Scotch Power gas prepayment meter debt or daily standing charge payments?

[Andy111]

After spending a couple of days on Scotish Power's phone line trying to speak to someone they have left me doubting their explanation after I eventually go to speak to an advisor as they could not explain with assurance this to be the reason for sure, but more the most likely reason.  So I want to ask here to see if others agree or not with Scottish Power.

 

To be clear there is no debt on the gas account whatsoever.   but whenever we topup with the gas prepayment card (mostly £20 at a time) the meter tends always to show 3 different figures, the first the repayment of emergency credit (if owed), debt & credit.  Now this "debt" is most\all times we topup and always marked as "debt" and of differing amounts each time we top up.  Though the last 2 have been what's made me raise this with Scottish Power.  As 2 weeks ago a £20 top up took ovet £9 marked as "debt" then several days later on a £10 top up it took another £1.30 odd.

 

Scottish Power is suggesting these payments marked as "debt" are the daily standing charges which they say is 34 pence per day for our meter.  Yet these "debt" payments are never consistent more so these last 2 "debt" payments  which over 2 payments over 8 days would cover over a month's worth of standing charges if that's what these "debt" payments are for.

 

I asked the question surely the standing charges simply come off the credit balance per day or something than as a separate additional charge for "debt" every time we topup?.  Never got a straight answer off them but they said about it would make sense but that's not necessarily how the meters work!.

 

So does anyone know for sure do standing charges on the Scottish Power gas prepayment meters charge as a separate "debt" at the point of topping up the meter or should it be covered within meter credit?

[dx100uk]

You need to interrogate the meter directly by pressing buttons to see how much debt is preloaded and existing on the meter.

 

Brown meter with blue gas card and a yellow and red button?

 

if you lookup your meter type online there are instructions upon how to do. Look for existing debt figure.

 

Is there an old debt they are taking bit by bit? Dont assume there is not go LOOK.

 

 

 

[Andy111]

Hi, the meter indicates nothing is owed as I've just looked, it states £0 owed at the moment.  But Scottish Power felt certain the most likely reason was the standing charge despite in my looking since suggests this would likely be taken from the credit than applied as a separate amount marked as debt every time the meter is topped up.

 

Though we do use the emergency credit quite a bit but even then I'd have thought that acts the same, it would continue to take the daily standing charge, seemingly per day even from the emergency credit. seeing as the meter is still effectively has a credit to take it from, even if emergency credit.

 

They best advice was to suggest going forwards top smaller amounts more often, say £10 at a time than £20 as then mean we are less likely to see this "debt" build up or taken as such an amount.

 

 

[dx100uk]

Aha right bit like i used to be!!

 

If you use emergency credit and even worse till is dies. You dont get charged standing charges for the days you use it nor the days it sits dead.

 

When you top up it will try and take all the outstanding standing charge sum in one lump as a debt.

 

Used to drive me mad till i worked it out. I believe there is only a certain % of say £10 they can take used to put £20 in £10 went to emergency credit. £4 used to goto a debt!  Bingo only £4 left for gas!!

 

Then the rest of the sc debt carries over to the next top up sadly

 

Hope this helps