Npower Objection to switch

Wiggles81

I've just tried to switch both elec and gas from npower to first utility. I had an email last week from first utility saying current supplier had raised an objection, and about an hour later a new bill from npower for aprox £100 turned up in my inbox. I rang up npower and asked about the objection, they told me it was because my account was in debt- not impressed with the expression considering the bill had only just arrived! Anyway, paid the bill over the phone and was told all was fine and the objection would be removed. Phoned up first utility to confirm this and they said all was looking fine for the switch. Then I've just had an email 2 days later saying npower have withheld their objection and I can't switch! Can anyone help?

dogshome

Hmmm - Switch from n'power to First Utility ?
The phrase Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire comes to mind

Both of these suppliers get their position at, or near the top of the ratings by operating a cash-back feature that you get after you have been with them a year, but they have very tight rules and if you miss out on any one of them, your cash doesn't come back

Both of these suppliers are regularly hammered on this site with FU well ahead in the Complaint/Poor Service comments, look at the blog sites to see for yourself - It may just be that n'power have done you a favour in blocking the Switch

jalexa

Wiggles81 wrote: »

...about an hour later a new bill from npower for aprox £100 turned up in my inbox. I rang up npower and asked about the objection, they told me it was because my account was in debt...

Study this... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/files/2010/01/Debt-blocking1.pdf and seek the advice offered.

A "debt" is a matter of fact and only exists when a bone fide invoice (or bill) has not been settled by the due date. Unbilled energy is not a "debt". Neither is an account debit balance (where a monthly payment scheme has been maintained) or a bill ahead of the due date.

Is the £100 genuinely newly billed energy? If so I suggest you raise a formal complaint with NPower, in writing or by email, strictly in accordance with the NPower complaints procedure.

Regarding your decision to switch, commonly NPower tariffs feature "deferred discount":eek:. You could forfeit the discount if you switch before the discount is earned after complete 12 month periods of supply. Worse, unearned discount already credited monthly stands to be clawed back in the final bill.

As the last poster pointed out First Utility tariffs also commonly feature "deferred discount":eek:. Beware "deferred discount" if you do not understand the circumstances you could forfeit the discount.

undaunted

Standard License condition 14.6 states "

The licensee shall ensure that Outstanding Charges of amounts equal to or less than £200 are capable of being assigned by the licensee to a new Electricity Supplier in accordance with the Protocol."

Source: Page 45 of http://epr.ofgem.gov.uk/document_fetch.php?documentid=15930

If you've aso now paid the bill there is no basis for objection. It's about time somebody got a grip of Npower, they seem to believe they can just do as they like!

That said I'm not sure that I'd go to First Utility either - don't know any of their customers personally but, like Npower, they seem to have a consistently poor reputation on here.

chanz4

If you paid by card, it would take 2-3 days to apply. Op if the debt is under 28 days they cant object.

Wiggles81

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I thought as much, the bill had only just been issued and there was mo outstanding debt on my account. I think I will complain to npower, even though I'm leaving them. Spoke to fu today and I'm going to have to re-apply to switch anyway, will take your advice on board and see what other deals are out there.

Terrylw1

Just a quick point...the supplier doesn't have to uphold the objection but by failing yo remove the objection its automatically upheld by mpas who passes the data to the new supplier. They can tell mpas they want to uphold it, but its more likely its the auto process.

If it, it all happens in a very tight timescale so its very unlikely you would have time to resolve it.

The objection process for debt was tightened to prevent this but it still happens. One new bill is not enough for an objectionunless its overdue and if its below something like £50 (can't remember offhand), I think you can go anyway.

Ask npower if they sent the upheld rejection flow or whether they didn't. If they didn't, blame the industry for the process, not the supplier. However, objecting in the first place is still an error and worth a complaint.

Once the objection period passes like this, your new supplier must request a new registration per industry process.

deshepherd

... of course none of this would happen if nPower had implemented a "spirng review" policy .... some times utility companies can never win!

chanz4

doubt the call centres will have the access to view the objection flows .

Terrylw1

chanz4 wrote: »

doubt the call centres will have the access to view the objection flows .

Maybe not but they can refer to some form of support team or get to the back offices which depend on them.

Terrylw1

deshepherd wrote: »

... of course none of this would happen if nPower had implemented a "spirng review" policy .... some times utility companies can never win!

Or if they have followed ofgems updated policy on debt objections which all suppliers were mandated to build into their processes. Given the time frames here, this seems like an error.