Npower

daz9643

Anyone else had this problem ?
I used a comparison site to check cheapest supplier, turned out to be Npower. I think it was Uswitch that i used (there was £12.50 cashback) and was recommended from Martins site. Anyway, i've been with them for 3 months now and have realised that they didn't put me on their on-line tariff even though it was all done on-line through Uswitch. I phoned them today and they are looking into it.

ivoryfrog

yup, had this problem but more recently. We signed up for the online tarriff like you through a comparison site and they have put us onto their prepayment tarriff because they have "discovered" that we have prepayment meters and therefore cannot pay by monthly DD. Obviously I put that info in when I was doing the comparison (that we currently prepay, but want to pay by DD) but they are now saying they can't do this and have sent us payment cards which leave us no better off than before. :-( In fact probably a bit worse. I have told them I am not happy and that we were only switching to them because of the savings we would make by switching to DD....still waiting for a answer from them.
This is the first time that I have tried to switch my suppliers, wondering if I should have bothered now!

daz9643

i was probably the first person in the country to switch since i had my name down on the waiting list as soon as i heard i could leave british gas. Have switched 3 times without any problems but now have. The problem is i can't remember what tariffs came up when i did the search originally so it is possible that i did sign up for Npower standard tariff if that was what came up as the cheapest option at the time. So i would recommend that anyone that is with Npower to do a comparison again and don't assume you are on the on-line tariff. If you're not the easiest way to switch to it is to leave Npower and sign up again for the on-line tariff. :T

matto

npower have at least three different online rates dependent on when you signed up. If you signed up before February 17 you'll be paying more than the current online tariff displayed on the comparison websites (and on npowers website). The previous online tariffs are comparable to their standard rate. The current tariff is only available to new customers. You could switch and then switch back but you'll lose the chance of the rebate for staying with them for 12 months (£60) though this may not be an issue if you've been with them for only 3 months.

npower have sussed how to take advantage of the comparison sites and get people to switch them and also make them stay. Even if you're on the higher online tariff, the comparison sites won't give you the option of choosing this as your existing tariff and npower come out as your cheapest supplier.

indesisiv

Does anyone know if it is possible to switch to the online tariff as I know that i am on the standard tariff. According to uswitch i would be able to save £186 a year by changing to the online tariff.

Is it not possible to just ring them up and say I want to switch tariff??


Steve

fagun

I've just posted details of my experience (a successful result) http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1887539&postcount=1

Proper_Cornish

I have just received the latest Npower price rise by letter yesterday!
They take effect from 31/3/06 and applies to the standard tariff.

Gas - unit rate up to 4572 kwh per year = 3.821p inc VAT
over 4572kwh per year = 2.149p inc VAT

Electric - unit rate up to 728kwh per year = 20.37p inc VAT
over 728kwh per year = 9.50p inc VAT

Check out the competitions latest prices before switching to Npower.

Its change time for me!

Curry_Queen

ivoryfrog wrote:

yup, had this problem but more recently. We signed up for the online tarriff like you through a comparison site and they have put us onto their prepayment tarriff because they have "discovered" that we have prepayment meters and therefore cannot pay by monthly DD. Obviously I put that info in when I was doing the comparison (that we currently prepay, but want to pay by DD) but they are now saying they can't do this and have sent us payment cards which leave us no better off than before. :-( In fact probably a bit worse. I have told them I am not happy and that we were only switching to them because of the savings we would make by switching to DD....still waiting for a answer from them.
This is the first time that I have tried to switch my suppliers, wondering if I should have bothered now!

The only way you can pay via Direct Debit is if you have credit meters installed. I had this problem a year ago when I was on pre-payment meters and I had to get my existing suppliers to agree to change the meters before I could switch suppliers. They are very reluctant to change meters on new accounts until you've been with them for at least 3mths, so depending when you switched it might be worth asking to change meters.

Did you not read the small print before you signed up where it says something like "this tariff is not available for pre-payment meters"?