Powergen say we don't exist!!

timberflake

Ok, this is weird! My girlfriend and I moved into a newly built apartment on September 23rd 2006, so we've been there for almost 5 months.

It got to the beginning of january and I thought it was weird we hadn't had a power bill, all we'd had was a welcome letter from powergen so I rang them.

They said they could find no record of our apartment on their system, they couldn't even find a record of the letter we had so they asked me to find out the plot number our apartment was, the meter serial and supply number and also our current meter readings.

Over several phonecalls I gave them all the info, first the meter serial number and readings, which after checking with the meter point registration service and Seimans (who fit the meters) they said didn't exist, they could find a meter with 1 digit different at the end (which turned out to be another apartment in our building), but said the serial I gave them doesn't exist!

They then asked for the plot number, which I duly gave them. However, they said they still couldn't find us. Next they asked for the supply number, which is where we're at now. I've rang our letting agent, who enquired with the builder and landlord, but knowbody seems to know it. Hoever, if they can find another meter in the same building as us, surely the supply number will be the same as ours!!??

I'm going to ring them this afternoon as I really don't see what else I can do, does anyone have any advice, perhaps someone has been in this situation before and knows how I can best resolve it? Any advice would be much appreciated!

Maz

Hi timberflake,

I've got practically the same problem with Scottish Power who supply my gas! My DD and SIL used to live with me until they got their own place and they were great at sorting the cheapest power suppliers for me, so I left them to it. However, I haven't had a gas bill since around June last year and SP reckon that they're not my supplier. Haven't had a bill from any other bods and DD insists that SP supply me. Dunno what to do now, don't want to be lumbered with a huge bill when the elusive gas peeps twig! At the same time, am being chased for 125 quid by British Gas for usage in a property that I wasn't living in at the time the bill incurred! Makes you wonder what the hell's going on with these people..................

jessc_2001

If you have a meter and supply then you have a 'MPAN' - this is the Meter Point Administration Number. (this is unique to your meter and willl NOT be the same as anyone else's)

When the buildings were constructed, the builder would have spoken to the Distributor in your area to arrange supply and when the supply was installed there had to be contracts with an energy supplier to fit the meter.

If you received a letter from Powergen welcoming you then it would seem reasonable to assume that the contract was with them.

Depending on where you live depends in what numbers your MPAN starts with.

Having worked for Powergen in the past, they cover 2 'footprint' areas :

MPAN's starting 10 are in the old Eastern Electricity/TXU Energi
MPAN's starting 16 are in the old Norweb area/TXU Energi

I suggest you speak with MPAS - Powergen will be able to give you the correct number for your area - get your 13 digit MPAN and they will also be able to tell you which company is registered as the supplier (they should also be able to give you a 'phone number). If it is Powergen, ask them if it is Powergen EASTERN or Powergen NORTH.

Then call Powergen back and ask to speak to the New Connections/Home Moving dept and give them your MPAN, advise them that you have spoken to MPAS to confirm that they ARE your supplier and tell them to find you/create your MPAN on their system, provide them with your meter details (again) and start billing you ASAP - you do NOT want to be waiting for them to fix this otherwise once they do - you may receive a large bill that you WILL have to pay.

If all else fails contact Energywatch and get them on the case....

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/

Hope this helps!

timberflake

jessc_2001 wrote:

If you have a meter and supply then you have a 'MPAN' - this is the Meter Point Administration Number. (this is unique to your meter and willl NOT be the same as anyone else's)

When the buildings were constructed, the builder would have spoken to the Distributor in your area to arrange supply and when the supply was installed there had to be contracts with an energy supplier to fit the meter.

If you received a letter from Powergen welcoming you then it would seem reasonable to assume that the contract was with them.

Depending on where you live depends in what numbers your MPAN starts with.

Having worked for Powergen in the past, they cover 2 'footprint' areas :

MPAN's starting 10 are in the old Eastern Electricity/TXU Energi
MPAN's starting 16 are in the old Norweb area/TXU Energi

I suggest you speak with MPAS - Powergen will be able to give you the correct number for your area - get your 13 digit MPAN and they will also be able to tell you which company is registered as the supplier (they should also be able to give you a 'phone number). If it is Powergen, ask them if it is Powergen EASTERN or Powergen NORTH.

Then call Powergen back and ask to speak to the New Connections/Home Moving dept and give them your MPAN, advise them that you have spoken to MPAS to confirm that they ARE your supplier and tell them to find you/create your MPAN on their system, provide them with your meter details (again) and start billing you ASAP - you do NOT want to be waiting for them to fix this otherwise once they do - you may receive a large bill that you WILL have to pay.

If all else fails contact Energywatch and get them on the case....

http://www.energywatch.org.uk/

Hope this helps!

the MPAN is the supply number cos they said it would be 13 digits long. The letting agent say the builders and landlord don't know what this is!! Thanks for the suggestion though, any other ideas!!?

Mr&MrsSkint

I would contact your local Distributuon business and ask for their MPAS Manager and ask him/her to find out what it is- they would have connected the meter to the supply. This is not a standard approach but if you live in the east or west mids, the Distribution business is called Central Networks and owned by E.ON (the owners of Powergen) and hopefully this might get some action. if all else fails email me privately and I may be able to help you having worked for them for 13 years.

timberflake

Quick update, through energylinx I've found out that Central Networks is our electricity distribution company. I've tried calling them on 0845 603 0618 to find out what our supplier and MPAN is but it just goes dead after 2 rings so have emailed them instead. Will keep you updated on how it goes.

BTW, after seeing what other people are being charge for their usage I'm very worried!!! I saw in another thread that someone was charged £150 for 1000kw of energy, however, we've used 3000kw in 4 months!!! Logic dictates we can expect a bill for £450!? SCARY!!

timberflake

Ok, heard back from Central Networks last night and they say they can't find anything under the serial number I gave them (we've double checked that we wrote it down right). They have found a serial number within our apartment block identical to ours except for a 3 at the end (ours has a 2). There's 18 apartments in the building, so why is only 1 showing up!!?

I'm going to ring Powergen this morning, but before I do does anyone have any further advice? This is really starting to bug me now, why is it no-one can seem to find us!!?

jessc_2001

You need to get your supply number/MPAN from MPAS - without that the supplier (Powergen) can't do anything - get on the phone to them and get that number!! ;o)

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

When we moved into a new build it took over a year to sort out the energy bills and suppliers.We as well were told by companies that we approached that they had no knowledge of us on their systems and officially we didnt exist.They soon wanted the money though when they realised we did even if it did take some convincing.The stupidest thing was with BT,we tried to get a phone line installed and was told that we couldnt possibly have one, since that address was officially a telegraph pole.It took us nearly two months to sort it out.

timberflake

jessc_2001 wrote:

You need to get your supply number/MPAN from MPAS - without that the supplier (Powergen) can't do anything - get on the phone to them and get that number!! ;o)

How am supposed to so that!? Our MPAS is Central Networks, I've tried to ring loads of times but the line just goes dead. I've emailed them with our full address and meter serial number and they've told us we don't exist! What else can I possibly do!!?

1882

If I were you I'd be sorely tempted to put away an approximate amount for usage in a bank account each month and forget about them billing you. At some point in the future they may ask for cash and you'd have it and hopefully a tidy amount of interest.