Not an emergency for NPower - any help advise please?

eiamhere69

I currently have a problem with my gas supplier, which will take a bit of time to explain, I'll try and make it as clear as possible.

My fiancé and I moved into our first home together on the 31st January and called Npower to activate our gas. My fiancé topped up the gas card and everything seemed fine. With this being our first house we weren't too sure about how much gas we should be using, but suspected that we should not need to top up so frequently.

My fiancé called Npower and was told that we were actually paying the previous tenants debt and a Transco engineer would call out to reset the meter (he also said they would not re-credit OUR MONEY until we had been with them 30 days to prove we were loyal customers - I was not happy). The engineer did not arrive so my father in-law (to be) called on our behalf to query things, as we did not at the time have our phone line installed.

He was told that the engineer had called out but no one was in, this is a blatant lie as my fiancé and family were there all day (also no calling card was left). We have a lot to do (our first child is due within the next four weeks - hopefully), but she had to stay home all day for nothing - a day wasted

An engineer came out a couple of days later to reset the meter, but could only issue £4.00 emergency credit, he was unsure why. During all of this we have topped up a lot and have managed to pay back the £4.00 emergency, as well as more of this mystery debt.


This problem reoccurred and another callout was arranged, again no one arrived. Another couple of days later an engineer did manage to make it and also managed to use the £10 emergency. We were told that a new card would have to be issued before we could top up OUR METER (we recently found out that we pay 19.6p per day as a standing charge).

My fiancé called Npower after a few days, as the card had still yet to arrive. When my fiancé explained our situation (yet again), the customer assistant explained that the previous tenant had no debt outstanding ??? She also said that we could not have OUR MONEY back until we provide proof/receipts, even thought they have all details on screen in front of them.

Over a week later we received our card. We followed the instructions and placed the card in our meter to register. We topped up but now the meter says 'card not accepted' when we in insert the card.

So far we now have 1 card with £5.00 credit, which is not accepted

Numerous receipts for credits, which have siphoned at an incredible rate (a rate at which am both unsure of and have no proof of)

£10.02 emergency, which we 'owe' Npower

Owed almost £5.00 which was wiped when the engineer credit £10.00 emergency (second successful visit)

I would now like to apologise for such a along post and also the time I have stolen/borrowed from your life (currently 1 minute 36 seconds - I timed this reading at the average British reading speed. This timing is immensely accurate. I take no liability for slow readers and accept responsibility only 1min 36 secs of your life).

Thank you to any one who can help us. My pregnant fiancé now has to live in a freezing cold house until Npower/Transco can be bothered to fulfil their obligations to its customers.

magentadreamer

It took me 2 mins!

Off the top of my head I'm thinking:

A) you need a new meter fitting -think Transco deal with these but don't quote me on that.

Now I know most politicians are a waste of space BUT contact your local MP and play on the fact your fiancee is 8 months plus pregnant and having to live in a freezing cold house. also point out if it's not sorted in 4 weeks time your baby will also be living in a freezing house. A call from an MP's office does work wonders.

eiamhere69

Thanks for the reply. We were told by Npower that transco were responsible as they suppl the meters. I think Transco however relayed the blame back towards Npower.

I know the standing charge doesn't sound much, but almost 20p a day is ridiculous, especially when I can't even use the damn meter.

magentadreamer

It's taking the p**s. it's bad enough having to pay a standing charge when things are working out ok but when their so obviously not it's outrageous. I'd get back onto Transco and demand a new meter - is your house rented? If so get onto the landlord as well and see if they can help. Fingers crossed you get it all sorted out before junior arrives.

mancitychick

Now I would of said Npower are responsible for meter........

When we moved into our house it had no gas. Transco ran a pipe to the house (cost us £401) but we had to choose a supplier to get the meter fitted. We called British Gas who signed us up as a customer and duly came and installed us a meter free of charge.

Once we got gas central heating fitted we no longer used economy 7 electricity, therefore we phone our elec supply who happened to be Npower and they said the meter would need to be changed and came out about 1 week later and changed it again free of charge.

This is just my thought and may not be correct. Good luck with the baby by the way. Also maybe contact local newspaper they may run the story to shame npower.

eiamhere69

magentadreamer - Unfortunately my house is owned by local government (council), who accept no responsibility for anything.

mancitychick - That's what I originally thought, but Npower say that Transco are responsible for maintaining/attending to the meter.

