Debt to scottish power - need advice please

Scaramouche

I have lived in a rented flat for the last 5 years. The flat had a power card meter when I moved in. In 2006 I changed my electricity supplier and have had very little dealings with them until Oct 2007 when they changed my meter to a key meter. The change went well until I noticed on my recent statement that I was being charged £15 a month debt recovery. I called Scottish Power to ask them how I could be in debt with a prepayment meter and they stated that the meter had not been reset when I changed supplier, I asked how much the debt was and it's over £200. The woman I spoke to explained that I had not asked for the meter to be reset, hence the debt. I explained that I didn't know I had to ask to have the meter reset and that surely it was Scottish Powers responsibility to change the meter settings. She then said that as a good will gesture she would reduce the debt by 25%.

Now I don't think I should be paying this debt off, as to me the debt accrued by a failing on Scottish Powers behalf and not mine. I have been paying money into my meter as I always have and now they want me to pay this debt.

I have also called back to ask to speak to a manager about this problem, but the woman refused to pass me onto her manager as apparently i don't have a case to wipe off the debt since they have tried to gain access to my property 6 times ( i have been out on all occasions) however a card was put through the door saying they had tried to read my meter. At no point have I received a letter stating that they needed to reset my meter or that they needed to gain access to the property to do this.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice, I am not a person to avoid paying debts but in this case I really don't feel I should be paying this money.

Thankyou in advance for any help

EnergyMan_3

If scottish power had of come and reset your meter you would have ended up paying exactly the same amount as you are now. I know it can be very annoying when they tell you that you owe them money as a result of a mistake they made but at the end of the day you have been under-paying for your electricity up until recently, whereas everyone has been paying the correct amount. If they wiped the debt off then they would be out of pocket and if they did this for every customer that this happened to then they would be out of pocket very much so!

Theres nothing you can do I am afraid as they are legally alowed to charge you this money.