Scottish gas using a made-up meter reading!

Raphael

I moved into my current flat on 1st September 2006, phoned Scottish Gas with my name and meter reading but soon after I received a letter addressed to "the occupier" with threats of supply being cut off etc over a huge unpaid bill.

I phoned them again, explained the flat had previously been unoccupied for about 2 years, gave them my name again, told them the date I'd moved in, the reading at that time, and that it was still the same as I hadn't used gas; I was told it was probably because bills had been estimated over that period and thought it was all sorted when a few days later I received a final statement up to 1st September which said no money was due.

Except that some time later, I received the first bill in my name, it had the correct reading from when I'd moved in, and a completely made-up reading which had nothing to do with my actual reading and this time supposedly wasn't an estimated reading, and there was even a date when the reading had supposedly been taken!

I phoned them again, and all they could say was that someone must have come in and taken that reading. I tried to explain to them it made no sense as no meter reader had ever come in to my flat in that period, I gave them the current reading and they said they'd sort it out.

Obviously they never did and despite another few calls to them I keep getting the threatening letters saying I owe them £500 or something stupid like that and that they're coming to disconnect me, apparently they even sent someone around to disconnect me and want to charge me for it.

I called energywatch who then gave me another number to call at scottish gas and tell them I'd spoken to energywatch, I waited about an hour to get through on that number only to be cut off once I'd spoken to someone and explained the whole thing, but I just assumed that since they'd taken all the info it was gonna be enough and didn't want to call again and have to wait another hour, but to this date it still hasn't been resolved.

I thought that maybe by changing suppliers it would sort it out once the new supplier started with an accurate reading, but I'd not got around to doing anything about it, when around the same time I started receiving letters saying that they'd received a request from some other energy company I wanted to transfer to but that they couldn't terminate my account until the debt was paid.

Anyway, I'm gonna have to get on the phone again but in the meantime this is all doing my head in (especially as I've now spent more on my phone calls to them over the past year or so than the actual amount my gas bill should be!), and I have a few questions that someone here may be able to help with.

1) the confusing letters saying they'd received a request from another supplier (as I said I'd been thinking about it but had never got around to contacting another supplier): could this be just another trick from them to make me pay up and dissuade me from even trying to switch to another supplier, and is it true they can prevent me from doing it until this is all resolved (it's annoying cos I get my electricity from another supplier and am missing out on their dual fuel discount by not having the gas with them too).

2) they say they sent someone to disconnect me and that I wasn't around. I assume they can't just disconnect me without having access to the property, is that right? Am I safe so long as I don't answer the door until it's all resolved (could take some time as it's dragged on so long already!) or is there any way they can disconnect me anyway?

3) I dunno what I've done with the number that energywatch had given me to call (they said it was different from the general number listed at the back of bills), I could call and ask again but I remember checking at the time whether there was an alternative number listed on saynoto0870 and there wasn't, and since all I've got is a mobile phone and I can't afford to pay stupid money again to be put on hold for about an hour, I'd really need a geographical number, anyone got any idea which one would be my best bet there? Or would I be better off sending them a letter?

Any advice would be appreciated.

carolt2

I know this may sound stupid but have you checked the meter serial number matches your bill?

Sometimes they can get muddled.

If you go onto energywatch website, they list telephone number for all energy companies. Not sure if they will have a free number or not.

Cardew

Raphael wrote: »

I'd really need a geographical number, anyone got any idea which one would be my best bet there? Or would I be better off sending them a letter?

Any advice would be appreciated.

It is absolutely pointless trying to deal with matters like this on the phone. The call centre people don't want to deal with problems, it is easier for them to cut you off(by accident!!!) and when you ring back it is another person's problem.

In the time you have taken to write the post above, you could have written a letter. So I would just write, send it by email, hard copy in the post, and copy it to energywatch.

As it stands you have no proof of your telephone conversations.

jinky67

I also had Scottish Gas do this to me too.
I tried to recify the reading online,but because it was an actual reading it wouldnt let me do it!
I phoned to complain and girl on phone said she couldnt change it.As far as I was concerned it was fraud.
I paid bill and switched ASAP.
They weren't interested.

