Backwards charges by scottish power

[cyber_bst]

Hi,

I have recently had one of those new electronic key meters installed. When the man came to change it, he said that I was on lower electricity charges (something like 8p/Kw/h) than the current one (now about 11p/Kw/h).
So they updated those charges.
I subsequently received a letter from Scottish power stating that because my charges were not up to date, they were charging me for previously used electricity that wasn't at the correct rate.
Are they allowed to do this and is it not their responsibility to keep their meter charges up to date? Should I pay for something that in the end was their negligence?
By they way, they are recovering those charges by increasing the standing charge the meter takes by £10 a week which is appalling i think as i have to put money in my meter twice as often now.

Has anyone had any similar experience?
please help,
rob

[Ruthie P]

Hi Rob, technically they can do it. Did you not receive any letters stating their prices had changed and to call them to make an appointment to re-calibrate the meter? I know my supplier send out letters to this effect. If you are struglling to pay the extra ring them and ask them to drop the amount of money that the meter collects at per week. £10 standing charge seems excessive, its usually that a month?! I think you are best to ring them and find out exactly what you are paying back and ask them to drop it to what you can afford to pay.

Hope this helps

Ruthie

[cyber_bst]

Hi Ruthie,

Thanks for your info... quite gutting that they can just go ahead a charge without any form of consent

[gondukin]

Technically they can do it as said above,however energywatch take a very dim view of the practice. Usually if it is a large amount and they have had access to the meter, but haven't bothered updating it, then a complaint to energywatch often gets some of the balance written off. However if they have been trying to update it but are unable to access the meter then you may not be so lucky.

[digger80]

i have had the same problem too. i also recieved the exact same letter. i rang up sp as i had just moved over to british gas and they said that someone had tried to access my property 3 times. I recieved no letters to say they were coming and they left no letters/cards to say they had been. I asked when they had come and they had actually came when i was in (daughters birthday) and i know i never went out. they said i must not have heard them knock, what an excuse. I actually think that they never came at all as the other day i recieved a letter to say they were coming to change the meter.

do i still have to pay mine?

[gondukin]

I expect they are changing the meter to a key meter, they are designed to be updated remotely to stop these problems, Several of the large suppliers are doing this (although there are one or two who are ripping key meters out and putting token meters back in when you switch to them!).

Yes, you do have to pay yours, unless you can get them to write some of it off.