Scottish Power charged me twice

Last summer we changed our gas and electricity supplier from Scottish Power to First Utility.

We received a final invoice for £253. On looking at the bank statements we discovered that Scottish Power had taken two amounts soon afterwards – the first for £614 and the next for £123.

On inquiring with First Utility it said the gas reading had been very large. Unfortunately we hadn’t kept a record of the reading but I remember it was 0113 or very near, which seems to fit in with subsequent readings.

Scottish Power was not helpful and so an

Each side initially blamed the other for what had gone wrong. As the matter progressed and I insisted they speak to each other it transpired there had been mistakes in the way data had been collected and presented to the national database.

The process for suppliers sharing meter information is to communicate through a data collection system. A new supplier checks that the reading tallies with past usage.

Because of all this, First Utility had used an unvalidated reading in order to open an account for you. Had First Utility had the correct information sooner, it said it would have noticed before you did that the reading was the wrong way around.

However, in reality it had not dealt with your case expeditiously.

Scottish Power does admit that it failed to issue an amended statement after a final incorrect meter reading. It has done so now and the final bill reveals an overpayment of £521. This you have now plus £50 by way of apology.

Now that Scottish Power and First Utility have discussed this with each other, you are being supplied properly, the database has been correctly updated and you are, I understand, being billed accurately.

First Utility is now also sending you £50 for goodwill.

This is another example of how two parties in a situation such as this really do need to communicate with each other.