Please help - N Power nightmare!

Busy_B!

Hi
Hope i am posting this correctly. I need some advice if anyone can help. The gas and electricity is in my husbands name, a few years ago we had a elecricity saleman at the door. He asked my husbands name and then began his 'script' on how good the electricity company is! We had a car for sale and he took the mobile number from the advert (in the car window) and then forged my husbands signature! We then found out a few months later that our electric had been changed over.. We finally went back to N Power.. But then fell into debt because of this mess. We have been on payment plans where they have expected us to pay £150 p/m and on a part time wage this is difficult. We have called for help and explained we cant keep up with the payments (we have been paying what we can each month) and they are not willing to help at all! Can any one offer any advice? Thanks in advance!

Terrylw1

Have you complained about the erroneous transfer & report it to Ofgem?

It sounds like you need to complain. You would still be paying utilities to someone so if it's not higher prices that have caused it, you just need to negogiate on what you owe. They may want to put in a prepayment meter but try and stay away from that since they may charge you to take it out later.

If they are really being inflexible, it's just a matter of complaining higher & higher. You could also get advice from the CAB if debts are an issue.

Make sure your bills are not estimated, ever! Always get them to use a reading from you. Otherwise, this can increase your DD's badly.

Suppliers have a habit of overestimating DD's towards cold periods so if your account is not spot on, this might have also happened.

Busy_B!

Thanks so much for taking time to answer.. I have complained with them and said i am giving them a chance to sort it out. I am also going to seek advice from CAB. I will also look into Ofgem.

PNPSUKNET

Ofgem dont take consumer complaints, have you asked them about social tariffs? Any supplier would try and get a debt back as quick as possible, people like consumer focus etc however cant tell companys how a customer must repay the companys

Premier_2

Busy_B! wrote: »

... a few years ago we had a elecricity saleman at the door. ...

...he ... then forged my husbands signature!...

... Can any one offer any advice? Thanks in advance!

Sorry, not after a few years.

However, you and your husband should learn from experience.

1. Don't deal with door to door sales people, especially those hawking energy.

2. If you are unfortunate to find your energy provider is being moved against your will again, contact them immediately. They nearly always send a 'sorry you are leaving' message and the new supplier will always send a welcome letter with your right to cancel, so you'll always know in advance of any switch.
(You can actually contact either supplier, but I prefer to contact the existing supplier as they are naturally more inclined to help you if it means retaining your custom)

3. If you ever are the subject of deception or fraud, report it to the police!

Btw, as PNPSUKNET says, Ofgem are not interested in sorting out individual customer complaints, especially ones that occurred years ago.

Terrylw1

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

Ofgem dont take consumer complaints

Only from the point of view of reporting dodgy salesmen.

undaunted

It may be worth having a look at

http://www.energy-retail.org.uk/salespractice.html

Busy_B!

Thanks for your replies..
Premier - Learn from experience?! We haven't done anything wrong.. You may not be able to help me because it was a few years ago but others have..

macman

Premier didn't say you had 'done anything wrong'. He simply said that it is always a mistake switching (or indeed buying anything) based on a cold caller, which is spot on. Even if they are not fraudulent as in your case, they are simply there to get their commission, and will tell you any pack of lies to get your signature, by fair means or foul. If you want to switch, work out your annual kWh consumption, use a recommended comparison site, then do the switch via a cashback site. That way you get unbiased comparisons and get to keep the commission for yourself.
As for the any official complaint, you have left it too far to long (how many years is a few years ago?) and it's probably barred due to the time elapsed.

JS477

Hasn't some kind of fraud been committed here or at the very least something illegal?

macman

Yes, clearly. But the chance of any redress at this late stage is non-existent. And the debt has not been accumulated under the unidentified transfer company, but under the original company (NPower) after the switch was reversed. So why would they be liable?