Hi Caggers!

I have a friend who is at the end of her tether with Scottish Power.

She has a Gas Key for prepayment, however, has not used gas for approximately 6-9 years, possibly longer. This was due to the boiler breaking down and this was the only usage of gas, therefore she only uses electric immersion for the water heating.

SP sent an invoice for money owing and after she quizzed them due to none usage they told her it was for X amount of standing charges for the gas meter.

The agent for SP told her to ignore the bill due to none usage of gas and therefore she accepted that until she received another demand.

Once the next agent told her a different story she requested the gas meter to be removed from her house. This request was made approximately 6+ years ago and was never actioned, until April 2018.Now of course they are demanding the standing charges for the last 6+ years at approximately £465.

After numerous calls chasing up the removal and she was always told they were going to send somebody to do the removal. After many years of waiting they now sent her a bill for the entire periods of standing charges, which she disputes as she requested the removal, common sense eh?

Now due to the hassle factor she has agreed to pay weekly when she tops up with her Electric Key to stop the hassle, but they do not appear to register these payments against her account as they have now issued a DC to chase her for the 'debt'.

Now she contacts SP to inform them she has already made 3 payments to the account which they confirmed, but since then they know nothing of these payments and the DC keeps hassling her.

Firstly, can she fight SP to actually cancel this debt in the first place as her request for removal was ignored?

Secondly, how can we get this monster of a company to realise her payments already made need to be linked to her 'gas account' although she never buys gas?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

regards

stuscfc

well backbiling rules would limit the standing charges to a years worth if they are indeed due so I would be starting with a formal complaint and then take it to the ombudsman if they dont review this properly. It sounds as though she has been bamboozled into paying a non existent bill via her leccy key and I would be looking at undoing this as well.

tell her to ignore the DC and block their calls

many thanks ericsbro . . . i'll start with your suggestion with her . . . will be back with an update

was the ombudsman link meant to be for Gas Suppliers? or Banks?

thanks

Stu

energy suppliers but the word has an automated link so it will always flag that up when you type the keyword.

Thanks . . . ok ofgem has to be the next step, the replies we have had from the complaint has been incompetent at best, i'm guessing here, it's an overseas department in delhi or such like . . . clearly have no real grasp on English as the replies have been totally bland and non-engaging regarding the content of my complaint.

let them know that you have reached the end of their disputes procedure and that you are taking the matter to the ombudsman. They may try one last attempt to avoid this as a final offer.

ok, thanks sent that, ofgem were great yesterday and have taken on our case and given us a reference number