@scottishhydro Scottish Hydro/scottish power issues

[SqueakyFtw]

Hello,

 

I hope this isn't too epic but I could really do with some advice, as the CAB is closed for the festive period! I have tried to include all the relevant parts, if it is too long I am happy to summarise.

 

I moved into my current rented property in March 2010.

At that point I received two separate bills from Scottish Power asking for electricity and gas payments;

the addresses were slightly different as Edinburgh has a funny postal system

- however they were both for the same property.

 

I phoned them and pointed out the address confusion, asking if they could merge the accounts to a dual fuel one.

They said yes and that was that.

 

I received more bills for gas in the next couple of months,

I called them again on several occasions and they said there was a note on my account explaining it was being sorted out for me and to ignore the bills as they were just automated,

they'd contact me when it was all confirmed.

 

A little later in the year I called them again as I'd still heard nothing, they looked at my account notes and the rep said he'd call me back after reading them.

He did so and it turns out that Scottish Power were not providing my gas in the first place!

They gave me the supply number but could not tell me where it was actually coming from.

So I continued paying them for the electricity and hoped someone might come forward for the gas as I was pretty sure it was not free.

 

Sure enough, a Scottish Hydro card turned up on my doorstep saying someone had tried to read the meter.

 

I called the number, explained the situation, they confirmed they held the supply and so I gave my moving in date and all the rest of the required details,

I even set up a direct debit over the phone.

I also asked if they were able to takeover my electricity supply, as It seemed silly paying two separate companies.

 

I heard nothing and no money was taken. Scottish power continued to take my electricity money.

 

Later in the year, December I believe, I called Scottish Hydro to ask what was happening.

There was no record of me calling them before, and the direct debit had not been set up. I set up another direct debit over the phone.*

 

I received a paper bill shortly from Scottish Hydro,

my direct debit had once again not been set up.

Rather infuriated I tried for the third time, and this time eventually received a letter of confirmation.

 

Finally fed up of paying extortionate money with no dual discount I gave up on both companies and moved both supplies to npower,

I paid my final bills to each previous company in October.

I received confirmation that the accounts were up to date and now both closed.

 

I received a letter to 'the Occupier' yesterday, from a debt collection agency saying the utilities for the property were under investigation.

Utterly perplexed I phoned the included number.

It turns out that Scottish Hydro have had an account open for the period between August and December 2010;

when I contacted them after discovering they were providing me with gas rather than Scottish Power they did not update this account but simply created a new one.

They said they were unable to locate the occupier of the property for this time and had now sold the supposed debt to LCS.*

 

Naturally I am fuming at their administrative mistakes, but I did say that if they sent me a bill for that period I would check the readings against my own inventory and pay them.

I made it clear that I was not happy about doing so after all this time but if the gas was used by me I would of course pay for it.

I also told them I was astonished that they had not sufficiently tried to locate me (after all, I was in the property and already their customer!)

so it was extremely inappropriate to have sold the debt in the first place, when they could simply have billed me the regular way.*

 

The rep called back today and said the fee had been removed from the debt but that I would have to pay LCS to clear the debt.

I said I would pay Scottish Hydro, not LCS.

 

He said I could do that, but they'd simply redirect the money to the debt collection people.

I have asked that he resubmit my request to retrieve the debt back from the agency,

as I am really not happy to pay money to a debt collection agency when the error is solely with Scottish Hydro.

It will surely plunge my credit file into the danger zone, a credit file which has till this time been impeccable

 

I unfortunately no longer have the handwritten notes I took when I initially called them as I tidied up after the account was supposedly closed and moved to npower,

but I do have the initial bills sent in error by Scottish Power.

 

I have not yet contacted them to try to get any specific dates for my previous telephone correspondence as their offices are closed,

but I hope they will help as although they were not very proactive they were always quite helpful over the phone.

 

I have asked TalkTalk for itemised phone bills for the time but they say it will take 40 days!

So at the moment Scottish Hydro are claiming they knew nothing of my initial calls to them,

the rep says it's unlikely they will get the debt back from LCS and that I will have to pay them regardless.

 

He keeps on saying 'with the greatest respect, I have spent a lot of my time on this'.

 

It is incredibly hard for me not to rise to this, as today was the very first time Hydro have actively contacted me!

I have wasted a ridiculous amount of time trying to sort all this out over the past two years,

chasing them up and banging my head against the wall,

and now I find out what a complete hash the two companies have made of my accounts I am at a complete loss what to do *

[dx100uk]

hehe you've had fun...not.

 

we do have a scottish power rep on cag

 

i'm sure colin would help sort this out.

 

though, like you, i'm VERY sceptical you need to pay a DCA [noNEVER DO THAT]

i'm also sceptical you should pay ANYTHING more either.

 

have you checked your CRA file to be sure its not been trashed

 

if it has - i'd seek compensation

 

oneeinal point

and i know you'll love hearing this - STOP USING THE PHONE!!

 

that way you'll have a WRITTEN record of the fuff-ups to refer too.

