Scottish Power send in the Bailiffs and we are not their customer and never have been.........

AliGMcCl

Scottish power keep sending Bailiffs to our address despite the fact that:

1) The supply that the debt is owed for has nothing to do with us or our address.

2) The supply is actually on someone else's property (a farmers field nearby) and Scottish Power admits to knowing that but claim "they don't know who else to bill or send the bills or the bailiffs to!!"

3) Since moving to our current address (2015) we have been with Scottish Gas and Scottish Power are also aware of this.

4) Scottish Power's most recent Bailiff visit left us even more worried as the Bailiff left a letter stating that if we didn't pay the amount Scottish Power are demanding they would force entry and fit a prepayment meter, THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE METER CONCERNED ISN'T ON OUR PROPERTY AND WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT OR IT'S SUPPLY.
5) I've spoken directly with both Bailiff firms who once they confirmed (by requesting out meter serial no) that we are with Scottish gas apologised and said they would resolve the issue with SP - No joy with SP though! 

6) I have been trying unsuccessfully since 2015 to resolve this matter with Scottish Power (SP).

7) Back in 2015 one SP employee actually blamed their new billing system for deleting the address of who was responsible for the supply they are debt chasing.

8) SP logic appears to be that as the supply is to a farmers field for their electric fences and despite the fact that we live in a domestic property and it has been for 50 years plus the address has "Farm" in it so it must be us........" Frightening logic by SP really.
9) We have involved our local MP and even they can't get any sense out of SP!

We are now genuinely concerned that Scottish Power are going to break into our property and attempt to fit a pre-payment despite the fact that the supply has nothing to do with us.

Any suggestions to get Scottish Power to see sense and accept that they are wrong gratefully accepted.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Hello OP

Have you gone via Scottish Power's official complaint procedure? 

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/director-support

That would be the first step followed by the ombudsman after 56 days of making the complaint.

https://www.energyombudsman.org/

My understanding is under Ofgem rules they shouldn't fit a pre-payment meter if you disagree with the bill. 

Are the "Bailiffs" simply debt collectors? If so I would politely ask them to leave your property and then softly close the front door. If you have contact info for them you can dispute the debt (by email or in writing would be ideal) and they should stop all contact. 

If the Bailiffs are more than debt collectors or someone comes knocking and has a warrant from a court that would be a different matter. 

You could also try contacting the Daily Mail:

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-1585631/This-Money-Contact-thisismoney-uk-email-phone.html

Have requested this be moved to the Energy board for more knowledgeable people to help

AliGMcCl

Hi  the_lunatic_is_in_my_head - really helpful suggestions - thank you

Ectophile

You might also want to look into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/40/contents

This could involve taking civil action against Scottish Power, or making a criminal complaint to your local police.

AliGMcCl

Re contacting SP via Scottish Power director support - unfortunately I can't do this as I'm not a SP customer and this route is only available to SP customers. In fact because I'm not a SP customer I don't seem to be able to use their complaints process at all as it needs a customer number!! And I'm not a customer!!

lohr500

It might be a waste of time, but you could send a polite email to Scottish Power's CEO [Email address removed by Forum Team] asking him to intervene and put a stop to the nonsense that you are having to endure.

M25

If someone is going to fit a pre-payment meter they'll tell you in good time so you'll have time to make sure someone is at home.

Apart from some of the advice above a strongly worded lawyer's letter may work here and that can be used too with/for [maybe] Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970 and the Protection from Harassment Act (1997). If you feel you are under a real threat the police will at least visit you.

Would you consider going to a local newspaper?

I assume you're in England too? You mention "bailiffs" and there's no such thing in Scotland. That would be sheriff's officers.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

AliGMcCl said:

Re contacting SP via Scottish Power director support - unfortunately I can't do this as I'm not a SP customer and this route is only available to SP customers. In fact because I'm not a SP customer I don't seem to be able to use their complaints process at all as it needs a customer number!! And I'm not a customer!!

The account number field just needs 11 numbers it would seem, the complaints ref field seems a problem though.

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/complaints

You might have to start at the bottom with the contact us email and I would cc in the CEO office. If you Google "ceo email" and search that site for Scottish Power you'll find the email address there.  

AliGMcCl

Apologies for non response - we are in Scotland and they have actually sent two different debt collectors approx 6 weeks apart (not bailiffs) who ironically didn't even knock the door but just left a letter to say they "had visited" and the visit would increase the debt. I subsequently rang both firms of debt collectors who one I explained the situation:
1) re the land and meter being nothing to do with us;
2) confirmed our electricity supply was with another company;
they were both really apologetic and both said they would advise SP accordingly.
Currently we are still getting bills etc but now in the name of potentially the farmer who owns the fields but still addressed to our property!
Bizarrely even our local MP can't get any sense out of SP about this!!

ArbitraryRandom

If you look on companies house, you can find their registered office. I'm not posting a link as I noticed a contact was removed earlier and I'm not clear what the issue was - but you (anyone) can write to that address without requiring an account number. 

You should head your letter complaint, explain the issue, include copies of the letters you have received, and reference the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. 

You might want to use the 'prove it' letter here as a basis for your letter (though obviously it will need tweaking to fit as you're not disputing the debt, you're disputing it has anything to do with your address): https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter

Your request is that your address is removed entirely from their internal systems/unlinked from the meter in question and that you get no further contact regarding this account. 

molerat

And to think Scottish Power are now deemed one of the few companies competent enough to start force fitting pre pay meters - scary !