Scottish Power "final bill"

averagejoe01

I left Scottish Power around 9 months ago. At the time, I received a mail saying they had taken a meter reading directly from my smart meter. A short time later I got a "final energy bill" and the money was taken out by direct debit as expected, no issue.
Fast forward 9 months since I ceased to be a Scottish Power customerand I receive another email "final energy bill" for £1500!!! I assumed a mistake so called customer service to confirm. They claimed that I did in fact owe the money, and they reckon they hadn't charged for any electric for 2 years! Firstly I doubt this to be the case l, I was still paying 70 a month (remember this is pre-energy price rises) allegedly just for gas.
Secondly even if they had made a mistake... Am I really entitled to have to pay for this, theiristake, so far down the line? Should SP not take some responsibility for their mistakes? Even if I had to pay off monthly it would still be hundreds a month, not really affordable on top of everything else at the minute! TIA

user1977

I suggest you check the facts first i.e. check the meter readings and what you've actually paid - if you have underpaid then yes it's still going to be due.

nyermen

Check the opening meter readings on your current provider as well.

user1977 - Am I hallucinating or isn't there a rule that they can only back-bill so far?  1 year springs to mind?

Aylesbury_Duck

averagejoe01 said:

I left Scottish Power around 9 months ago. At the time, I received a mail saying they had taken a meter reading directly from my smart meter. A short time later I got a "final energy bill" and the money was taken out by direct debit as expected, no issue.
Fast forward 9 months since I ceased to be a Scottish Power customerand I receive another email "final energy bill" for £1500!!! I assumed a mistake so called customer service to confirm. They claimed that I did in fact owe the money, and they reckon they hadn't charged for any electric for 2 years! Firstly I doubt this to be the case l, I was still paying 70 a month (remember this is pre-energy price rises) allegedly just for gas.
Secondly even if they had made a mistake... Am I really entitled to have to pay for this, theiristake, so far down the line? Should SP not take some responsibility for their mistakes? Even if I had to pay off monthly it would still be hundreds a month, not really affordable on top of everything else at the minute! TIA

You doubt this to be the case, but what evidence do you have?  Were you taking meter readings for both gas and electricity and submitting them, or at least checking the smart meter readings were accurate?

Yes, they are entitled to charge you for energy you used if you haven't already paid for it.  It's only nine months ago, and it's not completely clear that this is their mistake.  It's possible you didn't send in readings or check the readings on the smart meter, something that was almost certainly a contractual obligation.

The first step is to check all the figures provided - the meter readings as they were recorded, and making sure they tally to what was billed.

born_again

So have you got the bills from the time frame they are saying you did not pay for electric? 
Check them. If there is no electric usage then you owe the money as you should have picked it up. If there is then ask them to check their billing.

Even with smart meters people need to take reading themselves & check bills are correct.

>>I was still paying 70 a month (remember this is pre-energy price rises) allegedly just for gas.<<
I take it that was just the DD figure they were claiming. Not your actual usage. As your DD figure means very little, other than it is what they asses that will cover 12 months usage.