I manage my elderly mother’s financial affairs. I noticed over a year ago that there was no sign of electricity payments on her bank statements, despite the fact she had a dual-fuel contract with E.ON.
E.ON told me that her electricity account had been closed. I discovered that Scottish Power was the most recent supplier so contacted customer services, to be told that an account at my mother’s address had been erroneously transferred to them and had since been closed.
Seven months later she received a request from Scottish Power for a meter reading. I pointed out that we could not provide this as the meter screen was blank. Scottish Power sent £50 in goodwill and promised an investigation.
A month later she received another request for a meter reading, and a month after that an estimated bill for £1,828.95. The following day a welcome pack arrived with details of a new account with Scottish Power.
Since then I have received verbal and written confirmation that my mother owes nothing, yet she has received a final demand for £1,979 and a threat of bailiffs within seven days if she did not pay up. We are still unclear as to who is supplying my mother’s electricity and the situation is causing her severe distress. CB, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Scottish Power has been supplying the house since 2014 after capturing your mother’s account in error, despite the fact its systems showed the account as closed.
Even more alarming is where the £1,979 sprang from, since after I contacted Scottish Power it had no clue what the bill should be. It decided it could only calculate standing charges of £238.57 for the whole period.
Under the back-billing rule, which absolves householders from liability for debts over 12 months old if they have not previously been billed for them, Scottish Power has written off £96.83 of these charges. Your mother is therefore only liable for arrears of £141, which Scottish Power has also cancelled as a goodwill gesture.
Meanwhile, the faulty meter has been replaced and a monthly direct debit for future consumption agreed.
Given that Scottish Power was last year fined £18m by the regulator Ofgem for its chaotic billing and customer service, your mother’s experience begs the question how many people have been frightened into paying huge sums that they didn’t owe? If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