Thanks for the help by the way.

We managed to find an old card, which didn't, work but does now (didn't work due to new card). We used this today to credit £15, this repaid our £10.02 'emergency' and left us with £4.98.

We now have the new gas card which no longer works, but also has £5 credit on it.

We also have this old card which did'nt work last night but does now. (we think that the £5 my fiance put on this card last night was not enough to pay the emegency, and so the meter would not accept it). We're still unsure of why our new card is not working (or why the old one now is) or where the £5 my girlfriend credited to our old card last night has gone.

Sorry I've tried to make this as clear as possible. We've had nothing but trouble with Npower/Transco. We were freezing last night, at least we have heating for now.

eiamhere69

Npower will now have to re-issue yet another card, hopefully this time it will work (until we change supplier). Could anyone help me yet again? I don't quite understand the processes involved in fuel supplies. I've tried the comparisons, but they are unable to find any suppliers (something to do with my criteria).

Also how do you estimate how many kWh you use? We have a top-up meter which doesn't state this, not that I would understand it much anway.

If I knew how much it costs per kWh, at least I could compare more accurately. We liked the idea of prepay (I don't trust my money in the hands of these suppliers), but the high standing charge is a deterrent.

A relative has a meter which, to me, sounds like a kind of hybrid between to styles of fuel payment. If I'm correct, she is estimated a bill, but pays weekly towards this amount, breaking up the cost. This apparantly has no standing charge, but all of tghis is quite new to me so I am unsure.

Any help would, as usual, be greatly appreciated.

smartie1976

Transco (National Grid to give them their correct NEW name) do own the meters and the pipes - This is how you can change supplier and NOT have to have your meter replaced. The gas company own the actual gas and any debt outstanding on a meter.

If you are a council tenant it is unlikely you will be able to change your meter from prepayment (if you wish to do this) to credit without either
a) being there for ages and demonstrating you are a good payer - something which can only be proven through about 18 months of being a good customer or
b) a substantial Security Deposit (these can range widely in value, but prob around £200, which IS refundable).
You should, however, still ask them if you can go onto a credit meter. Then you can get proper discounts (like DD payments). Then change supplier to one where you don't pay standing charge (you mentioned this earlier - I am assuming this is what you are wanting to do).

When transco come out they perform a "decommission recommission", which is basically just resetting the meter for you, and should wipe any debt history out, providing you are using YOUR card, not the one for the previous tenant. This is where many problems arise over incorrect amounts of money being taken by PP meters.

You need to definately get NP to send you another new card - this is for several reasons, not least of which NP will have an account in a customers name for that card - when you make the payments your £££ will go onto the other customers accounts, and you will then have to get NP to sort out the problem of 'paying on the wrong card' (This is a simple balance transfer between the two customer accounts, but I don't know how simple NP will try and make it? They have already asked you to provide reciepts.)

eiamhere69

When_transco_come_out_they_perform_a_decommission_recommission,_which_is_basically_just_resetting_the_meter_for_you,_and_should_wipe_any_debt_history_out,_providing_you_are_using_YOUR_card,_not_the_one_for_the_previous_tenant._This_is_where_many_problems_arise_over_incorrect_amounts_of_money_being_taken_by_PP_meters.QUOTE wrote:

The Transco engineer accidently re-inserted the past tennants card after resetting the meter during the visit, this is why we continued to pay off their debt (still unsure why Npower now say they aren't in debt - maybe because we paid it off?).

When we received our new card I inserted it into the meter for 30 seconds to register it, as instructed. After topping up the meter said card not accepted, so we tried the old card. This still didn't work, but the old card at least showed nothing on card (ie.' £0.00 on card', as opposed to 'card not accepted').

During the telephone call my girlfriend asked about how much she should top-up due to the emergency credit, the lady on the other end said anything you like, £5.00, £10.00 or £15.00 it doesn't matter.

Apparently it did, we should have credited over £10.02 to cover our emergency. Still no idea how the new card ceased to work, or how the new one stopped.

Thank you all for your help, I appreciate it greatly.

Edit: Sorry unsure how to quote correctly