Another Npower problem

WhistleBlower

Then it will go to debt collection.

It's al very well saying "but they shouldn't." I know that. But the simple fact is they will not make the change without proof. You can be as hard headed about it as you like but if sending in the TA could get it fixed in a few days why be stubborn? Surely it's worth a try.

(And yes, yes, before anyone starts on that i *know* that even that doens't guarantee it'll be fixed, in fact i'm *acutely* aware of it. as are the rest of us)

WhistleBlower

DirectDebacle wrote: »

WB thank you for a frank and may I say very brave post. You and your colleagues are trying to do a good job but hampered by a flawed and inadequate system. And its' going to get worse !! Oh no.

Your offer of personal intervention on behalf of the OP was generous and perhaps a little foolhardy. I have a vision of your posts and PM box being inundated with pleas for help. I sincerely hope that doesn't happen and that the reasons you joined MSE are fulfilled and your problems resolved.

I wasn't giving you personal stick but giving your organisation stick. I thought I had made that clear but to reiterate I wasn't having a go at you. Personally I think you have been courageous to declare yourself an npower employee.

Good luck.

Thank you for that. And i'm going to need the luck.

Yes it's going to get worse, the collections deprtment i was a part of closed last friday and has been replaced with a load of ex-customer services employees up north, that's right folks, rahter than train a few newbies extra for us, they've taken the job away from people who've been doing the job for years and given it to the incompetants who caused half of this in the first place.

They push billing to do more and more accounts, they give them 3 minutes per account, so they get done wrong and come back in, so you ge the normal ones in plus a percentage of mis-done ones, so they give them less time because of the backlog, so the work gets more shoddy...etc.etc.etc...

*shrugs* waht can i say?

Incisor

WhistleBlower wrote: »

Then it will go to debt collection.

It's al very well saying "but they shouldn't." I know that. But the simple fact is they will not make the change without proof. You can be as hard headed about it as you like but if sending in the TA could get it fixed in a few days why be stubborn? Surely it's worth a try.

(And yes, yes, before anyone starts on that i *know* that even that doens't guarantee it'll be fixed, in fact i'm *acutely* aware of it. as are the rest of us)

Then if the internal systems are broken, perhaps it needs a few stubborn customers not to flinch while Npower go and get themselves a bruising in court. Particularly if the TA won't stop the problem.

Daytona_nev

I spoke to Npower last night.

I got a very confused explanation and the guy i spoke to didn't seem to understand.

Apparently the account is closed but the system has estimated the next readings and someone has been in and manually applied these to the dates i left!!!

I re-gave him the readings i took when i moved out ( which matched the first final account bill in got on 16 June ). I've now got to wait for yet another final account bill to come based on exactly the same readings that were on my bill on 16 June.

What the hell?

I think he's applied them as final readings now, but i wait with baited breath.

I don't think i should really be accepting any further bills at all!

Daytona_nev

What seems to be very clear is that every customer services rep i've spoken to seems confused by what's gone on.

I spoke to a very nice lady a few months ago when dealing with my credit who seemed to get a grasp of it. She even told me the account had been screwed up and it was very difficult what or why people had done certain things on the account. Unfortunately i didn't get her name.

Daytona_nev

WhistleBlower wrote: »

I work for NPower.

Sorry to say but it sounds like my colleagues are being very inept. (Not the firs ttime, they royally screwed up my own account)

Anyway, what should happen is:

• Customer sends in final read.
• Acc is closed down to these reads
• You get final bill and either pay it or get a refund.

Nice and simple right?

I'm guessing what's happened is that rather than actually close down your account someone has simply entered your final readings as an ordinary read.

Call NPower, ask to speak with the homemovers department, get their fax number, send proof of when you moved out (usually your TA/proof of sale for your new place) fax it over and call back two hours later.

Homemovers specialise in closing accounts and should fix the problem.

Let me know if they don't.

If you genuinely want to help, i would be very grateful. PM me. Do you work for customer services?

WhistleBlower

Right now i work for debt collection actually. But we end up doing CS's job.

Right, regarding what you just said the CS agent told you, that, unfortunately, sounds very likely.

Lord only knows *why* it happened but the how is completely possible. If the account's final readings are changed then the account will be re-billed and they'll send you another bill. As soon as you get this ammended final one (back to your original reads) it should fix it, the account will show a zero balance and close down.

Be aware (depending on method used to correct it) there is currently up to an eight-week wait until it's done. The account should be on hold in the meantime. Please note Should, otherwise the second you get a collections letter (probably from "Collections Direct" which is one of NPower's departments, not an external dca) call up and request a hold.