Scottish Power is demanding £800

I am being hounded by Scottish Power to pay an unexplained outstanding energy bill of £800. While I was undertaking one year’s dental vocational training in Scotland in 2014, I rented a one-bed flat.

I was a single 25-yearold dental graduate working full-time and going home to my parents in London most weekends with my laundry. I mostly ate takeaways. Energy consumption in the flat was therefore minimal.

When I left Scotland I paid Scottish Power as billed and assumed nothing more was owing.

However, many months later, to my surprise, I was told I owed £800.

My retired parents, who live in an old four-bedroom detached house, consume much less electricity than I am supposed to have done. IMRAN KASSAM, SOUTH WALES

You complained many times on the phone, often being put through to several people during the same call. At one point in 2015 you were told that Scottish Power had closed the account with no outstanding balance.

However, a few months later in 2016 it sent another message asking for £800.

Again, you were told that Scottish Power was closing the account and you owed nothing.

Then, in late 2017, Scottish Power wrote again requesting £800.99.

Scottish Power said that, although you provided accurate meter readings, the account was not billed correctly.

You should have been billed for 411 days’ service charges, 3,310 day units, 1,888 night units and nine control/heating units totalling £781.79 inclusive of VAT.

It said it received £663.58 when there should have been a final balance of £118.21 still owed.

This is a terrible muddle of Scottish Power’s doing and demonstrates a flagrant failure to listen.

It has now written off the remaining balance and sent you £100 for goodwill. This has not affected your credit rating. settled and that a cheque for the full amount of my money would be with me soon. I am afraid this hasn’t happened. JS, CO DURHAM

Further to my earlier involvement Alliance Trust Savings, from which the Isa was moving away, had assured me that it had actioned your instructions, refunded three months’ Isa charges and paid £150 as a gesture of goodwill.

I had duly relayed this information to you.

However, it then transpired that due, Alliance Trust Savings said, to an internal error, the cheque to the new provider had been authorised but not sent.

At last this was done, and Alliance Trust Savings increased your goodwill gesture to £400.

This, you say, coincidentally covers solicitor’s expenses you incurred as you felt a crime was being committed and wanted it taken up legally.

I had warned you this tack would get you nowhere, and I was right.

Alliance Trust Savings said it had tried telephoning you on a number of occasions. You fiercely rebutted this.

When I pushed for more detail, Alliance Trust Savings could only come up with a record of one phone call.