Billing Block

Fluffy69_2

Earlier this year I had a standard electric meter installed ( gas and electric through npower) as I was on economy 7 meters even though it was NEVER installed in the house. I now appear to be in credt with npower by more than £1,000.... I asked where the promised refund was for my previous credit at the end of May (prior to my meter reading) but it appears the there is a "billing block" on my account. :mad: Has anyone else heard of a billing block? Despite asking to speak to someone in authority, it appears my only option was to speak to complaints (yes, I've emailed them!) as everyone else would tell me there was a billing block on my account and nothing could be done. Apparently there are others customers who have the same problems! There doesn't appear to be anyone in authority to authorise repayments - trust me, I tried. Any help welcomed

[Deleted User]

They may be looking into your account to see if the day and night rates have been billed correctly. I see ( and check customers bills to verify ) many eco 7 meters which are read and billed incorrectly, that is the day units get billed at night rate and vice versa. British Gas in my area ( Yorkshire ) are very bad with correct billing on these meters.
If that has happened with you, you would be underbilled quite a lot, or, they could also have been overbilling you

Cardew

Fluffy69 wrote: »

I now appear to be in credt with npower by more than £1,000....

Welcome to the forum.

appear?

Is that a true figure, or could that be the reason for the block?

Can you not work out the approx state of your account yourself?

Terrylw1

The first thing go check is whether you have been billed to a reading that matches your meter. If so, it makes this "billing block" more the fact they don't want to give you your money back.

If you haven't been billed, then they need to resolve whatever is wrong and bill you up to date first which will eat into that credit.

They can't refuse to refund your large credit without explaining what is wrong. If your account is in dispute, you need to know why and not be treated poorly.

After 8 weeks you can go to the ombudsman,

Terrylw1

P.S. A "billing block" will either be a) a marker preventing bills being produced or b) a dispute marker added that allows bills to be generated but it diverts them back to the supplier to fix it prior to you getting it.

vickir_2

I am also having a similar problem with NPower. Apparently there is a block on my account too.
I recently submitted meter readings but a bill can't be produced due to a 'new system' they have got.
I have a large credit on my account and have requested a refund.
I spoke to someone in complaints and am awaitng an outcome from them - this has been going on for 4 weeks now!
I thought it was just me!

Terrylw1

So, in their new SAP system, they prevent bills being produced thus potentially burying customers in debt due to DD's not been assessed.

Sounds like an Ofgem investigation in the making. I can hear the EO sigh from here...

Fluffy69_2

It's taken so long to update this as I can't make sense of their "system". I was paying £75 per week as I was in arrears. The change from economy 7 meter to standard should have meant I would be having reduced bills. They don't seem able to issue an invoice or refund. There have been two amounts transferred out and then back in that are nothing to do with me - neither invoices or refunds! I asked for payment plan to be stopped to allow the refund of £400 to go through and reduced the standing order to £25 per week. I am on their new accounts system.

Date
Description
Credit
Debits
Account Balance
30/05/2012
Payment
425.00
992.77 CR
30/05/2012
Payment
323.00
567.77 CR
30/05/2012
Transfer
425.00
244.77 CR
30/05/2012
Transfer
323.00
669.77 CR
30/05/2012
Invoice Reversal
422.88
992.77 CR
30/05/2012
Payment
75.00
569.89 CR
23/05/2012
Payment
75.00
494.89 CR
23/05/2012
Invoice
422.88
419.89 CR

nPower

Hi Fluffy69 and vickir,

I'm really sorry that you're having trouble getting your credit refunded. I can imagine this is very frustrating!

I'd like to look at this for you both, so if you can send me all the details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL], I can find out what's going on here.

Many thanks,

Adam