NPower want to double my direct debit!!

me4bargains

Hi I have recieved a letter from NPower saying my d/d is to surge from £65 to £110 a month!!
To be honest I am struggling to pay the current arranglent.
I have an outstanding balance of £320 as they failed to bill me for a year, so I am paying that back in arrears.
They now say because of rising fuel costs they have to upped my d/d.
There's no way I can afford that (unless I stop paying rent!!0
What shall I do?
They said i need to pay the arrears of by December hence the increae I really can't afford it.

mandi

Dont talk to me about N power.. :mad: Me4.. They are by far the worst utility company I have ever dealt with..:mad:

Ae you in receipt of benefits.. If so you can apply for " fuel direct" payments direct from your benefit.. you pay off some of the arrears, plus some of your usage, each week.. By paying this way your supply is "protected" from disconnection..

If your not, have you spoken to them, If so, and they wont agree to a reasonable repayment arrangement.. Then you could speak to energywatch...

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/help_and_advice/index.asp..They will be able to help and advise you..


Just as an afterthought .. the number you call on the letter is usualy the department that deals with arrears.. AND THE DONT LISTEN!!!.. try and ring on the head office number, and ask for customer services... http://www.npower.com/At_home/Customer_service/Contact_us.html

P.s when you get through give them one of these from me ...:D

Hope you get sorted


Mandi

anniecave

Phone them up and explain this to them. Yes, prices are going up, but sometimes computers generate silly estimates. Can you work out how much you are likely to use in the next year, plus your arrears, and translate this into a monthly value? If you are having a temporary financial problem, they MAY let you just pay a little more than what you're likely to use, but otherwise they've got to be realistic and try and help you get your account up to date. Are there any other moneysaving techniques in other areas you can do to save you some money so you can pay more to the bill? So say if they agree a payment plan of x per month, if you have extra money, can you pay an extra £10 or £20 here towards the bill, separately from the monthly payment arrangement? (If so, phone up and ask if the system will let you do this and what payment method to use, sometimes it confuses the computer system). I hope you get it sorted.

me4bargains

albertross wrote:

Can you save anything by switching things off that aren't being used?

I'm never home in the days as I'm at work. My children get in from school at around 4ish and to be honest we hardly use any electristy besides the Tv.
Though i do constantly have to chide my son as he appears to be incapable of switching off a light when he leaves a room!!
I can't really tightend my belt any more short of candlelight and paraffin heating!!
I'm a single mother but not on benefits so I don't suppose they'll listen to my poverty pleas.
Don't want to go off the rails but why do you have to be on benefits before anyone will believe you are hard up?