 

send this gent a PM

 

ScottishPower Company Rep

 

dx

[SqueakyFtw]

Ha, thank you - as a diehard cynic I generally don't use the phone unless I have to and make notes about whom I have spoken to, what was said and when - that's part of the reason I am so annoyed about this as I went and threw everything i had written away once I closed my accounts! Arg! Lesson learnt - keep all notes always...and do not resort to phone calls, no matter how much you want an immediate response or explanation.

 

I will pm the person at the link, thank you.

[SqueakyFtw]

Oh boo. I need a post count of 5 to pm the forum member, Is it cheeky to post some dud posts on here to bump up my tally..? I guess it might be.

[dx100uk]

ive done it for you

sri i forgot about that.

 

dx

[SqueakyFtw]

thank you very much!

[ScottishPower Company Rep]

Hi sqeakyftw,

 

Can you please pm me with your full address and if you still have the old ScottishPower bills, an account number should be on this paperwork. I will trace through our account to see if i can get you contact dates ect.

 

Cheers

 

marie@scottishpower

[SqueakyFtw]

Thank you Marie, I'll do that just now.

[dx100uk]

what was the result on this please??

 

dx

[SqueakyFtw]

Well. I really am at the end of my tether now..!

 

I emailed Scottish Hydro after the call in January, giving them the account number and exact sum of money owed,

asking for clarification of tariff/meter readings for the sum of money owed to them,

explaining that I understood the situation but I wanted to know exactly what I was paying for.

Not unreasonable, as it's a rented house and I wanted to ensure I hadn't unwittingly taken on someone esle's usage at any point

and that I wasn't being penalised for their mistake wih some crazy tariff.

 

I received this email back:

 

"Dear Ms

Thank you for your email, please accept my apologies for the delayed response.

I have looked at this account and can see the balance outstanding has been cleared.

Please disregard any correspondence you have received.

Sorry for any inconvenience caused."

 

Naturally I was perplexed but not entirely surprised as the whole thing has been such a shambles anyway, so I did just that.

 

I flagged the email in case I needed it in future and carried on with my life, albeit with a very low opinion of Scottish Hydro.

 

I was called today by Mr Ahmed, saying LCS had been chasing me up (they haven't, not a peep) about my outstanding balance (er..?)

and he thought we'd come to an agreement about the payment on the account - why hadn't I paid.

 

I pointed out that some months ago I had been told by Hydro there wasn't an outstanding balance.

He said yes, he had seen the email and that was correct. WHAT?!

So after much fraught discussion it turns out that I do still supposedly owe them money and that the email was correct, but

- despite the inclusion of the relevant account number

- the customer services representative did not read the account notes and had simply answered the wrong question.

 

But apparently she had answered the wrong question correctly. Additionally, when she said to disregard any correspondence it was seemingly just formality

and... I was not to disregard any correspondence.

 

I reached full despair at this point,

I asked that any further correspondence be via email or letter.

Mr Ahmed said that would not be possible.

 

I maintained I was not prepared to discuss anything over the phone any more, he continued to say that he did not have access to email.

 

I pushed - surely everyone has access to email in this day and age - and he gave me his managers's address,

but said he'd respond via phone.

 

Again, that really isn't good for me - I do not trust Hydro,

I would swear they're making up the rules as they go along, and I work full time so phone is not practical for me.

 

I said a letter response would be fine.

 

Eventually he conceded.

 

So it has been left as follows:

 

Mr Ahmed will be sending me copies of all the outstanding statements for me to look at (why couldn't he do this when I asked first time?),

 

I can expect harassment from LCS in the meantime, and I will be making an appointment with the CAB as soon as I am able because this whole thing is ridiculous.

 

Especially as I thought it had been resolved.

 

I have always said if there is money outstanding I am happy to pay,

but I am not prepared to do so blindly and I don't think that is unreasonable given the circumstances!

[dx100uk]

WHY are you talking to these muppets on the phone?

 

NEVER EVER talk about your supposed debts to a DCA!!

 

they have no LEGAL POWERS to do anything!!

 

pers i'd totally ignore them.

 

the matter has been resolved - end of!.

 

dx

[SqueakyFtw]

I have not spoken to a dca aside from the original call last year - this was Scottish Hydro, they rang me out of the blue three times this morning using an Unknown ID so I answered. But as a responsible person - and furthermore someone who needs to remortgage in a few months time - I am not prepared to leave a supposed unpaid bill situation linked to my name and current property unresolved...and until I stop receiving calls/am in receipt of something from Mr Ahmed in collections saying it is settled then it remains open and concerning :/

[dx100uk]

sorry it read LCS to me.

 

what does your cra file say about this debt?

does it show? it shouldn't so wont hurt mortgage

 

dx

[SqueakyFtw]

Last time I spoke to Hydro - before I thought it had been resolved - they confirmed that it would make no difference to my file, but truthfully I have been scared to look. I will man up and give experian a shout though, as my record is previously very good and if it has been trashed at all there will be hell to pay!

 

Sorry, I didn't make that clear -Mr Ahmed is from Scottish Hydro.

[stu007]

Hi

 

I really think you need to write to Scottish Hydro and cc the letter to LCS putting the "Account in Dispute" with a Formal Complaint in writing.

 

As dx100uk has stated Never talk to these muppets on the phone as its your word against theres.

 

Always put everything in writing and send it Recorded Delivery you want a paper trail of everything.