npower problem, can anyone please help with some advice?

indieboy1980

Hi i am a married man with a 18 month child and have entered a nightmare scenario with npower, i will try to explain this the best i can

I have been with npower for 4 years now and have been paying by direct debit and up until now have thought they seemed a great company to deal with,
We had an online bill come through about a month ago which was done via as a estimate and the bill said i owed £130 to the account
I then phoned and gave npower my correct meter readings and a few days later recieved a new bill saying i owe £280.
I thought this was strange as i have only ever been in credit so phoned them again, they asked me to do a load test which i done and they have now came back to me saying over the last 4 years they have had my reading the wrong way round and the guy from npower said were gonna be looking at a bill for potentially thousands
When ever i have gave reading on the computer or when over the phone i have always clearly stated which reading was day and which was night

Me and my wife are so worried as we dont have any cash to pay this!
Can anyone please help?

thanks

chanz4

if its transposed reads, they can only bill you back 12 months and should agree a plan

gem1979_2

I've had the exact same letter today. They've had my meter readings round the wrong way since 2008! My monthly bill has now gone up from £72 to £150 a month and that's after they written off anything from before the 19/07/2010. It clearly says on the letter 'we've been working out your bills using your day and night readings the wrong way round since 02/12/2008'.

They've written off anything prior to 12 months from what they refer to as the correction date which was the 19/07/2011 when they apparently asked me to complete a load test. I did compete a load test earlier this year but don't remember being asked last year.

£150 a month should clear the balance in a year. They've given me the option to clear it in 24 or 36 months if I prefer. They estimate my bill should be £102 a month after that.

Any thoughts? I'm furious that they've had it wrong this long. Is there anything I can do or have I not got a leg to stand on? Will be changing provider soon as I can!:mad:

chanz4

if they are only billing back 12 months, that's about all but you can request the extended plan to repay

dogshome

Hi indieboy 1980 - As already posted, n'power cannot charge back their error for anything longer than the last 12 months, and the important bit is that the timeline runs back 12 months from the date they issued the first correct bill
You seem to have been on top of your bills, so look back over the bills for the last 12 months, reverse the Night/Day readings and work out what you owe for yourself

Hi gem1979 - Not quite sure of the content of your post, but it seems that n'power are saying that because they asked you to do a load test on 19/7/11, (which you don't remember), they are taking this as the date from which the "12 month Backing-billing Agreement" should apply.
This wrong, when they found out about it means nothing, what counts is the date on which they issued the first corrective bill - Assuming that this is the same date as your post, the charge-back period can go no further back than 12th Sept 2011

nPower

Hi indieboy1980 & gem1979,

It sounds like you both need a bit of clarity with what's happened on your accounts.

If you can email me your details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL], I can get this looked into for you to make sure everything is correct.

Best wishes,

Adam

gem1979_2

nPower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi indieboy1980 & gem1979,

It sounds like you both need a bit of clarity with what's happened on your accounts.

If you can email me your details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL], I can get this looked into for you to make sure everything is correct.

Best wishes,

Adam

Hello Adam

Thank you for your response. You should have my email now.

nPower

Hi gem1979,

I've got your email - thank you for sending over your details.

This is being looked into as we speak!

Many thanks,

Adam

Terrylw1

Remember to ask them how many times the meter readers have been out there. Each one of those should have highlighted the problem and they should not attempt to charge back into these at a minimum, but the 12 month rule with apply.

mich64_2

I am starting to get worried and any help you can give me would be great. I have written to NPower and have e-mailed them but to date have had not response. I signed up to them last year putting in the figures I had used in the previous year, this included the severe winter of 2010. they quoted me £108 for gas and electricity. I have since received a new bill informing me that my bills will be going up to £308. I have since checked my previous years usage and I used more than I have with NPower cannot understand why they are charging me more. I have just used a comparison site and put in 14 months worth of usage and have been quoted £130 approx a month. I have tried to visit the NPower website but cannot access any information!!! My new direct debit is supposed to start on 1 October and I cannot afford this new payment and dont feel it is justified. I have also tried telephoning them but have ended in sitting a huge queue and have had to hang up.

Doodlebugmagik

I'm afraid to say that this story doesn't just apply to existing customers. My father in law died in July, his wife moved to a new property where we can take care of her. Npower is the existing supplier. We supply meter readings and recieve a first quarter bill of over £150. WAY TOO HIGH. (My husband estimated her costs at approx £50. We informed Npower who took new readings - insisted on a 'load test' then told us ther readings were obviously 'the wrong way round' (where have we heard this before?) We were told to make NO PAYMENT until the correct bill arrived. We then receive a RED BILL, follow up call to NPower, new up to date meter readings, apologies (of course) 'it takes up to 4 weeks' to create a new bill. Now we have a DEBT COLLECTOR LETTER!
On calling (again) we are told that we 'Should have made nominal payment' and that the previous instruction not to pay was 'incorrect'. Again insistence that the reading are the 'wrong way round' and although a new bill has been raised it may still take 4 WEEKS to get to us!?
In the meantime a frail lady who is mourning the death of her husband, living in a new premises and does not need any further stress is losing sleep and worrying herself ill! Really Npower...it appears you can just make it up as you go along. WE are DISGUSTED at your behaviour and are moving companies ASAP - regardless of your reminding us how 'difficult' it will be......Needless to say I am One Very Angry Customers DAughter in Law!