How can I have debts on pre-pay meters that are in credit?

Kat650

Long story short, I've been with Scottish Power for 10 years, the entire time I've been at my current address. I never had any problem with them, calls were always answered promptly and issues were dealt with swiftly. About 2 years ago I received a "Welcome" text from them, which was confusing as I'd been with them 8 years. Then I got a final bill, but I wasn't leaving them? Long story short they were billing me for a neighbouring property! I told them I don't get bills as I'm on pre pay meters. Then I noticed the supply address for the bill was for a neighbouring property. I told them this and their "fix" was to change the supply address. So I now had 2 electricity supplies to the same address in the same name from the same company. It took 3 or 4 months to get them to understand there had been an error and I was not liable for the bill. I thought that was it but soon after I received an email saying my electricity meter was £40 something in debt and they would take so much from the meter until it was repaid. I asked how I can have a debt on a prepay meter that was in credit but never got a straight answer. Then I received another email saying I had a £40 something debt on my gas meter, and again they would take so much off the meter until it was repaid.  

I never got an explaination as to how, no discussion about a payment plan (which according to OFGEM they are supposed to do).

I recently received another email pretty much the same as the first but this time a debt of £5 something on my electricity meter.

I'm getting nowhere with SP and I don't know who to turn to. I think they're bogus debts because they can't give me an explaination and I don't understand how I can have debts on prepay meters that are in credit.

I don't know what to do, I don't know if leaving will stop me getting account evidence etc. and risk losing any chance of getting any money back, if it's due.

What do you advise please?

35har1old

Kat650 said:

Long story short, I've been with Scottish Power for 10 years, the entire time I've been at my current address. I never had any problem with them, calls were always answered promptly and issues were dealt with swiftly. About 2 years ago I received a "Welcome" text from them, which was confusing as I'd been with them 8 years. Then I got a final bill, but I wasn't leaving them? Long story short they were billing me for a neighbouring property! I told them I don't get bills as I'm on pre pay meters. Then I noticed the supply address for the bill was for a neighbouring property. I told them this and their "fix" was to change the supply address. So I now had 2 electricity supplies to the same address in the same name from the same company. It took 3 or 4 months to get them to understand there had been an error and I was not liable for the bill. I thought that was it but soon after I received an email saying my electricity meter was £40 something in debt and they would take so much from the meter until it was repaid. I asked how I can have a debt on a prepay meter that was in credit but never got a straight answer. Then I received another email saying I had a £40 something debt on my gas meter, and again they would take so much off the meter until it was repaid.  

I never got an explaination as to how, no discussion about a payment plan (which according to OFGEM they are supposed to do).

I recently received another email pretty much the same as the first but this time a debt of £5 something on my electricity meter.

I'm getting nowhere with SP and I don't know who to turn to. I think they're bogus debts because they can't give me an explaination and I don't understand how I can have debts on prepay meters that are in credit.

I don't know what to do, I don't know if leaving will stop me getting account evidence etc. and risk losing any chance of getting any money back, if it's due.

What do you advise please?

They same to be collecting the debt
you mention that is not yours they can alter the meter to collect this over a period of time the meter will show a credit.
This is just a example say you topup £100   99 pounds goes to the supply of electricity and the other £1 goes to pay of the debt so the meter will show a credit the ratio could be anything it just depends on how quickly they want to recover the perseved debt

wrf12345

Scot Power and BG are ones to avoid, IMO...

HampshireH

You can scroll through your meter screens to see what debt is actually on your meter.

I think probably press B until you find it but it's been a while since I looked at one.

Then you will have a clear understanding of what's actually recorded on your meter to know where to start.

Then put in a complaint.

SAC2334

Prepayment meters will go into debt if the occupier does not top up enough  to cover the daily standing charges of around £25 a month 

wrf12345

Anyone knows what happens if you have a prepay gas meter, never use gas and never top it up - the s/c debt builds up but will they recover it by other means or just wait until you move out to go after you (keep the gas for house value rather than cap it) - assuming you have your electric with another supplier so they can't interfere with that.

SAC2334

wrf12345 said:

Anyone knows what happens if you have a prepay gas meter, never use gas and never top it up - the s/c debt builds up but will they recover it by other means or just wait until you move out to go after you (keep the gas for house value rather than cap it) - assuming you have your electric with another supplier so they can't interfere with that.

You will get a bill for the standing charge at some time even if its a few weeks after the occupier moves out but they would need a forwarding address .

Kat650

So no straight answers then?

I forgot to mention, with the first electricity "debt" the debt screen disappeared from my meter. That's another thing that makes me suspicious. It showed the debt screen in the list of screens, like a screen index, but when I scrolled through the debt screen was non existent.

The first 2 "debts" were on standard meters but the most recent one is on a smart meter.

From my understanding, when you topup after using emergency credit, any ec used is repaid in addition to standing charges.

So how can I have debts on prepay meters that are in credit, as in actual credit not emergency credit. 

If the meters are not repaying emergency credit used and the standing charge, surely that's a fault with the meter and the should fix or replace it?

MWT

Kat650 said:

So how can I have debts on prepay meters that are in credit, as in actual credit not emergency credit. 

From what you've posted earlier it seems at least plausible that they have taken the debt from the other incorrect meter and put it on your meter...

Otherwise it is possible in extreme cases to run up enough debt on standing charges etc. that they cannot take it all back against your next and subsequent credits and so it is recovered over time in smaller amounts.

Kat650

MWT said:

From what you've posted earlier it seems at least plausible that they have taken the debt from the other incorrect meter and put it on your meter...

That's partly why I'm suspicious, these debts only started after they chased me for a neighbouring properties bill. The neighbouring property doesn't have prepay meters.

MWT said:

Otherwise it is possible in extreme cases to run up enough debt on standing charges etc. that they cannot take it all back against your next and subsequent credits and so it is recovered over time in smaller amounts.

Considering this is the property I live in, I never go away for days, weeks etc. surely even if I've been on emergency credit for a few days it would still be paid back when I top up? It's not like I can be on emergency credit for more than a few days.

Who do I go to to get this sorted out? The whole "debt" thing is very suspicious, it needs to be investigated but who would do that? If I leave SP will I still be able to access account information if needed?

MWT

Kat650 said:

Who do I go to to get this sorted out? The whole "debt" thing is very suspicious, it needs to be investigated but who would do that? If I leave SP will I still be able to access account information if needed?

You make a formal complaint to SP and ask them to provide details on where this debt has come from.

If they do not resolve this by either explaining to your reasonable satisfaction how the debt occurred, or by removing the debt and refunding any amounts collected, then you can take the complaint to the Ombudsman.

Do understand though, the Ombudsman does not investigate anything, they just take the representations from both sides and render a judgement, so if you go there you will have to set out your case clearly.