc. 

Good question.  I suspect the tenants simply told SSE that we would be taking over the account.  SSE didn't have my email address.  

welshmoneylover

Did you provide readings when the tenants left and close the account properly before opening your account? At that time the debt would have been wiped off.
i suspect you didn’t from the sound of it.

Fred2712

Have you got a tenancy agreement which proves they were responsible during this period ? 

If so I would send that to SSE as proof...

RuthLancs

welshmoneylover said:

Did you provide readings when the tenants left and close the account properly before opening your account? At that time the debt would have been wiped off.
i suspect you didn’t from the sound of it.

That's what I was paying the managing agency for.  Obviously I need to follow up with them.