Scottish power wrong bill issue/ incorrect meter reading

Paul_and_Ann

We recently moved house and the previous owners were scottish power customers. We are shell customers and wanted to stay with them. We told scottish power this and asked for a bill when we moved in. The house had been empty for one month for re-wiring and other works before we could move in so some energy was used. The electric bill was fine and correct so we paid it. However the gas bill was incorrect, the estimated reading was 0102 when it was actually 0040. Shell took over the meter reading at 45 and sent us a letter saying so. We sent this information to scottish power who totally ignored it. We took a photo and sent it to scottish power and they still ignored it. We took another photo at 0071 and kept that photo. We also spoke to shell who had the photos and they then sent that information to scottish power, who have totally ignored it. We have spoken to scottish power four times about this and sent them the photos and the email from shell put they still irnore it, at one point they even put the phone down on us. Now they have sent the issue to A debt collector who we spoke to today who also put the phone down on us because I would not give them my first name. We have never refused to pay the correct bill, but we are not paying for energy that we have not used with scottish power. the amount they want is £100 so it is small but it is a bill that is about £60 to much. Can anybody advise us what to do next. 

Swipe

You should have gone to the energy ombudsman after 6 weeks of no resolution. It's time to do that right now.

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

It's unclear whether you followed the correct procedure.

You were in a deemed contract the moment energy was used and you would have had to register with SP before a switch to Shell could be initiated.

Did you register with SP, giving your bank details and sending the meter readings on the date you took possession?  If not then you will still be supplied by SP and will be chased for payment.

[Deleted User]

Swipe said:

You should have gone to the energy ombudsman after 6 weeks of no resolution. It's time to do that right now.

You cannot go to EOS unless a formal complaint has been raised and EITHER a Deadlock letter has been issued or 8 weeks has passed from the date off the initial complaint.

Swipe

[Deleted User] said:

Swipe said:

You should have gone to the energy ombudsman after 6 weeks of no resolution. It's time to do that right now.

You cannot go to EOS unless a formal complaint has been raised and EITHER a Deadlock letter has been issued or 8 weeks has passed from the date off the initial complaint.

I'd assumed they'd already made a formal complaint when they got nowhere

Paul_and_Ann

Thank you for the quick replies.
We never gave scottish power our bank details and are supplied by shell. The transfer to shell has been fine. It is just this last payment that is in dispute. It has been close to three months since we complained. We will try the ombudsman. 
Thank you.

Gerry1

Paul_and_Ann said:

We never gave scottish power our bank details and are supplied by shell.

It would be wise to check that that assumption.  You may find that one or both fuels are still supplied by SP.

Find My Gas Supplier

Find My Electricity Supplier  (two stage process)

Paul_and_Ann

thank you Gerry1 for the place to check the supplies we did not know about that. We are not with s.p. 

TheMilkmansDad

Looks a bit messy. It also looks like the previous inhabitant may have either overinflated their final reading (unlikely) or their final bill was based on an estimate as they did not provide a reading.

When you say you are not with SP - can we assume therefore that you are with Shell for Gas? What is your opening meter reading with them and the date they took supply? Is it the Estimate that SP would have given them or the reading you gave them directly? If its the reading they gave you - there may have bene a caveat along the lines to this needing to be checked with the loosing supplier or the mysterious 3rd party.

Do you have evidence of the meter reading when you took ownership of the property? If so, then you need to raise an official complaint in writing to SP with all the facts and allow them time to resolve (granted you may have done so already). If not resolved then they would issue a deadlock letter which you can then take up with the Energy Ombudsmen for them to investigate and give a decision.