npower problem - please help

PIppa

Hi (sorry, this is a long one)

I’ve been with npower for about 5 years supplying me with dual fuel.

Last September I received a letter from them saying they were sorry I was leaving. As far as I was concerned I wasn’t. I hadn’t been approached by another supplier and I hadn’t approached another supplier. I was perfectly happy with my supply.

I contacted npower who told me another supplier had asked for my supply to be transferred but they weren’t able to tell me who the new supplier was supposed to be. I told them I wasn’t moving my supply at all and they said it was an erroneous transfer and they would stop it and investigate it. Apparently they had been getting a few erroneous transfers.

Subsequently I received a letter from The Utilities Warehouse addressed to the Occupier welcoming me as a new customer. I immediately contacted them and told them I wasn’t moving to them at all. They weren’t able to tell me when or how I was supposed to have started this new account and they didn’t know my name, I also refused to give them my name. They told me they would invoice me for the time I was with them and I told them I wasn’t prepared to pay as I wasn’t moving to them as far as I was concerned. They eventually agreed and I had confirmation in writing that I wouldn’t be charged.

I contacted npower and told them who the “new supplier” was and they were still investigating it. My supply was leaving them on 2nd October and rejoining them on 14th and 19th November respectively. They told me they had cancelled my direct debit and I asked them to reactivate them as I didn’t want to fall behind with payments. They said they would be reactivated in November. They only reactivated one and by this time I was fed up to the back teeth with it all. I never did hear about the result of the investigation!

April 20th I received a dual fuel bill for £660 dated 7th April for the period 14th and 19th November (gas and electricity) to 18th March. No direct debits had been deducted so I rang them and they traced the direct debit they had collected each month to my original dual fuel account. I was assured my old and new accounts would be amalgamated so this would also include the direct debit payments already collected. I asked them to reactivate the second direct debit and increased both of them at this time. I was assured this was done.

May 15th I had to contact npower as they wanted to do a gas meter check so they needed access to my house. Whilst I was speaking with them I double checked the direct debits were going to be collected. They didn’t have my bank details on the “new account” so they wouldn’t have been collected at all. I was furious and supplied my bank details again and payment was finally collected later that month and also in June and July.

Yesterday, 17th August, I received a final reminder for £120. I haven’t had anything prior to this at all. The letter is dated 13th August and says,“When we checked this morning we found that you still owe us the above amount. Your payment is very overdue.” They want payment in 10 days or they may appoint a Debt Collection Agency to call at my property.

I rang npower yesterday evening and they told me this relates to my original account. I told them this had all been amalgamated with my new account. They are telling me this wasn’t done and they have discovered this 10 months after my account was closed and my new one opened. I honestly had no idea this was outstanding, I thought it had all been transferred.

Can anyone give me some advice please? Any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks

nPower

Hi PIppa,

I'm sorry you have been having problems with your new account with npower.

I am an npower company representative - if you private message me your npower account details or address, I can take a look into your account details for you and try to get this sorted straight away.

Thanks
Sally

PIppa

Hi Sally

I've sent you a private message.

Regards

Pippa

PIppa

Hi Sally

Did you get my message? I really want to get this resolved as soon as possible.

Thanks

Pippa

PNPSUKNET

not sure if you know but google says that utility warehouse was bought by npower years ago

Miss_Moppet

Pippa, trying to deal with any of these utility companies over the phone can be a nightmare; you get so many different answers from people and departments, and then you spend even more time and effort trying to sort out the initial mistake.

I’ve learnt that to get anywhere I have to put everything in writing either by email or by recorded post and give them a set period of time to reply or I go up the food chain. It’s essential to keep copies of everything including dates/times of phone calls and the person’s name if you do have to speak on the phone, but also I always ask them to confirm what they’ve said to me in writing.

As you’ve now got an npower company rep (Sally) who’s willing to help you, I’d suggest that she could perhaps find out who the Utility Warehouse rep was who signed you up without your authority, as you’re the victim here. There must be reference numbers etc on the Utility Warehouse transfer document that could identify the culprit. I personally would also keep asking for the result of the investigation by npower, it wasn’t your fault they couldn’t get their act together on the DD’s either, it’s a catalogue of mistakes by npower including the final reminder for £120 when they didn’t send you anything beforehand.

In any event, surely you’re entitled to ask Utility Warehouse to let you have a copy of the documentation that you’re supposed to have agreed to transfer to them. Unless there’s some legitimate explanation, then to me it’s a criminal deception as in all probability the Utility Warehouse rep intended to gain financially from it; his commission (every bunch has its rotten apples). I definitely wouldn’t leave it there and neither should Utility Warehouse.

I personally would ask both companies for compensation for all the upset, worry and stress it each has caused you and, I would want everything they have to say in writing.

Buddah1

Hi
Good luck with getting any help from Npower,ive been trying since Feb to sort out a problem,the customer services are the worse in the country.
If i dont get a good answer today,i will be going to Trading Standards and the Press.The public need to know what bullies they are.