Apparently I owe over £12,000 on a electric/gas bill
By S.E
@SerenityEngel (525)
United Kingdom
September 25, 2017 11:02am CST
I changed suppliers earlier this year and I've had nothing but problems with this new company. They like to estimate my bills and take whatever they like from my account. I got an email from them saying my new bill was ready it is over £12,000! They seem to think my gas meter has gone around completely hence why is it lower than their estimate. They also couldn't believe I use such little amount of gas. I have cancelled my direct debit with them and also rang my bank to cancel it at that end. I will be changing suppliers again once as soon as this bill is sorted. So damn stressful. I'm still paranoid they will try and take money out of my bank - obviously, I don't have £12,000 plus. Anyone else had a bill like that?
5 people like this
6 responses
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
25 Sep 17
I had a terrible time with Scottish Power and ended up owing a lot of money when I left, not as much as you but around £500. Whenever I get a chance to write a bad review about them I do! These people have a lot to answer for. Can you get Citizens Advice to help you out? They're really good in situations like this.
3 people like this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
26 Sep 17
All I owe them is around £23. That's it. No more. I'll start a complains procedure against them, then the ombudsman. I'll go the the press if I have to. I'm a feisty b*tch when I need to be, so game on I say!
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
26 Sep 17
@SerenityEngel Good on you. I hope you get a good result as these people need to be stopped.
1 person likes this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
29 Sep 17
@sprite1950 They have sent me an email with a new bill... I haven't looked yet because I have things to do this afternoon without me loosing my temper and having to deal with them. I'll look this evening and report back with what they say this time.
1 person likes this
@Essjayd (1568)
•
25 Sep 17
Yes I got one for
£2000 it turned out when
I called them I had avoided paying £13 I had no
idea I owed! I had a prepayment meter at the time
so couldn't see how I could possibly owe them anything.
When I called them they said the sky high bill was to
ensure the resident called up!!
What annoyed me was there could be someone elderly
who would be terrified to receive a bill like that.Some
might even raid their savings to pay!!
2 people like this
@Essjayd (1568)
•
26 Sep 17
@Jackalyn That's what Scottish
Power customer services told me!
They hadn't been able to access my house
to change the meter as I was working away
from home. Mine was when they changed
from card to key meters apparently my rate
should have changed so I was owe them
extra. I hadn't actually got any other bill
from them apart from the huge one.
The woman told me that if people get sent
a huge bill they'll instantly call to see what's
going on! Whether she was meant to say
that to a customer or not is another matter.
2 people like this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
26 Sep 17
Exactly! I was shocked but take my Grandma for example. She's 85 and early dementia. How on earth would be able to handle this? I wonder if they are doing it on purpose as they are not happy that I use so little gas (so they told me yesterday), so they hit me with a stupid bill they know isn't true maybe to get rid of me as a customer as I am clearly not going to generate enough cash for them?
2 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
25 Sep 17
Are you sure that it is not a scam/phish email ? I have had a similar problem in the past. It was not that much but they were billing for an electric meter used only for a timer in a hall and stairs the same amount than for a house, i.e. 20 or 30 times the amount, and they were refunding the money when they were coming to read the meter once a year. I sent them several letters to complain with no result, it lasted until they installed a "smart" electric meter...
1 person likes this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
25 Sep 17
It's not a scan. It was from them. they are the biggest bunch of idiots and their customer service is terrible. I'm going to have to leave them and find someone else once this bill is sorted. they aren't setting foot in my house to install a smart meter.
2 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
25 Sep 17
@SerenityEngel They have to come to read the meter if you terminate with them, and they will find the error.
1 person likes this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
25 Sep 17
@topffer My meter is outside my house. They can read my meter any time day or night to see. I said to them come on out and read my meter then if you don't believe me. My old supplier used to come out and read it every quarter.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
1 Oct 17
Yeah one time when I lived in homeless unit over there you know they were saying I owed 6000 pounds..uh huh right..rubbish liars..and also another place I lived tried to say 2000 dollars..no way Jose.
1 person likes this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
1 Oct 17
They have backed down pretty quick - I owe them £23 like I said I did. What muppets. $6000 - that is funny. There is no way an originally member of the public could have bills in the thousands - big companies maybe, but not any of us.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
1 Oct 17
@SerenityEngel Yeah it has to be some glitch in the system..
1 person likes this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
2 Oct 17
@TiarasOceanView found out today if I leave them before March they will charge me £60, so I am stuck with them. Can't wait to get them out of my life
1 person likes this
@Jackalyn (7559)
• Oxford, England
25 Sep 17
They can only take money out of the bank if there's a direct debit set up so Council every direct debit that they might could might be able to draw for on. Honestly think with that amount you would do well to collect contact a newspaper.IIt will make some journalist a nice story and the electricity company will not want the bad publicity because it's so obviously a mistake.
1 person likes this
@Jackalyn (7559)
• Oxford, England
26 Sep 17
@SerenityEngel that's good you'll have the contacts then.
I
1 person likes this
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
25 Sep 17
If they don't resolve it ASAP I'll contact the ombudsman and they will resolve it for me. I'll try and get compensation for stress as well. My parents did that. The direct debit has been cancelled but yes I am scared they will somehow get money - they can't really, but I am paranoid. Local press will love it - I used to work for them as well.
1 person likes this
@Jackalyn (7559)
• Oxford, England
26 Sep 17
I will never set up a direct debit on anything because the mobile phone companies are the same and suddenly take money from you when you're least expecting it and then it takes years to get it back. What shall I do is pay every bill monthly but try to put the things on standing order or just ring them and pay
@SerenityEngel (525)
• United Kingdom
26 Sep 17
@Jackalyn I used to pay each bill at the bank, but when I was working we only got 30min lunch break and I didn't have time to keep standing and queuing. It was quicker and easier to set up direct debit. In all fairness the only company I've had problems with is Scottish Power. They are a menace.
1 person likes this
