Scottish Power / PastDue Chasing Debt

Richie7

Robin9 said:

You need to go back to SP - in writing, don't phone -  and ask them to prove it. Keep emotion out of it - you just need facts.

Initially you will need to follow their complaints procedure  - only after that has failed and you have a deadlock letter can you go to the Ombudsman

Does your mum still have access to her SP online account ?

No she is elderly and doesn't use computers. This is why I am furious about the situation. Writing to an elderly woman after nearly four years saying she owes money - and having her bombarded with calls and letters from a debt company - cannot be seen in any other light than what it is. It's a disgrace. 

I'm currently waiting for SP to get back to me after their usual failure on dealing with my initial complaint. Basically I got someone who didn't have a clue what the issue was, so I've now elevated it.

I will go all the way to the Ombudsman over this.

MWT

Richie7 said:

No she is elderly and doesn't use computers. This is why I am furious about the situation. Writing to an elderly woman after nearly four years saying she owes money - and having her bombarded with calls and letters from a debt company - cannot be seen in any other light than what it is. It's a disgrace. 

I'm currently waiting for SP to get back to me after their usual failure on dealing with my initial complaint. Basically I got someone who didn't have a clue what the issue was, so I've now elevated it.

I will go all the way to the Ombudsman over this.

Yes it is upsetting, but need to take the emotion out of this and just keep it simple and too to the point.

Send a 'prove it' letter, check the 'Debt  Free' board for details if you need help, and do ask them for copies of the letters they claim were sent at the time as that may also allow you to figure out if it is actually owed or not.

Nothing more is really needed, either they can prove it or they can't, but there is nothing in what you have described so far that in and of itself would give you grounds for a compliant, even elderly people can be required to pay debts if they are real.

Richie7

MWT said:

Richie7 said:

No she is elderly and doesn't use computers. This is why I am furious about the situation. Writing to an elderly woman after nearly four years saying she owes money - and having her bombarded with calls and letters from a debt company - cannot be seen in any other light than what it is. It's a disgrace. 

I'm currently waiting for SP to get back to me after their usual failure on dealing with my initial complaint. Basically I got someone who didn't have a clue what the issue was, so I've now elevated it.

I will go all the way to the Ombudsman over this.

Yes it is upsetting, but need to take the emotion out of this and just keep it simple and too to the point.

Send a 'prove it' letter, check the 'Debt  Free' board for details if you need help, and do ask them for copies of the letters they claim were sent at the time as that may also allow you to figure out if it is actually owed or not.

Nothing more is really needed, either they can prove it or they can't, but there is nothing in what you have described so far that in and of itself would give you grounds for a compliant, even elderly people can be required to pay debts if they are real.

What SP have failed to do thus far is call a halt to PastDue chasing my mum now that I am disputing the debt. I believe this is in breach of the agreement that the 'Prove It' letters quote.

I do find SP an absolutely reprehensible company, hence my emotion in this. I know from just reading this forum alone how many complaints they get.

Richie7

Well I said I'd keep here updated with what happened.

Thank you to those of you who offered assistance, and shame really on those of you who just said she should pay it.

After escalating the complaint, I received an e-mail from one of the managers offering his apologies over this most regrettable of situations.

It turns out on reviewing my case that they agreed no suitable contact or correspondence was ever made with my mother after the close of her account. And it was improper that her details were passed to a collection agency without notification as well. 

As such they have waived the "debt" and now closed the account.

Obviously I am very happy with this outcome, but still fuming that it came to this. And I wonder just how many other people they've tried this on with. They never actually confirmed either that she owed any money. I never saw anything official, as we never received anything.

I'm thinking of writing to the Ombudsman and contacting Watchdog to make them aware of this practice.

And I hope this thread might help someone in future.

Mstty

Well done yep talking always helps.

However I cannot see a response in here that says just pay it they all said get in touch with SP and get them to prove it or similar?

Strange way to end your post after a good outcome with an unfounded shaming?

brewerdave

Richie7 said:

After escalating the complaint, I received an e-mail from one of the managers offering his apologies over this most regrettable of situations.

It turns out on reviewing my case that they agreed no suitable contact or correspondence was ever made with my mother after the close of her account. And it was improper that her details were passed to a collection agency without notification as well. 

As such they have waived the "debt" and now closed the account.


I'm thinking of writing to the Ombudsman and contacting Watchdog to make them aware of this practice.

Have you asked for confirmation in writing ? Suggest you do as it's easy to mislay an email ! I've actually had a supplier deny that they sent me an email EVEN WHEN I forwarded it back to them. 
Don't think the Ombudsman will be interested as the case is resolved - the newspaper domestic financial columns and Watchdog make more sense.

Richie7

brewerdave said:

Richie7 said:

After escalating the complaint, I received an e-mail from one of the managers offering his apologies over this most regrettable of situations.

It turns out on reviewing my case that they agreed no suitable contact or correspondence was ever made with my mother after the close of her account. And it was improper that her details were passed to a collection agency without notification as well. 

As such they have waived the "debt" and now closed the account.


I'm thinking of writing to the Ombudsman and contacting Watchdog to make them aware of this practice.

Have you asked for confirmation in writing ? Suggest you do as it's easy to mislay an email ! I've actually had a supplier deny that they sent me an email EVEN WHEN I forwarded it back to them. 
Don't think the Ombudsman will be interested as the case is resolved - the newspaper domestic financial columns and Watchdog make more sense.

Thanks very much for that, it's a good idea I hadn't thought of. I will ask for it in writing.

And yes I thought that with regards the Ombudsman, so I contacted WatchDog to let them know. Also the CAB, incase anything similar happens - which I'm sure it will. This is nothing other than a scam in my opinion, and I dread to think how many people have fallen for it. From a company like Scottish Power, who in all my experience are comfortably the worst company I've ever had to deal with. 

Section62

Richie7 said:

She can't check her bills she doesn't have them anymore. It was nearly 4 years ago, she only ever keeps paperwork for about 2 years. I'm sure I read on here too somewhere that was the recommended time advised.

Six (or seven) years is the usual recommendation AFAIK.  Partly due to the time barring of debts, partly because HMRC investigations can go back that far (up to 20 years in some circumstances).