Energy Misselling successes

susanpirie

I have been told by npower today that despite fact they had not billed us for 20 months, despite 4 readings being given to them, because we paid direct debit back billing only applies to the difference between actual and estimated amounts and not the total amount of energy used beyond 12 months. If we had paid quarterly they couldn't have charged anything for energy and they are not pursuing old debts to customers who are no longer with them so why am I being penalised for paying up front and trying to stay loyal. Don't know why anyone would pay by direct debit knowing this to be the case. Anyone else been victimised by this.

stan4th

Hi,
has anyone looked into salary sacrifice schemes for utility bills?
As an employee we were advised of a salary sacrifice scheme which was supposed to be financially beneficial.
Normally I'm careful, but I trusted my employer and they were convincing. It was difficult to understand where I stood financially as it was supposed to be tax efficient but they also added a 10% admin fee.
However I still feel I was highly overcharged and despite questioning it was told there was nothing I could do as it was a change of contract. I left their employment.
Has anyone else faced this situation and is there anything I can do?
Thanks

Annie021063

If anyone can help I would appreciate it.
Over the 12 years we lived at our old property we switched energy suppliers several times mostly from being sold energy by cold callers. We moved 2 years ago and I have no account numbers but I can remember the suppliers we had. If I am owed anything I would like to try and get it. Can I use the template letter but leave account details etc blank or is there another letter I can use?
Thanks

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Annie021063 wrote: »

If anyone can help I would appreciate it.
Over the 12 years we lived at our old property we switched energy suppliers several times mostly from being sold energy by cold callers. We moved 2 years ago and I have no account numbers but I can remember the suppliers we had. If I am owed anything I would like to try and get it. Can I use the template letter but leave account details etc blank or is there another letter I can use?
Thanks

This isn't like PPI claims where you fill in a template and a corporate entity will throw money at you.

If you can remember the companies, request all your details and recordings of the phone conversations.

Bear in mind that most cases of misselling were face to face - it's far harder to get away with it as a telesales agent as, believe it or not, the big6 have QA departments that scrutinise calls.

susanpirie

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

Yes it's legal.

The backbilling code is an industry agreement that energy suppliers promise to abide to. It has no meaning in law.

The law in England and Wales allows debts to be collected for 6 years. You've still underpaid for 3 years, so I'd say you're still in a decent position.

If backbilling code is an industry agreement, does this not make supplier in breach of that agreement then. In which case , what's the point in its existence?

cybercarrot

We have our energy through E.on, we switched a few years back after being told by a doorstep salesperson we'd save money with them.
We had a letter a few weeks ago from E.on saying we may have been miss led about the actual savings we would make and to get in touch with them.

The letter contained a unique reference number and a dedicated phone number to call.
A quick call to the number quoting the reference and a few questions regarding how we were convinced to switch, mainly, did the salesperson use accurate figures based on your usage or a guess... and sorted.
We'll be getting a cheque for £80 arrive within the next 28 days.

We have Pre Payment meters and were not sure we'd be owed anything as we pay up front for our energy.

As the saying goes if you don't ask you do't get, what you got to lose?

dogspods

We used to be with Scottish Power, dual fuel monthly DD, had nothing but problems, bills always going up, inaccurate meter readings (added £1000 to bill in one instance), refusing to let us swap as 'we were in arrears' despite bringing the account up to day the previous day... the list goes on.


Was paying £260 a month, finally swapped to 1st Utility, dual fuel, new monthly payment of £140. 12 months on that payment has been reduced to £104 pm!


We haven't changed our usage habits, but would love to know how SP could continually get away with charging us so much and is there I way we could complain and get the bills with them checked/looked into?

Footienutbird

Hi got to say read your piece on mis-selling and had already sorted my own problem with Scottish Power and got them to refund what they owed me then when your site posted about it again I sent my details off and got a cheque for £50 well pleased thanks

Amh

I switched to Npower summer 2013. My 18 month contract is coming to an end. They have quoted my new payments for both gas and electric is to be £46. I know this is far too cheap. They have adjusted my payments over the time. In August the statement showed I was in arrears. This new statement shows arrears of nearly £500 and yet again they are reducing my monthly payment. I rang to clarify. I pointed out the arrears. After investigation I was told it was an error by them. To apologies I was offered £25. I declined. After speaking to a manager I have been offered £100 off the debt which of course still has to be cleared. Cosidering Npower have put me in debt does this seem a fair offer?
I aren't sure!

dianadoors

mrswack wrote: »

I have just spotted that Npower online has not billed me for the 10 months I have been with them. I moved from British gas paying £101 per month to npower paying £85

I have just called to find out I owe them £700....!!!!! How can this even be possible!! I used uswitch as I always have...this can't be right surely...I would never have moved to someone more expensive...I'm at a loss now but it's being investigate...

This is normal practice for NPower ,exactly the same thing happened to me and I'm going to court against them.They induce you to move with promises of lower bills.My DD was increased by 120% within a few months of moving to NPower.They never tried to sort it,I was sent letters from 'fake legal entities' threatening allsorts. NPower uses the most despicable underhand methods possible.Walk away from them asap!