Npower Advice

steven1234

Hello, a bit of advice required if possible...

Very, very briefly, I've had a lot of problems with NPower... I signed up to them after a door sales person lied to me about their energy prices, they messed up my direct debits (not taking regular payments) and I've constantly battled with them on every front - Anyway, the long and short of it is I stayed with them for 9 months and ended up oweing them £500 (don't even go there!!) and they even took over £300 from my account without permission (which I got back eventually)...

My complaint is currently with the Ombudsman who took on my case, but I got a call from Npower last night with an offer.. it was a £75 goodwill gesture, a refund of all payments to NPower for the 9 months I was with them and an erroneous transfer back to my original supplier, (thus shifting the debt back to Scottish Power but on the rates that I was on before I moved to Npower)... Hopefully this all makes sense? ie. I would now owe Scottish Power for the 9 months worth of gas and electric.

Does it seem like a good offer - I just don't know if they're trying to wangle out of what the ombudsmen has got coming to them, or if it is genuinely a good offer that the ombudsmen wouldn't be able to better?

Thanks in advance... :mad:

Cardew

Much as many on this Board would like to see NPower punished for their questionable behaviour, I suspect that £75 compensation will be about as much as you will get - as you are now not out of pocket.

As this offer was in a telephone call, I would insist that you get it in writing - as Sam Goldwyn said " A verbal promise ain't worth the paper it's written on"

brysiewysie

If it's a true Erroneous Transfer it means your supply will be back with Scottish Power at the date they can get you back to them (in the near future). It won't be back-dated and you'll have got all your energy (legally) for free for the time you've been with Npower.

As Cardew says get it in writing but I'd think that's a good deal, free energy and £75.

Going back to Scottish Power will be at their current rates.

steven1234

hi and thanks for your advice!
I can't see me getting free gas and elecy but you never know!!... but I'll definately be getting everything in writing! thanks a lot!

dellxps

hi brysiewysie,

i think that's incorrect. Scottish Power will bill the customer for the period she was with npower, so npower will not ask for any money but scottish power will.

brysiewysie

No, erroneous transfers means the supplier erroneously taking the supply can't charge the customer for the time they are there with them. When they are put back to the original supplier it's effective from the transfer date, not back-dated. This is assuming they really are treating it as an ET, which is why you should check.

dellxps

You're right in that the erroneous supplier won't charge for energy used. However when scottish power regain the supply they will bill her for the time she was with npower. Sending a supply back as an erroneous transfer is effectively sending it back as if it never left scottish power in the first place, therefore scottish power WILL bill them.... i think

I'm sure someone will come and decide who's right. (just hope its me lol:D )

brysiewysie

dellxps wrote: »

You're right in that the erroneous supplier won't charge for energy used. However when scottish power regain the supply they will bill her for the time she was with npower. Sending a supply back as an erroneous transfer is effectively sending it back as if it never left scottish power in the first place, therefore scottish power WILL bill them.... i think

I'm sure someone will come and decide who's right. (just hope its me lol:D )

http://http://energywatch-bus.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/energywatch_bus.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3216

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/help_and_advice/problems_switching_supplier/index.asp

Maybe my employer is different to others but I'm sure we act as I mentioned earlier. I don't work for Npower or Scottish Power and I could be wrong - if so, sorry!

steven1234

Just to make it more tricky... i am now with E-on.

NPower said that the transfer would just be back dated for the time I was with them... They will refund me 9 months of NPower payments... I will have to pay the same 9 months of payments back to Scottish Power but my current company will stay as E-on...

Can't really see this goin smoothly....

Joyful

When Erroneous Transfers are actioned the original supplier bills continuously from the day after it left them. The supplier it went to charges nothing.

I would say that as long as Scottish Power were not a lot more expensive to take this deal but remember to pay the money to Scottish Power as a lump sum so that you do not have too much debt with them!

Just noticed the bit about now being with Eon. As Npower are no longer your supplier I am at a loss how they can erroneously transfer you. If possible it would get very messy. I think I would ask them to write your debt off. No harm in trying.