Scottish Power fined £18m for unfair treatment

Scottish Power was today slapped with an £18 million fine for treating customers unfairly, following a million complaints in two years.

After a probe by energy regulator Ofgem, up to £15 million will be paid to the poorest Scottish Power users to be mistreated, with the remainder going to charity. Ofgem said Scottish Power’s crimes included unacceptably long waiting times for customers calling the company, up to 300,000 users receiving late bills and mishandling customer complaints.

“The £18 million payment sends a strong message to all energy companies about the importance of treating consumers well at all times,” Dermot Nolan, chief executive at Ofgem, said. Ofgem said Scottish Power had improved its customer service.The company apologised for the failings.