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Four-year wrangle: ScottishPower finally scraps Fife charity’s ‘debt’ after The Courier steps in

Duncan Mitchell was involved in a four-year wrangle.

ScottishPower has scrapped a Fife charity’s ‘debt’ and admitted: WE owe YOU money.

Workers at Silverburn Park, in Leven, were threatened with a debt collection agency over an electricity bill they had already paid.

They were embroiled in a four-year wrangle with the energy giant, despite having a pay-as-you-go meter.

ScottishPower said the Fife charity owed more than £500.
Duncan Mitchell was reaching breaking point. Picture Steven Brown/DCT Media.

At the end of their tether, they contacted us to see if we could help.

And now, not only has the “erroneous” £527 debt been scrapped, but ScottishPower says they are actually £55.02 in credit.

Duncan Mitchell, of Fife Employment Access Trust (Feat), the charity that runs the park, said the company was trying to “strong-arm” staff into paying up because they couldn’t find a receipt.

This was despite a previous ruling from the energy ombudsman, which ordered ScottishPower to apologise and pay Feat £100 in compensation.

Duncan got in touch with us on Friday, following a threat that a debt collection agency would visit their homes to collect payment.

“Trying to get an answer on the phone is hopeless,” he said.

“I don’t know what else we can do to clear our name.”

Four years of receipts

Feat took over Silverburn Park in 2015.

It inherited a pay-as-you-go meter, which they topped up when necessary with a key fob.

“However, in 2017 we started getting bills showing we were in negative balance on the account, reaching as much as nearly £2,000 in 2020, despite repeated attempts to resolve this,” said Duncan.

“When they looked into it, it appears our top-ups weren’t reaching ScottishPower, but some had gone to Npower.”

Duncan Mitchell was angry at how ScottishPower treated the Fife charity.
Duncan was angry at ScottishPower’s treatment of the Fife charity. Picture Steven Brown/DCT Media.

ScottishPower then asked park staff to send every receipt they had for top-ups since they moved in.

“It took two of us a whole day to dig out four years of receipts but we could only find £1,500 worth.

“But ScottishPower insisted we still owed them the balance of £527.21.

“The question no one seems able to answer is how can we have any debt at all when it was a pay-as-you-go meter?

“We are also stuck with ScottishPower and can’t switch to another provider until the account balance is nil.”

‘Erroneous debt has now been removed’

However, on Tuesday Feat staff received another letter from ScottishPower.

It confirmed The Courier had been in touch and added: “I can confirm that the erroneous debt has now been removed in full from your account for the exact amount of unexplained debt which was £582.33.

It’s a fantastic result.”

Duncan Mitchell, Feat.

“A revised invoice has been issued to reflect this and the account balance is now £55.02 in credit.

“Please accept our sincere apologies for any concern and inconvenience caused.”

Duncan said he was overjoyed.

“It’s a fantastic result,” he said.

“I’d like to thank The Courier for ending the misery that’s been going on for so long.”