NPower £200 cashback

robrymond

I've just had a cold call at the door from NPower with regards to switching to them.

With the promise of £200 cashback for the first year, I obliged. My monthly debits with British Gas are £20 electricity and £36 gas, and these have reduced to £16 electricity and £25 gas with NPower, taking into account the cashback amount.

So is NPower any good? And would I save even more money by signing to an online tarriff. I've got 14 days to change my mind, but the £200 cashback is far more than British Gas.

Any one else had these calls recently?

Plushchris

The "cashback" is actually a credit to your gas and electricity account as opposed to cash in your hand and its paid in month 13 of your account with them.

Your didrect debits will not go down, if Npower told you they will then be very cautious as its likely you wont be covering what you are using.

Yes you will save more by going for an online tariff and the sales rep will have probably signed you up to their standard (aka most expensive) tariff.

Find out your annual Kwh usage and use a comparison site (some listed in the menu above) to find the cheapest deal.

I would quite safely put money on the fact that whatever you have signed up to isnt the cheapest deal, I wouldnt be surprised if its actually more expensive than your current deal.

Dont believe door knockers/cold callers from any of the suppliers.

robrymond

She said the credit is now applied monthly rather than after 12 months and that my Direct Debits will be set up at £41 a month rather than my existing £56.

The tariff is Standard with Energy Bonus advance.

Plushchris

robrymond wrote: »

She said the credit is now applied monthly rather than after 12 months and that my Direct Debits will be set up at £41 a month rather than my existing £56.

I would say she almost definately lied then.

Check any of the comparison sites or Npowers own website regarding their discounts..

From Energyhelpline regarding the standard tariff..

"The discounts will be paid to you annually in arrears from your final bill of each 12-month period. To qualify, you must take your supply from npower and pay by the same payment method for a full 12 month period – this period does not have to be a Jan-Dec calendar year. "

Plushchris

Also on Npower's site...

http://www.npower.com/web/At_home/electricity_and_gas/prices_and_discounts/Discounts/index.htm

robrymond

On the leaflet it says:

Your monthly direct debit for Year 1 is: £16 Elec and £25 Gas, Total 41.

For Energy Bonus Advance customers: In your first year your monthly Direct Debit payment is calculated as one twelfth of the estimated annual cost. This will include any monthly Direct Debit discount and Energy Bonus Advance discount you are entitled to provided you continue to meet the conditions of those discounts. Your monthly payment amount will be reviewed after six and twelve months.

Plushchris

Hmmm sounds like typical Npower...

Looks like a new tariff they have introduced with completely different discounts to every single one of their other tariffs

Interesting how that tariff isnt listed on their website...

Plushchris

robrymond wrote: »

This will include any monthly Direct Debit discount and Energy Bonus Advance discount you are entitled to provided you continue to meet the conditions of those discounts.

Does it say what those conditions are?

robrymond

The tariff isn't online, £100 is standard but its from sales callers who can offer £200 through the Energy Advancement. It reads that £100 is offered after 12 months and the other comes off monthly.

robrymond

I'm struggling to find any information online about it. However the leaflet states:

1. Only available to dual fuel customers who pay by Monthly DD.
2. Your energy prices will be the same as our standard variable tariff.
3. Energy Bonus Advance is a one off £100 discount after you've been with npower for 1 year.
4. The £100 discount will be credited to your accounts after you have been with npower for 12 months and paid by Direct Debit.
5. If you pay for both fuels via Direct Debit continously for 12 months, you will also recieve a £100 annual direct debit discount.
6. With Energy Bonus Advance your monthly direct debit payments in the first year will be calculated to include any monthly direct debit discount and Energy Bonus Advance discount assuming you meet the conditions of that discount.
7. If you change supplier before you recieve your Energy Bonus Advance Discount, you will not recieve the payment and as a result you could have a debit balance to pay.
8. You will also recieve a free pair of orbs.

Plushchris

Is it me or do points 3 & 4 contradict point 6?

Both discounts are paid after 12 months but the DD is set to include those discounts???