SteveD Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 been in the new place since jan , electric supply from scottish power and have it on direct debit ,a guy comes every month to read the meter i then get a extra bill for nearly £800 so i ask them what for they say because my bill has only been estimated each month ,i tell them its been read evey month so how can it be estimated ,they tell me its a code 23 which means the guy could not gain access ,even though i tell them he has been every month and i have been there and watched him take readfings anyway i said there is no way i have used that much leccy so they have me taking readings over a week and they say it does not seen right but then say it must be as the meter seems constant ,what the devil a week later they rang me saying they were going to cut me off and even sent a guy out to cut me off for not paying my bill even though i pay by direct debit and was up to date i had a letter the other week saying they want to fit a new meter so yesterday they fitted the new meter half a hour after the engineer left all my lights started vibrating and the mezzanine started to vibrate so i run out of the booth and turn all the lights off in the workshop ,then the office lights go dim so i turn them off at the switch which then turns of the sockets in the workshop and the computer even though there on sockets i turn the workshop lights back on and they all start to flash like strobes in sequence all over the workshop ,so i turn them off and ring the emergency number a engineer arrives 20 minutes later and tells me he has left a loose wire on the three phase which has shorted ,this has burnt out my lights and alarm so today he retuns to fix the lights and relpace them after taking down one light that he brakes all the toggles off (brand new lights 2 months ago) he tells me his boss has told him not to do anymore ,and to tell me to get it sorted and send them the bill ,not a f***** chance i tell him ,so get on the phone to complaints (this is wher it gets interesting) the automated system wont exept my account number so i have to wait 20 mins eventually i get throught and the guy tells me thats not my account number or even my supply number on my bills even though my bills have my name on he says its another company three miles away and that i have been paying there bill all year and they (scottish power)dont even supply my workshop , so i ask who does and why have i been paying on direct debit then for a account i set up that does not exist so i spent all afternoon on the phone and im still no better off i still have no lights or alarm and dont know who supplies my leccy or whatever and they cant tell me whats going on either or neither do they want to sort out my problems with my workshop that they caused the whole scottish power experience has been a load of crap from the start ,so direct debit cancelled tomorrow and lets see what happens i have just waisted my time all afternoon being passed from pillar to post i must of made 20+ phone calls to various departments who all passed the book onto another department and transfered me all over the place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamR Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Wow, that sucks... That is terrible. Wasted a lot of your time as well! Had similar here but not for as long and without a muppet breaking our stuff! Trying to think you you can contact to try and get it sorted but drawing a blank... Will shout up if it comes to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyNottm Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I had a similar experience in a previous house when I was paying for my neighbours electricity due to a mix-up with NPAN numbers (every property apparently has a unique number to identify it). Unfortunately it took THREE years and many phone calls, letters and visits to sort out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyNottm Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Correction: MPAN number, more information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meter_Point_Administration_Number#Meter_Point_Administration_System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhett Turner - Black Country AO Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I had a bad experience dealing with British Gas, my parents built a new house in their garden and I purchased the original house (my childhood home) from them. They took there accounts with them. It took a year to get it sorted so that I actually started to get the meter read and to pay the bills, in the meantime I knew I was building up debt that eventually I would have to pay. They were useless. Hope your situation gets sorted soon, sounds like a total dangler up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestyNottm Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I had a bad experience dealing with British Gas, my parents built a new house in their garden and I purchased the original house (my childhood home) from them. They took there accounts with them. It took a year to get it sorted so that I actually started to get the meter read and to pay the bills, in the meantime I knew I was building up debt that eventually I would have to pay. They were useless. Hope your situation gets sorted soon, sounds like a total dangler up. Actually that was similar to my situation. The owner of the house we purchased had built another one in the grounds and took the HOUSE NUMBER with him!! - I assume it meant he didn't have to inform anybody of an address change. I didn't know that was possible but apparently it is.The problem was that he failed to inform the metering authorities to get the the all-important MPAN numbering updated at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerodynamix Ltd Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Makes your blood boil , phoning numbers where you can't speak to anyone and when you eventually get through they are not interested , sounds similar to what we have had with water issues , everyone passes the buck and no-one admits responsibilty or helps you , I can really feel for you on this one Steve , hope it all gets sorted soon for you , is there some sort of industry ombudsman you can deal with ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff oakley Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 They are all the same, they go on about customer service but then outscource to India once you have negotiated the automated phone system to avoid speaking with you. Have you ever noticed though, that the system when you want to sign up to the new account is manned in UK by people who you can get through to instantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Everall Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I had a letter from Yorkshire water 3 days ago with my address on letter, that said a new supply was being installed adjacent to my property. I rang them ( 0845….. number) and they wanted to know my account number, DOB and colour of underpants even though I said it nothing to do with me. They would not listen or get the message and in the end I asked if I was paying for this call ……. they said yes so I said its your problem so sort it ! and I put the phone down. Today someone rang and said sorry it must be a new build near me but i said there is no new build and I could not help and I reminded them not to use my address on any further letters or I would sue them. bl**** idiots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I'm with Scottish Power... