A Springburn man was forced to turn to his local fuel bank for help after having to make 120 phone calls before being able to speak to ScottishPower's helpdesk.
John McKenna says he is still waiting to receive the Government's October fuel discount of £66 - and was left without any electricity or hot water after he ran out of credit.
Mr McKenna was left to go to a nearby church fuel bank where he received a £20 top-up voucher to get him through.
He told the Glasgow Times: “ScottishPower really don’t care how they treat their customers. I’ve had to make in excess of 120 calls to speak to a staff member who told me to top up my meter five times and the October discount would be automatically applied.
“When I explained I couldn't afford to do that, I was met with no help whatsoever. It takes hours before calls are answered and then they are cut off before you get a resolution.
“I’m at my wits' end with this and have asked for financial assistance through the ScottishPower hardship fun, but again I’m getting nowhere. I suffer from health problems and this hasn’t been good for me.
“If it wasn’t for my local fuel bank helping me out, I’d be left freezing with no hot water. The way I’ve been treated is unacceptable and something needs to change regarding the level of customer service from this company.
“I’ve lodged a formal complaint with ScottishPower and would like to be compensated for the calls I’ve had to make. I’m now considering taking the matter to the Ombudsman.”
We previously told how customers say they are unable to get answers on everything from missing monthly payments through the Energy Bills Support Scheme to queries on credit and refunds - with some claiming to have been left in call centre queues for almost five hours.
Since our expose, the Glasgow Times has received scores of complaints from readers saying they have been 'cut off' after spending lengthy periods hanging on the line, while others claim they have simply been unable to access a representative of the firm for advice or answers.
The UK Government-funded energy support discount is made up of six instalments of £66 or £67, running from October until March.
However, many customers have reached out to us to say they are yet to see anything land in their energy or bank accounts.
Another customer told the Glasgow Times how she feels trapped because she’s unable to switch suppliers during the cost-of-living crisis.
She added: “I've had weeks of stress trying to contact ScottishPower. I've was unable to get through to anyone despite trying for weeks via phone, their live chat and even Twitter. You are just left in a queue and nobody answers or responds.
“It took an escalated formal complaint to get someone who could resolve what was a very simple issue with a payment. I had tried to pay my bill on their app when it froze but left a pending payment on my bank for two weeks, meaning I couldn't access the funds and didn't know if they were going to be taken out. By the time I got through on customer service I was being charged late payment fees. It is totally out of control.
“They agreed to release the funds, but they never did. Then I was charged a second time while waiting for the original fee to be removed.
“I feel trapped as I cannot switch suppliers in this energy crisis.”
A spokesperson for ScottishPower said: "We apologise for the issue Mr McKenna has experienced, which we are currently investigating.
“We are committed to providing the best possible service for our customers at all times and offer a range of ways for them to contact us, including telephone, online chat and email. Due to high demand at the moment, and to ensure customers can get the information or help they need as quickly as possible, we’re encouraging customers to self-serve on our website - where possible - and free up call lines for our most vulnerable customers.
“The way customers receive their support payments under the Government's scheme varies depending on the type of meter they use and how they pay for their bills. The support payments were processed automatically and there was no need to apply for them.
"For customers who pay their bills using a direct debit, the first payment was made into their banks accounts once their monthly direct debit payment was successfully processed. Accounts for all customers on smart meters, including those who use smart prepayment meters, were updated directly.
“Customers on traditional prepayment meters were sent their vouchers through email - or post if an email address was not provided. This was done ahead of the deadline set by the Government.
“We can assure we’re looking into why this does not appear to have worked for Mr McKenna's account and will pick this up with the customer directly.”
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