Iberdrola & Scottish Power UK

Hello Everyone,

I found the following information in the latest Abaco magazine:

Some of you may already know but, apparently, the electrical provider Iberdrola has joined forces with Scottish Power in the UK. This could be really helpful for queries, checking bills and making payments for your Spanish supply. The website http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/feelathome provides more details.

That's interesting to know, Jan.

I'm with Iberdrola - and always check my usage on line. Not that I don't trust them!!!;)

Hi Sandra,
I didn't even know you could check the usage online for Iberdrola. Here's an interesting (eye-opening!) article about the utility companies in Spain (again from the latest Abaco magazine http://www.abacoadvisers.com/) - Click on it to enlarge for reading:

I used to hear such horror tales about the electricity usage that, even though I turn off all the electricity internally, I still like to check.

We went "paperless" with our Iberdrola bills and opted to view them on line. You need to apply for a password etc. It is linked to your e-mail, so every time you get a bill there is a notification in your designated e-mail box, (which just tells you the amount that has been taken from your account in that particular month) and then you can click on that and it will take you to the website where you can view the actual bill.

Sandra wrote:I used to hear such horror tales about the electricity usage that, even though I turn off all the electricity internally, I still like to check.

We went "paperless" with our Iberdrola bills and opted to view them on line. You need to apply for a password etc. It is linked to your e-mail, so every time you get a bill there is a notification in your designated e-mail box, (which just tells you the amount that has been taken from your account in that particular month) and then you can click on that and it will take you to the website where you can view the actual bill.

Thanks Sandra, I'm sorting it now. I really didn't realise that Iberdrola would have the on-line billing system. It will be so good to have the information to hand instead of just relying on a bank statement and the paper bills only being available in our postbox in Spain when we get there. I sent you an email about a problem signing up/registering for the on-line billing but I'm hoping it's ok now as I have found a 'reset' contact email address for the system and hopefully Iberdrola will fix it for me soon.

Jan.

Hi Jan

I only spotted your e-mail this morning and have sent you one back. The new BT e-mail system is as much a pain as Tiscali was - only in a different way! Once into the Iberdrola system you should find the instant access good!

I'm almost there Sandra- Just waiting for them to re-set my access. I'm hoping it's just the Christmas & New Year holidays holding them up. Thanks for your help.

The next thing is to cancel our Spanish house insurance with Zurich through the bank, as I have a recommended on-line company waiting to take over. I can see it's not going to be easy as the bank has informed us that it has to be done by 'hard copy' letter in the post at least 2 months before the next start date (I'm playing safe with 3 months!) and, apparently, if it's under 2 months they can 'fine' us the yearly amount. Nothing is easy with Spanish rules! Can you imagine that happening in the UK with our insurances'...most of us shop around and change them for a better price every year, right up to the start date?


Jan.

Hope that they answer soon, Jan.

I think that "two months notice" is a bit of a con. I was originally insured via Solbank with Mapfre. I got a bill for something like €450 euros, and luckily I was out in Spain in September a couple of years ago when it was due to renew! I went into the bank and complained that it was far too much, and immediately, via the computer they changed me to a company which charged €200 less!! I appreciate that I was "there" at the time - but they didn't mess about with the two months thing - I probably gave something like a week's notice.

When in England I always shop around! I found a con in England too, with the AA, as they wrote to us and said that they had cut back on the number of companies that they dealt with and as a result they whammed up one of my insurances - in three years from £250 to £680 (I know if you appeal to them they will reduce a bit!) I have now re-insured with another company for £275!! The beauty of computers!!!

Thanks Sandra - I have had a reply and they are sending me a new user name & password, so hopefully I will be on-line with our electric soon.

As for the 2 months 'con', I recently emailed Spain to ask for the renewal price because they never ever let us know and just end up taking the money out by direct debit each year. Anyway, they emailed back saying that they can only give an idea of the price within one month of the renewal date, even though we've been told that cancellation must take place at least two months before the renewal date - How stupid (or crafty) is that !?

I always shop around for all our insurances in the UK these days. The renewal price quote is just a starting point, they always seem to do better when asked.

Sandra wrote:Hi Jan

I only spotted your e-mail this morning and have sent you one back. The new BT e-mail system is as much a pain as Tiscali was - only in a different way! Once into the Iberdrola system you should find the instant access good!

Hello Sandra,

I have managed to Register & log-in now to Iberdrola and am looking forward to accessing our bills etc.

However, sorry to be a nuisance but, although I don't generally have problems with these kind of things, this Iberdrola website is baffling me.

I am in the 'On-line Office' but it just seems to be a page with no 'contents' or anything to click on to get a list of contents. I have looked at the PDF of instructions and it says once registered we should be able to " view all bills
issued over recent years". Do you know if the on-line office takes a while to set itself up or or do the access to bills only start with the next bill issued?

Thanks for any help.