Scottish Power - payment help

[jotty]

I have posted before but, I recently had problems paying some bills including Scottish Power which resulted in them employing a company called Grosvenor to collect on their behalf. The debt was £668 which has taken me a month to clear, however I have had an email from Scottish Power which states that they now want the balance of the bill, which including the one received today is £517. They say if I dont pay this balance they will execute a warrant on the 15th of August.

 

Now this cant be right, the part of the debt which was the subject of action involving Grosvenor is all but paid in a month, so how can they now demand the rest of the bill in the same way. Surely they are 2 debts. I have asked to pay the £517 in the normal monthly way, which is a damn sight less than £600 i have just paid.

 

Is there anything I can do before the 15th as I am going to find it hard to find this amount in 2 weeks.

[installspark]

Slightly confused.

 

In your previous post you stated that there were arrears of £651.00, and you had paid them £400 off this. You have now cleared these arrears and received a new bill for £517.

 

Are there any outstanding amounts included in this amount, if so how long have they been outstanding for.

 

If the new bill is for the previous quarter then Scottish Power cannot apply for a warrant as the demand for payment has only recently been issued. If the new amount includes previous amounts outstanding then they can apply for a warrant provided these have been outstanding for more than 3 months.

 

Probably your best bet would be to ask Scottish Power to come and fit a prepayment meter and set it to reclaim the debt. This is what they would do once they obtained the warrant anyway but the debt set wouldn't include the warrant fees which are circa £150.

 

Scottish Power will have already classified you as a bad payer due to the previous involvement of bailiffs. This leaves you with very few payment options, essentialy pay in full or prepayment.

[jotty]

Sorry a bit panicky at the moment,

I had my first contact with Grosvenor, on behalf of Scottish Power, at the end of May. They stated that I owed £651 and that I had 14days to pay otherwise they would obtain a warrant. At the time the previous quarter was also due which I was hoping to pay off on a monthly basis as usual.

I quickly paid £300 and then over the last 2 weeks another £200 off the £651. There where some problems with Grosvenor not informing Scottish Power of the fact I was paying which has resulted in SP being awkward.

 

I thought I was safe from court action, and have just sent of the balance £151 which they will have before the threatned court date of the 10th August.

 

However I emailed SP to check they had all the payments, but to my horror they now want the entire balance of my recent bills, last quarter and this one which totals £517. If I dont pay this they will take me to court on the 15th of August.

 

My point is yes I have been bad, but I have paid £651 in just over 5 weeks, I was expecting them to let me resume my dd and clear the debt which is not the subject of action by Grosvenor, the balance £517.

 

I do not want pre payment meters, so is there anyone I can now go to just to help me convince SP I can pay. I take your point about being classed as a bad payer but £651 in 5 weeks is not so bad.

[timwils]

I tried here scottish power customer service very helpful.. 0800 0272700

[installspark]

However I emailed SP to check they had all the payments, but to my horror they now want the entire balance of my recent bills, last quarter and this one which totals £517. If I dont pay this they will take me to court on the 15th of August.

 

My point is yes I have been bad, but I have paid £651 in just over 5 weeks, I was expecting them to let me resume my dd and clear the debt which is not the subject of action by Grosvenor, the balance £517.

 

A lot clearer now. I wasn't inferring that you are a bad payer, this is just the way SP will see you.

 

As part of the £517 on the new bill is the new charges for the quarter just gone Scottish Power cannot demand full payment of the balance now due by 15th August as you should get between 2 and 3 weeks, depending on their credit management policies, before the account becomes overdue, and the current charges would then go to 1st reminder stage. However the balance carried forward is overdue and SP can apply for a warrant.

 

I would suggest that you speak to the department who deal with Warrant applications and try to negotiate a payment arrangement basing this on the fact that you have just finished paying off previous arrears which were at the warrant stage, and that whilst you accept the amount is overdue you require more time in which to pay. Probably the best offer you can give, if you can afford it, is to pay 50% of the arrears immeadiately and set up a direct debit/standing order/ regular cash payment scheme that will tak into account the remainder of the arrears, the current balance and an amount towards future bills. Expect to meet a lot of resistance from SP at this stage, try to remain calm and polite as they will be very used to calls from people screaming and shouting, and the calm approach can work wonders. If they still refuse state to them that you will attend the warrant application hearing to represent too thhe magistrate SP's refusal to negotiate a mutually acceptable repayment arrangement. Legally SP are obligated to notify you of where and when the Warrant application hearing is. I cannot guarantee that this will prevent a warrant from being issued but it may cast a shadow of doubt in the Magistrate's mind that SP have followed all possible means of recovery prior to applying for a warrant.

 

Back up anything said to SP in writing, making sure that you use Special Delivery as this guarantees next working day before 1pm and provides proff of delivery.