A Beauly woman who has “done everything” to stop Scottish Power incorrectly sending her threatening messages about unpaid bills, is calling on others to report faults in the system.
Describing her personal battle with Scottish Power as a full-time job, Chloe Hardy, 45, says the company is damaging to her health.
Making matters even worse, she isn’t even in debt to the company at all, and is in fact in credit by more than £350.
But that hasn’t stopped Scottish Power sending her texts at all times of the day and night – impacting on her physical and mental health.
Even the organisation helping her deal with the power company’s threats intervened by writing to her GP to ask for support for the Kiltarlity householder.
And local MSP Kate Forbes has also got involved by asking the firm to reconsider how it communicates with Ms Hardy – and all customers.
‘Public health hazard’
Ms Hardy said: “Scottish Power is a public health hazard.
“I was told by the energy ombudsman that Scottish Power would no longer be allowed to pursue me as it had been doing so by constant emails and texts.
“That was back in March. In May, I changed my bank account. I wanted to make sure that my direct debit with Scottish Power was still in place so I contacted them on May 26.
“They confirmed I had changed my bank details.
“The first payment was due to come out on June 10 by direct debit but it didn’t come out. Because of all the trouble I have had with them before, I started to panic.
“So I tried to phone them, I spent two days on the phone trying to speak to someone. By Saturday night I was so distressed I began to feel unwell.
“I then got emails and texts saying ‘urgent action required’, but I can not take urgent action because I can not get through to speak to anyone.
“One of the texts came in, after 9pm at night when I was in bed. It was demanding money from me – and I woke up the following morning and I had a threatening email.
“It is telling me to pay £120 per month, but my bill last month was only £52.97. I have a balance of £350 of credit in my account.”
‘I have not defaulted’
She continued: “What more can I do? I have done everything I can, I have not defaulted in any way.
“The impact it is having on me is that they are triggering ill health. But I have a voice and I can speak out. But what about all those other people who are suffering.”
Ms Hardy said she first complained to the ombudsman in March, after Scottish Power had made so many changes to her direct debit she could not keep up. It became a “daily struggle” for the Beauly woman.
She said: “It became a full time job to manage my bill, it took all my energy. Scottish Power offered me £100 to shut down my complaint to the ombudsman, but I am not just fighting for me – I want them to have to stop sending the unreasonable texts and emails to anyone at any time of night or day.
Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP, said: “Chloe Hardy had contacted me as a result of feeling unsettled by communications from her energy provider. I acted on her behalf by asking the energy provider to change the timing and method of communication, as nobody should feel under such immense pressure.
“It is a very worrying time for everybody, with energy costs spiralling. Energy providers should consider how to relieve consumers’ fears and worries right now and I hope that raising this example will see changes not just for Chloe Hardy but for other consumers too.”
Scottish Power has been asked to comment.
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