How can I owe them £40 quid?

[RedButtonhole]

Opened mail from yesterday, letter from electricity company to say that I owe them £40.

They are going to be taking an extra £7 quid a week off my meter to cover this.

Doesn't sound like alot but it is to me, and i don't understand how I can have incurred debt, I have lived here since Sept 2012 and have always had a prepayment meter, before that I lived at my parents' so it's not an old debt being transferred over.

Can't phone them on a bloody Sunday, am out all day tomorrow and skint this week so can't really afford for them to whack £7 off the meter. They've not indicated when this will start happening either.

OP before you call take a reading.

Thanks Fluffy, surprise surprise they've not bothered to respond to me today.

Can I ask what psrmt means?

I didn't realise that about the meters so I suppose it could be that, hopefully will find out tomorrow if I get through to them.

In your experience, and if you don't mind me asking you would they consider reducing the amount taken each week?

Their customer service is diabolical.

as mentioned, if you know when you will be available, book a call:

www.scottishpower.co.uk/account/click2call.process?execution=e1s1

I'll try that special, thankyou!

The last twice I have done that though once they didn't call me, so I booked another slot, got cut off as soon as I answered then couldn't get another slot for 3 days.

I believe that Scottish Power updated their software a few months ago and the system failed, this is causing all manner of random debts and readings to come up, I have been helping somebody to deal with them because they've started charging for a meter that was removed over 2 years ago but because of their new software is showing as an active meter, this has now had to go to the Ombudsman because they (Scottish Power) admit that they can't resolve it 2 months later - good luck!

Do you know that they can only legally chase you for a years worth of debt and they have to give you a year to pay it off. I keep asking for a bill off Scottish power not had one since September when I moved in and they keep telling me one is on the way. Gave up asking now.

www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_energy_supply_e/consumer_energy_bills_e/consumer_problems_with_energy_bills_e/you_havent_had_an_energy_bill_for_a_while.htm have a read of that link.

Did you top up regularly over the summer? There is a standing charge on meters that applies daily and often people build up a debt in the summer by not topping up gas enough to cover the standing charge.

Pre-payment meters are not infallible. We had about £350 back a couple of years ago because ours had charged too much, and had another £80 back last week.

Fuck knows how when we're apparently only paying for what we use. But if they can overcharge, I'd imagine they can go the other way too.

No harm in contacting them to raise it though.

I'm wondering if it could be something to do with the prevuous tennants thonlassie I'm still getting mail for them 2 years down the line so I don't think they were that vigilant in tying loose ends up properly, so what you've said might be what's happened now.

zobey didn't know that, and thanks for the link, hopefully if its from before I moved in then that will mean they can just write it off.

Doodle I don't have gas, and if I hadn't topped up enough to cover standing charges then my electricity supply would have veen cut off so it can't be that.

A PP also suggested that confuddled, and if that is the case (that they have undercharged) I'm happy to pay it back but I can't afford to pay back £30+ a month and I don't think its fair of them yo just impose that on me with no notice either

Nether did I till I was looking into it for my own knowledge so I thought I would share. Hope you get it sorted

Sorry auto correct I meant to type 'payment meters' they should be able to calculate exactly what you use but they are not sensitive or high tech enough.