NPower billing issue

emlou2009

Hope i've posted this in the right place, sorry in advance if I haven't.

We've been with NPower for around 18 months now. Based on our usage with a previous supplier they estimated our monthly direct debit amount to be around £90, which we paid for the first year. They then wrote to us and said we were in credit, and reduced our monthly direct debit amount to around £65.

We have recently moved house, and called them today to give them our final meter reading for the old house. They said to close the account they need a payment of over £260 for the electric and that for the duration of our account with them we've been building up electric arrears to the tune of that sum! I dont understand how on earth they can justify that given that they reduced our bill after they themselves performed a meter reading?

Having only spoken to them today we obviously dont actually have any paper version of this through yet and as yet the above is all we know, but I would like to know where I stand on this. There is absolutely no way we could possibly have built this amount up since they read the meter six months ago - our heating was gas and hasnt been used over the summer, the water was again gas, we dont have a tumble drier. Energy saving light bulbs throughout, only a two bedroom house with two adults and a toddler.

jalexa

emlou2009 wrote: »

There is absolutely no way we could possibly have built this amount up since they read the meter six months ago...

I wouldn't advise that as a strategy. Unless proved faulty (something I am not suggesting) the (actual) meter reading(s) provide proof positive of actual consumption. Decline to settle over the phone. Assuming you have provided a forwarding address ask for a paper bill. When you ask, ask the timeframe for receiving the bill.

Important - if the advised timeframe expires raise a formal complaint in writing - immediately.

There are several reasons that could explain the "£260", including supplier error, but without the paper bill it's pointless to speculate.

An issue you need to address, you post that you have already moved house. Do you have "proof" that your reading is correct? I mean not inadvertantly in error.

emlou2009

The reading is definitely correct, we took a photo of the number on the meter as the last thing we did before handing back the keys. We did give the forwarding address and request a paper bill when we spoke to them this afternoon.

The reason I say there is no way we could had built this up in just six months is that we have also been paying the monthly direct debit all this time, we've not changed the way we used the electric in any way since they took their last reading and told us we were in credit and reduced our direct debit amount.

jalexa

emlou2009 wrote: »

The reading is definitely correct, we took a photo of the number on the meter as the last thing we did before handing back the keys. We did give the forwarding address and request a paper bill when we spoke to them this afternoon.

Good about the photograph. Maybe NPower took down the reading incorrectly?

Anyway you need to look very closely at the numbers on the printed bill. Meanwhile you might need to look out previous bills.

NPower are renowned for a very short fuse when it comes to defaulting "arrears". Keep alert for the paper bill arriving (or not arriving). If you don't agree the basis for the bill make sure that you Complain immediately to prevent any recovery action starting.

I advise again, you need to focus on the numbers, not the "impossibility" of the "£260".

nPower

Hi emlou2009,

Would you like me to have a look into this for you and see where the £260 has come from? If you send me your account details to forumresponse@npower.com I can get onto it straight away.

Best wishes

Sally