Scottishpower - Meter issue

jfc72

ok...get your popcorn out.

So...I have a garage (separate from where i live), it's on another property, and is one of 10 garages all attached to each other.  I've owned it for a few years now.  
Recently, i visit the garage and there is a letter under the door...it was addressed to a name that has nothing to do with the garage (never has) and the address was a residential address (on the property), but not again, not related to the garage.  I own garage no.7 and they've addressed the letter to a residential property...no.7.  THat's all i can assume has happened here
Upon opening the letter it was from a company that ScottishPower are using to chase for overdue funds....it's quoting an account number, the garage address and the outstanding amount..quite a large amount!!
I ring them, they tell me to call SP.  I try to call SP, but their automated system can't cope with my query and hangs up on me...I go to the webchat instead.  I start telling them what has happened so far, and how come this is the first that i've heard of an outstanding amount...and how come you are sending letters to a completely unrelated person.

They won't really divulge any detail because in theory I'm NOT the account holder....however, I did get a meter number out of them, which is different to the one in my garage.  Personally, i think it's a 'typo' because the meter number they gave me, and the one i have is way too similar, it's uncanny.  Anyway, it's different...and that's good enough for them.

They now want to have a Letter of Authority from the account holder to discuss the situation with me...however, the account holder doesn't exist...I should be the account holder surely!!!  I reckon they've figured out who owns (or used to own) residential property no.7 and then attached that name to garage no.7.  This would have happened years ago though...and everyone has moved on.  Why would they have done this and who gave them the right to do it?

I've tried to simplify everything with them..in the sense of..I'm the owner, I have a meter and I want to sort this out..albeit not the huge amount they are claiming...I think we'll have to work on an agreement.  Tbh...it hardly uses any electricity..once in a while i might turn a light on.  

Any suggestions as to what can be done here?  It seems strange that SP aren't really understanding the situation here...and i'm just wanting to resolve it.

MWT

Just to be clear, have you been paying for the supply to your garage up to this point?

jfc72

ultimately..no.  Although what i thought was happening was I was paying a monthly fee to the factor of the property (where the garage is) and that included electricity.  It was something i always assumed..never really thought about...especially as the usage is extremely low.

I'm not bothered about that tbh....it's just trying to get this all sorted and then i can have discussions with SP over the amount due...which by the way isn't based on any meter readings!!!  they don't even know where the garage is!

QrizB

jfc72 said:

ultimately..no.  Although what i thought was happening was I was paying a monthly fee to the factor of the property (where the garage is) and that included electricity.  It was something i always assumed..never really thought about...especially as the usage is extremely low.

If you've got a rental contract that makes the factor responsible for the electricity bill, you could quite reasonably pass the letter to them and let them deal with it.

jfc72

there isn't anything.  The factor isn't paying the bill it is down to each individual owner.  This isn't a rental either.

Just trying to see what i takes to get SP to amend the account. so it reflects the true owner and correct meter.  Or disassociate that existing account from the garage and start over...or something...anything!!

Can't stand the fact it's just getting passed around, nothing actually happening..and they keep putting extra charges on.

jbuchanangb

Now is the time to give up. Put the letter back in the envelope and seal it. Mark it "Opened in Error - Addressee not known at this address" and send it to the "Return to" address on the envelope. If any other similar letters arrive, don't even open them, just mark them "Addressee not known at this address" and send them back.