Trying to reduce Direct Debit with Scottish Power

ShockedWithSP

Hoping someone can advise,

I must confess to being in shock with SP's total lack of help and indeed the lengths they go to to avoid giving it.

Our Gas account came to review 16.1.23 so I decided to do some checking. We are paying £126pm and in credit by £330. I thought I would change the DD online using their facility, but it will not allow me to do so without a one off payment of some £500.

I calculated from readings (I have not submitted monthly reads, but managed to calculate with reasonable accuracy from previous reads, I smart meter has been requested but that is another disaster and other story) that our consumption last year was around 10500 kWh. Our last bill for the end of the year states our previous consumption was 11000 kWh. 

After contacting via email I was told my DD cannot be reduced because they estimate consumption (estimate) to be 17000. The estimates I arrived at, the actual use last 12months and the credit we are in all confirm our DD should be around £90. They will not adjust it because they are using an estimated use of 17000. This is based on historic use I am told, but it is not, it is actually around 50% higher, which is how they are arriving at such a high DD amount.

I will spare you the pain of my emails, but suffice to say I explained all of this, point by point, calculations and estimates all laid out, and a specific request to have explained how the estimated future consumption which is based on previous consumption can be so much higher, also as the email said, they factor in how consumers are being aware of consumption and trying to reduce it.. I received a reply "let me explain how we calculate Direct Debits", a very patronising boilerplate response with no reference whatsoever to any figures, or how they estimate consumption to increase 50%. To add to the insult they are saying it needs to increase to £133. No response to my request for a specific answer as to how they calculate it to increase.

My Estimate 10500kwh
Actual last year 11000kwh
SP Estimate next 12months 17200kwh

I am in shock. Yes I know I should not be but I am. Could anyone suggest how I proceed? I do feel this is nothing but lining their own bank accounts. It is clear the estimated consumption is too high, and we are in credit a significant amount. The are simply using the highest amount they can with no reference to actual use.

I see escalating to the Ombudsman is after 12 weeks, and they do not deal with prices charged, but my issue is not the price (which is bad for us all), but the estimated consumption which is being used to increase the DD.

Many thanks and hope someone can advise.

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Contacting them has been shocking. At every turn they suggest using the Online Chat where a representative will answer any questions. They do not, it is just a glorified Help search with bot. On the two times I have been able to get through on the phone it has been diverted to Business Dept. Today the lady I spoke said they cannot help domestic customers, domestic are too busy so calls are being diverted, and she would have to put me through to guess where.....domestic.

Complaints, their procedure is to contact them on contactus@. Note not a complains email. My original email with 'Complaint' I noted today has been stripped out, so it isnt a complaint. Second stage is for them to resolve any issues. Third stage is to submit an online form which is escalated to the Director of Complaints. A Complains Ref Number is required, guess what I don't have. Considering my first email was a compliant which they removed from the Title I have now asked for a Ref Number.

No response on Twitter. One response on Messenger and then nothing. 

Brie

I would suggest you outline all your concerns and calculations and send it to their contactus spot.  State that it's being sent both to there and by post.  Top line should be that their inability/unwillingness to act is causing you financial distress.  That should trigger (hopefully) some concern on their part.

Give it the requisite number of weeks and escalate to the ombudsperson if there's no response or if they dismiss this without a good reason.

dimbo61

Do you know how much the unit costs of Gas and Electric have increased in the last 12 months ?
How about Gas going from 3.3p per unit to 17p or 4.5X more expensive.
The standing charges have also increased due to bailing out the energy companies that went bust.
Once the government£400 energy payments finish and prices increase by 20% in April we will know the real cost of Gas and Electric.

ShockedWithSP

Yes of course I do, well aware of it. I am not disputing the cost, it is the estimated consumption. Deciding that my consumption will be 17000 based on 11000 previous year with no logical explanation, or any kind of explanation at all is what is disputed. But thanks for your insight.