Advice Requested

flashman1000

Hi,

I need some advice about a situation I currently have with Npower.

2 weeks ago I came home to find that Meterplus had forced entry and replaced my gas meter with a Prepaid card meter.

As a longstanding Npower DD customer I was shocked to say the least. Npower have acknowledged their error and replaced the meter with a normal one and restored the supply after a total of 10 days.

It turns out that Meterplus should have gone to a slightly different address. I had received no warnings of the forced replacement as these must have been sent to the correct (vacant) address.

Npower have offered £50 compensation as a 'goodwill gesture' which I have declined.

Can anyone suggest suitable next steps?

Thanks in advance

Gerrard_8_lfc

Just out of interest how much are you expecting as "Goodwill"? or Which steps are you thinking of going down ?

flashman1000

Hi

I don't think 'goodwill' has anything to do with it. Npower arranged for someone to force entry into my home. They had admitted that it was a mistake. For the 10 days I was without a gas supply I was put to additional expense and inconvenience. I had no hot water and had to rely on friends until it was resolved.

I was curious as to whether anyone here could recommend a course of action. for example the regulator or the courts. Or if anyone had ever had a similar experience. If so what was the outcome?

Thanks

lemontart

ask them what there standard daily loss of supply compensation I know the rate is £30 a day but I do not know if it is applicable due to meter exchange error http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/energy-help-and-advice/your-energy-questions

dogshome

Hi flashman - £50 compensation could be good or bad depending on the costs you incurred in sorting the problem.
Are the locks, door and/or door frame damaged ? CLAIM FOR COST OF REPAIR BY A PROFESSIONAL
Have you had to take time off work to deal with it? CLAIM FOR YOUR PAY RATE
Did you travel to friends houses for baths/showers? CLAIM COST PER MILE or FARES
How many times did you phone or write to n'power? CLAIM COSTS OF PHONE/POSTAGE
Are there any other direct costs I've failed to list? CLAIM FOR THESE

List everything individually, total it and send it with a letter headed Complaint to n'power

undaunted

Mistake or not their entry to your home was unlawful. £50 doesn't sound much to me, here is what the Police paid out for similar errors!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238871/Police-paid-560-000-compensation-raiding-wrong-properties.html

Try google for anything further

davidgmmafan

Erm shouldn't the payment be coming from Metreplus given that they went to the wrong address?

A minor point as I think NPower own them or have some stake in them. But still if the supplier booked the job correctly it might've been out of thier control. On the other hand the address details may not have been updated in which case it is thier fault.

I can well understand your frustration, to say I wouldn't be amused is a gross understatement!

Premier_2

flashman1000 wrote: »

Hi,

I need some advice about a situation I currently have with Npower.

2 weeks ago I came home to find that Meterplus had forced entry ...

It turns out that Meterplus should have gone to a slightly different address. I had received no warnings of the forced replacement as these must have been sent to the correct (vacant) address.

...

Call the police. That sounds like criminal damage to me, at least.

Ensure you get a crime number. ... and let the police know you know exactly who did it!


Can't see it myself. Not only would there have been a warrant of entry obtained stating the correct address, but even if that was wrongly exercised (mistakes can happen, it's only human) then the meter removed would have had a different serial number to the one they were attempting to gain access to - that should have been the time whoever entered the proiperty thought ... oh sh$7!

flashman1000

Hi Many thanks for the responses.

Not sure what "you can't see" Premier but the guys from Meterplus climbed a flight of stairs to execute a warrant issued against a basement flat.

So their Oh Sh$7! moment should probably have come before they got in.

Premier_2

flashman1000 wrote: »

Hi Many thanks for the responses.

Not sure what "you can't see" Premier but the guys from Meterplus climbed a flight of stairs to execute a warrant issued against a basement flat.

So their Oh Sh$7! moment should probably have come before they got in.

I didn't know that. I can only go on the information provided by you at the time. But that extra information just re-confirms my previous comment.

nPower

Hi flashman1000

I'm so sorry to hear about the awful experience you've been through.

It's an extremely serious matter and one we'd like to look into further for you if that's ok? Especially as you were without any gas for so long.

Could you email your address, account number and contact details to forumresponse@npower.com so we can look into this for you?

Best wishes,
Sally