2 year

DaveLy

My Mother (disabled on benefits) recieved a letter from a collections company to contact npower within 1 week in regards to paying £668.64. Upon investigation it was discovered it was for a 2 year electric bill. Npower did a failed attempt to take this out of her bank account.

My mother has previously phoned npower asking if they were her electricity supplier, given the fact they provided her gas. They did say no, a while back.

Any advice much appreciated.

1carminestocky

If they have never previously billed her, they can only legally ask for 12 months of that.

DaveLy

So what happens when they take out 600+ quid out of her nationwide account without warning (nationwide refunded her - who in turn got it back off npower)?

Is that illegal?

DaveLy

also might note my mother lost count of the times she phoned npower to ask if they provided her electric.

Magentasue

Who has she been paying for electricity for the two year period charged? And, has she ever received bills or statements from npower?

DaveLy

And, has she ever received bills or statements from npower?
-> for her gas (npower) yes... but not for the electricity from npower.

Who has she been paying for electricity for the two year period charged?
-> nobody... she phoned npower countless times in the past asking if they are her electricity supplier, they said no.

Magentasue

I think, then, that as carminestocky says, she can only be billed for one year's electricity. She needs to contact them and negotiate.

Fire_Fox

DaveLy wrote: »

also might note my mother lost count of the times she phoned npower to ask if they provided her electric.

All your mother needs is evidence of this (notes of who she spoke to and when, itemised phone bills) and she will be ablew to demonstrate no fault on her part. She is then only liable for one year of electricity, and a reasonable time frame in which to pay. Presumably as your monther knew she was not being billed for electricity she has set some money aside for it?

Vestra

How did they get her bank account details?

1carminestocky

I reckon this line could solve that mystery?

'My mother has previously phoned npower asking if they were her electricity supplier, given the fact they provided her gas.'

epsilondraconis

The clues are there... Detective 1carminestocky is on the case...