MSE News: Warning: Npower's slapping ex-customers with huge bills
Comments
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We were npower dual fuel customers at our previous house when we bought our present home, which was supplied by B/Gas when we moved in on Sept. 2012. On selling our other house in Dec. 2012, we applied for npower to take over our gas & elect. accounts, in Jan. 2013 and in Mar. 2013 we were advised that npower had taken over our gas account & direct debits, on line access were put in place. Over the next 6 months, despite phone calls, on line messages, emails, npower seemed unable to take over our elect. We lodged a complaint with them and following a period of 8 weeks and no resolution, we registered our complaint with the power ombudsman. Then in Sept. 2013 we received a phone call from B/Gas, who still held our elect. acc. inviting us to switch our gas acc. back to them and on hearing of our problems with npower, promised a swift and efficient transfer. This was completed on 6th Oct. 2013 and I contacted npower to provide my final gas meter reading. In the event, owing to boiler failure and eventual replacement, we had not used any gas from Mar. to Oct. 2013 therefore the final meter reading was the same as the initial reading in Mar. I explained this to my contact at npower and when nothing was heard over the ensuing weeks and months, assumed that we were finished with npower & now had B/Gas as our gas & elect. supplier. 10 days ago a bill came in the mail, from npower, for £111.58. There was no breakdown of what this was for, simply an outstanding balance on our gas account. There was also a request to provide a meter reading ??? For what reason, as we ceased being customers 8 months ago. I sent a detailed letter to npower, immediately, but despite this, we received a reminder within a few days, threatening to put the matter in the hands of a debt collecting agency, with all the attendant additional costs. There was also a threat to pass information to a credit reference agency. There is obviously serious problems with npower systems, but systems are run and operated by people, so who is taking responsibility for the debacle ??? Do we want people who are so inept, being in charge of a large chunk of our power supply ??? Perhaps some of our elected government officials, need to be looking into npower. 0 -
I had just completed reading MSE on npower and typed up my post, when I got a call on my mobile from npower. As I have had no contact with them since Sept. 2013, I assumed it must be about the bill for £111.58, received a week or so ago, or the letter I sent in response to their demand. After confirming my name, I was requested to type in the numeric digits of my postcode on my phone pad. When I took more than a few seconds to do this, the caller rang off. Like a few more who have posted, I am not trying to escape paying that which I genuinely owe, however I want a detailed account, setting out what I am being asked to pay for. Such is the mess that npower accounts appear to be in, that the amounts being billed, are just being pulled out of thin air.
What organisation would send ex customers a demand for any amount, without a detailed explanation of what the amount is for. I am afraid, that "outstanding amount" on your gas/elect. account just is not enough, never mind not business like. Why are some of our government "select committees" not looking into this absolute total shambles ???. Thank goodness for MSE getting involved and giving us advice.:)0 -
Got letter at the end of last year saying I owed money even though I had paid my final bill. Called in and they said this was an error and they were sorry and wouldn't happen again. few months later happened again. Ignored it. Started letter that they were going to take court action. Didn't want my credit score to be impacted so called in and they explained the system issue and that they were going to investigate. I said I wanted to take them to the ombudsman and wanted compensation. 8 weeks later no resolution so had opportunity to contact ombudsman. Got a new final bill a few days ago saying I had a few weeks to pay. Just got a call saying the were going to cancel the final bill and pay £100 compensation. Was stressful so think the compensation is fair. I hope nothing has gone onto my credit file because about to apply for a mortgage!0
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Hi,
We've just received a final bill from nPower of £304.24. This was nearly six months late, and we've been given only a couple of days to pay it.
The bill was for the period of 29/10/2013 to 29/12/2013, up until we switched from nPower to Good Energy. The letter was dated 05/06/2014, but we received it only yesterday (16/06/2014), with a payment deadline of 19/06/2014.
In their favour, the covering letter did include an apology for the long delay, and suggested the option of setting up a repayment schedule, recognising that we may not have budgeted to pay this bill.
We have no savings and no disposable assets; we live in a council flat; and I have a below average salary. I am currently under a Debt Relief Order, and my wife is "economically inactive", having health issues which prevent her from working (her appeal for benefit support was unhelpfully dismissed by ATOS).
How should we proceed with this? As I understand it, if they'd delayed for a year, we could ignore the bill completely - but six months means we're still liable, even though it's completely beyond our capacity to pay.
Thanks,
Camo and Sarah0 -
Thimble_the_Squit wrote: »How should we proceed with this? As I understand it, if they'd delayed for a year, we could ignore the bill completely - but six months means we're still liable, even though it's completely beyond our capacity to pay.
Thanks,
Camo and Sarah
I would raise a complaint with Npower in writing.
Cover the points you make in your post and also mention that under their license conditions Npower should have sent you a final bill within 42 days of your switch date.
If they refuse to reduce the bill make a complaint to the Energy Ombudsman 8 weeks after you complain (or on receipt of a final response from Npower).
Look on your final bill that you have just been sent and check whether the closing meter readings are correct.
Ring up the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (08454 040506) choose the utility option and get some further advice from them also.
Contact the intermediary who arranged your debt relief order and get some advice from them. Is this amount from before you got your debt relief order (DRO) in which case it should probably have been included in the DRO, albeit your wife may still be liable for the debt. Hence the need to contact the intermediary.I came, I saw, I melted0 -
Hi,
I am a single parent, I changed supplier in Jan 2013 and chased npower for a final bill for six months, I owed around £60, they have just sent me a letter and threat to court for £360. This letter states that they have contacted me before, but have not. I e-mailed their complaints team to explain that the amount was incorrect, requested they put the bill into dispute and requested a full statement of the account and they have now sent a telemessage threatening court. They do not answer any of the numbers available and I have now been on hold for 3 hours in total.
Please can someone advise my best course of action.
Thanks0 -
Here's a new one about npower. Last March they agreed they owed me £120 - on 2 separate occasions but after a while, I gave up ringing them. Yesterday I received a cheque for £20 and the letter begins "As promised here is a cheque for £20." Nobody promised me this -IT'S ANOTHER £100 NPOWER. As usual when ringing the number given - one ring then straight to engaged. When will somebody take notice of consumers?0
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So Ofgem is giving npower another finger wagging. Sort it or else !
Or else what? you may ask.
Oh how npower must be laughing. :rotfl:
Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
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I left npower in January 2013 and have just received a bill out of the blue for £670 from them in May 2014..... Stress? Someone please tell me I have some rights here...I've made countless phone calls and CANNOT get through on the phone, sorry I did once and got cut off being put through to collections... I'm sitting here after being on hold for 40 minutes still waiting for them to pick up....now being threatened with collection agents coming round to my house...0
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Send a letter of complaint in which you dispute the bill. Head the letter with the word Complaint in bold so there is no doubt you are complaining. Send the letter by Recorded Delivery post so there is no denying receipt. Show a copy to any debt collectors. If your complaint is not resolved after 8 weeks you can refer it to the <Ombudsman services: Energy>.I left npower in January 2013 and have just received a bill out of the blue for £670 from them in May 2014.....
It's not clear whether you accept whether you may owe them anything but they cannot back-bill you for more than a year, anyway. If in doubt, go to Citizens Advice.Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
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