Raphael

jinky67 wrote: »

I also had Scottish Gas do this to me too.
I tried to recify the reading online,but because it was an actual reading it wouldnt let me do it!
I phoned to complain and girl on phone said she couldnt change it.As far as I was concerned it was fraud.
I paid bill and switched ASAP.
They weren't interested.

Hmmm, I can't pay the bill, it's about £500, I would pay it if there was less of a discrepancy like £50 or something and then keep using the same reading until the meter actually reached that reading, but I don't expect my total gas consumption to ever be more than £10-£20 a year so it would take 25 to 50 years before I reached that stage and I can't be sure I'll be staying in this flat that long!

What if a meter reader took the reading now? From a logic point of view they wouldn't stand on a leg calling it fraud because it'd be pretty obvious to them that with a gas cooker being the only gas appliance used in the flat there's no way I could have racked up such a bill in the space of 2 months even by cooking 24/7!

jinky67

I would defo check the meter numbers to make sure they match up.
You could ask them to come and test the meter to check it is working properly.
I would also get back on to Enerywatch

Raphael

Thanks everyone else for the advice, never thought of checking the serial number, I'll have to wait for that though cos I can't reach the meter myself... I'll try the email / letter thing. In the meantime (and since I don't know how long it's gonna take), does anyone know anything about my first 2 questions? Is it true that I can't change providers until it's resolved? And also, is there any risk of them cutting me off without access to the flat itself?

Cardew

Firstly. Yes you cannot change supplier with a debt on your account as the 'losing' supplier will object.

If your meter is inside the flat, then it is a problem for them to cut off gas without access.

Terrylw1

To answer your questions:

1 - this could be a someone else switching with your MPRN, it could even be you have someone elses meter on your account so the mix up has caused a neighbour to switch your property in error due to this. Addresses in the MPRN database could even be incorrect. Contact National Grid and check your address to your MPRN on your bill, also check your meter number with them.

If you have a debt usually over 1 quarter thne Suppliers object as you are in debt. This is allowed and has been for years although the Supplier can set their own threshold above the sensible last quarter method if they want to be more relaxed.

2 - if they want to disconnect they obtain a warrant of entry against your property, not you. They can then serve this without you being there and drill/replace your locks as long as they leave a notification. Of course if the disconnection will interupt someone elses property then it's a different situation. If the disconnection could seriously affect someones health then they also can't aply for a warrant e.g. trying to disconnect elec with someone with a ventilator.


Generally, a meter readers reading is more trusted than a customer. However, if the customer states it's incorrect the standard practice is to send a reader back out to confirm it.

It could have been a typo from the readers that created it all. Dead simply to correct, insist it's wrong and get an engineer out.

On the back of your bill will be the address for a complaints dept. Write to them as Cardew stated and copy in Energywatch.

Garz

Terrylw1 wrote: »

2 - if they want to disconnect they obtain a warrant of entry against your property, not you. They can then serve this without you being there and drill/replace your locks as long as they leave a notification. Of course if the disconnection will interupt someone elses property then it's a different situation. If the disconnection could seriously affect someones health then they also can't aply for a warrant e.g. trying to disconnect elec with someone with a ventilator. .

This is a bit extreme until it has dragged on for a long enough time. It does happen but thats if you refuse to pay the bill and you cannot agree to a form of repayment scheme which they do offer help with.

I agree with writing to them and copying the letter, also mention you are seeking legal advise and if needs be involve the likes of watchdog etc if they get too extreme.

Terrylw1

That true Garz. They have to apply for warrant of entry via the courts and it has to be after the have exhausted every means of arranging something with the customer.

It doesn't sound right to me anyway since if they sent someone out they would do it if a warrant was in place, unless the engineer found a reason why the supply could not be disconnected.

Suppliers often send out overly harsh collection letters. However, in the case of a warrant you get notified that it will be served.

Then they add the warrant charge.