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Dastardly Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Bt just added an extra phone line onto my parents account for no reason. They changed my address to next doors' when they moved out too Had massive problems with water company (partly due to wrongly estimated bills) British Gas also were horrendous to deal with. Ombudsman supported all my complaints and told them to give me £70, which wouldn't even come close to paying for my wasted time, and is hardly an incentive to stop them messing people about. I hate utility companies Is it not about time Steve D had his own reality show? Much more interesting than the scripted rubbish normally shown. It could be called..."It never rains.....but it pours (in my shower)" Good luck sorting out your bill / hassles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantherman Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I'd love to see and hear Steve D on Gogglebox ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrie Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Now you know why its all so expensive Next time you ring up, ask to speak to the guy that organises pi$$ ups in breweries. They'll say they don't have one and I'll leave you to think of the appropriate response Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid life crisis Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 been in the new place since jan , electric supply from scottish power and have it on direct debit ,a guy comes every month to read the meter i then get a extra bill for nearly £800 so i ask them what for they say because my bill has only been estimated each month ,i tell them its been read evey month so how can it be estimated ,they tell me its a code 23 which means the guy could not gain access ,even though i tell them he has been every month and i have been there and watched him take readfings anyway i said there is no way i have used that much leccy so they have me taking readings over a week and they say it does not seen right but then say it must be as the meter seems constant ,what the devil a week later they rang me saying they were going to cut me off and even sent a guy out to cut me off for not paying my bill even though i pay by direct debit and was up to date i had a letter the other week saying they want to fit a new meter so yesterday they fitted the new meter half a hour after the engineer left all my lights started vibrating and the mezzanine started to vibrate so i run out of the booth and turn all the lights off in the workshop ,then the office lights go dim so i turn them off at the switch which then turns of the sockets in the workshop and the computer even though there on sockets i turn the workshop lights back on and they all start to flash like strobes in sequence all over the workshop ,so i turn them off and ring the emergency number a engineer arrives 20 minutes later and tells me he has left a loose wire on the three phase which has shorted ,this has burnt out my lights and alarm so today he retuns to fix the lights and relpace them after taking down one light that he brakes all the toggles off (brand new lights 2 months ago) he tells me his boss has told him not to do anymore ,and to tell me to get it sorted and send them the bill ,not a f***** chance i tell him ,so get on the phone to complaints (this is wher it gets interesting) the automated system wont exept my account number so i have to wait 20 mins eventually i get throught and the guy tells me thats not my account number or even my supply number on my bills even though my bills have my name on he says its another company three miles away and that i have been paying there bill all year and they (scottish power)dont even supply my workshop , so i ask who does and why have i been paying on direct debit then for a account i set up that does not exist so i spent all afternoon on the phone and im still no better off i still have no lights or alarm and dont know who supplies my leccy or whatever and they cant tell me whats going on either or neither do they want to sort out my problems with my workshop that they caused the whole scottish power experience has been a load of crap from the start ,so direct debit cancelled tomorrow and lets see what happens i have just waisted my time all afternoon being passed from pillar to post i must of made 20+ phone calls to various departments who all passed the book onto another department and transfered me all over the place Steve, If it was me, I would cancel your DD with Scotish Power, as they have accepted they do not supply your electricty (but get it in writing, and document everything) get the fault fixed by a local sparky and keep the bill in readiness to charge SP. Set up a DD into a seperate account for slightly more than you estimate you would owe. Sit back and see what happens Someone must be responsible for your leccy supply, but have not realised they need to bill you. In the 80's a mate of mine bought a hotel/guest house in Llandudno which had gas central heating and gas powered kitchen ovens, all supplied by British Gas. Despite several letters, phone calls etc. British Gas insisted the hotel had no gas connection or gas supply, and they had no record of his property. I think this was still the case 11 years later when my mate sold up and retired. He did admit he had a knee trembler about six years in, when British Gas repaired a reported gas leak at the bottom of their driveway. No idea what happend to the money deposited in his seperate gas bill account 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Send them an invoice at your hourly rate too for business lost too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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