I have now been advised by SP that the reason I am still getting threatening letters from Sterling Collections is that my complaint was closed on, get this, 113th Feb. SP seem to have trouble getting their dates right and I am highly suspicious it is a method they use to cover their own backs. I have emailed them to ask why I wasn't advised of this before even though I have contacted them twice since Feb. I don't expect a satisfactory answer so have also advsd I want my complaint escalating to Executive Complaints Board level. Thats the final stage before going to the energy ombudsman. Anyone having similar trouble should check out SPs charter and complaints procedure - they don't seem to operate within these but, as far as I am concerned, that is just more fuel to the fire when I eventually go to the ombudsman. Also check out the Office of Fair Trading guidelines on debt collection and quote any relevant parts in your communications to SP so they know you mean business.

I closed a business account down with Scottish Power last July. They sent a final bill, we paid and that was that - or so I thought. In December we received another final bill for £1500 based on a meter reading from a new occupant! Despite opening a complaints procedure with SP, we get a letter from Sterling Collections about every two or three weeks threatening court action if we don't pay. We have written and phoned them to explain we are in discussions with SP over the bill but they choose to ignore us (even hung the phone up on my business partner one time). I had my suspicions they were an inhouse department of SP and now my suspicions have been verified. Obviously, SP think its more intimidating for people to get a letter from a collections agency rather than one from themselves. Sneaky baskets. The complaint hasn't been open long enough to go to the energy ombudsman yet but I am logging all calls and correspondence for when I do. I suggest anyone else does the same then after 8 weeks or if you get a 'deadlock' letter from SP, go to the energy ombudsman for them to look into for you.