Scottish Power put me on the wrong tariff

Scottish Power used wrong tariff I signed up with Scottish Power for its Online Fixed Price Energy deal in the summer of 2015 and received confirmation even though the letter was wrongly addressed.

Several months after it was highlighted by me that I had no invoices, Scottish Power insisted I was on its Monthly Cash Tariff, with a different account number. I calculate that I have overpaid £203 but Scottish Power has threatened to take me to court for a debt of £288. I have tried the ombudsman service but it couldn’t help.

PE, Manchester

Scottish Power said a systems error meant that, although it had created an account along the lines that you wanted, it had never been billed, as the address was wrong. 

After my involvement it set up a new account, although initially it was with the wrong tariff.  It raised an adjustment and paid £50 for goodwill. 

However, £244 your father had paid by cheque more than 18 months earlier had not been factored in. Scottish Power has now traced this.

The company said your father had quoted the supply number rather than the account number on the payment so, although the cheque had been cashed, it had been routed incorrectly. 

With this payment now properly applied, a £96 credit remained. This is being refunded with a further goodwill sum of £100. I hope everything is at last in order.

• Jessica Gorst-Williams tackles consumer problems for Telegraph readers every week. To contact her, click here. If you want to ask a general money question, email moneyexpert@telegraph.co.uk. The best of the answers are included in our weekly newsletter