I've been sacked by nPower as a customer - should I be concerned?

rjsdavis

laptop80 wrote: »

If Npower dumped their customers after one complaint they would have significantly fewer customers.

It's odd that you seem to assume the OP is a problem customer that should be ditched - NPower are renowned for their shocking customer service. I'm far more inclined to believe that they have been messed about by NPower.

To give you an indication of how bad their customer care is, when I had cause to complain they simply ignored the complaint. Not dealt with it badly (that came later); just ignored it. They didn't need to 'sack' me though - as soon as my contract was up I switched.

Thanks laptop - was beginning to think that I was on my own with no friends at all on here!

Honestly, surely Martin L himself (if he were posting on this thread) would be telling us all "if you being dealt with badly by a supplier - COMPLAIN, if you're being overcharged by a supplier - COMPLAIN" etc etc? N'est pas?

rjsdavis

dogshome wrote: »

rjsdavis has done well to fight n'power to a standstill and is asking for advice based on when this sort of thing has happened before.

Thanks dogshome! I thought it wasn't going to just bend over and be steam-rollerd by nPower either.... Honestly, if I had a few hours to outline the entire case I would. It's a shocker, but there you go.

I can't believe that I'm the first to experience this scenario though? Ever?

rjsdavis

Angry_Bear wrote: »

And you'd be right, the question appears to be "My electricity company is no longer supplying me, but I'm still getting power - where is it coming from?".

Perhaps you should have read the OP?

Thanks Angry Bear - that is EXACTLY where I'm at.

duchy

rjsdavis wrote: »

Thanks laptop - was beginning to think that I was on my own with no friends at all on here!

Honestly, surely Martin L himself (if he were posting on this thread) would be telling us all "if you being dealt with badly by a supplier - COMPLAIN, if you're being overcharged by a supplier - COMPLAIN" etc etc? N'est pas?

Well you're doing all that .......Just because you've "left" a supplier doesn't mean you can't continue with your complaint. If a court finds your case justified I'd imagine n-power dumping you will go against them too and might just inflate any compensation due.

I'd get a new supplier ASAP and consider it a GOOD thing as N-power can't threaten to cut you off if they aren't your supplier.

rjsdavis

jalexa wrote: »

I don't know the answer though I am unconvinced by "fuse withdrawing, pot ending" bluster.

I referred to my terms and conditions (a different supplier). I was a little surprised to see a clause which empowered the supplier to gain access to recover "their" meters at the ending of a contract (with obvious effect). This power would not be enforced if another supplier contracted to supply before the end date.

I interpret that as the "ex-supplier" is not empowered to remove another provider's meter and following the termination of the contract (hypothetically in Aug 2012) has no further powers with respect to the premises. The ex-supplier's sole route is then to seek financial redress via the civil courts.

My expectation is that at the termination of the contract supply responsibility would revert to the supplier that was originally the supplier for the DNO region. That would initially be on a "deemed" basis and (importantly) the new supplier for its period of supply only, would have the normal range of debt recovery options including the fitting of a pre-payment meter, subject of course to warrant, but unlikely to be denied that on sound application.

It is not my belief and understanding that the householder is obliged to take any steps to initiate the above action.

Thanks Jalexa - I think we're very much on the same wavelength here. This was where I was sort of at, but was unsure having not experienced this before.

Q1: Who's Terry L?

Q2: What would you do if you were me at this juncture?

I recognise that I'm not going to get away with having no supplier (but a supply of indefinite energy) forever, but whilst the mess is sorted out, I'm quite happy to let the process move as slowly as possible :-)

I also don't expect the same customer service/contractual issues to re-occur with whoever the new supplier is, so am unsure why some posters are a bit fixed on the legal powers of of warrant / entry / pre-payment meter of whoever the new supplier is. Whoever it is, we'll just set up a new DDM arrangement and commence a new relationship as should have been the case with nPower for the last 20 months or so.

Being open and honest, it feels like there's a window of opportunity to gain some free energy for a while, and let's be honest, with energy prices as sky high as they are (and 6-10% increases coming) - why would any sane person look a gift horse like that in the mouth? I realise that some would say that the duty is with me to notify, choose and select a new provider to make the transition seamless and "do the right thing" - but my view is that energy providers haven't been doing the right thing for more than a decade now to all of us (rocketing prices upwards on the back of increased wholesale prices, and dropping them like a feather on the back of wholesale falls), so it feels like time is well overdue to stick it to them a bit wherever I can.... At least that's my two pennies worth.

rjsdavis

duchy wrote: »

Well you're doing all that .......Just because you've "left" a supplier doesn't mean you can't continue with your complaint. If a court finds your case justified I'd imagine n-power dumping you will go against them too and might just inflate any compensation due.

I'd get a new supplier ASAP and consider it a GOOD thing as N-power can't threaten to cut you off if they aren't your supplier.

Agree entirely....

keiran

Hey, don't think that the Energy Ombudsman will be any help at all to you.

they're much too busy licking the backsides of the energy companies

They'll simply agree that the company followed its own procedures

grahamc2003

rjsdavis wrote: »

Being open and honest, it feels like there's a window of opportunity to gain some free energy for a while,

Well that's being open, but it isn't being honest.

Why don't you want to pay for the energy you use? If you don't pay, then all other customers who do pay also pay a bit towards yours too.

backfoot

JethroUK wrote: »

you're not serious this is a wind up right

you complain about a service for 18 months and wonder why they don't want your business

I would dump you after one complaint

buy your power from someone else there's plenty of choice

still don't believe anyone over 16 years old is that naeive

Classic. :rotfl:

Or better still, send some boys round to give him a kicking.

Wywth

rjsdavis wrote: »

...out of the blue last week, we received notification that we have been "sacked" as a client, and they have closed our account with effect from August of this year. ...

withabix wrote: »

...You WILL remain liable for all energy used at standard rates and it may become cold and dark in your home very soon.

rjsdavis wrote: »

Ok, but a little bit overly dramatic..... !

Lol

Is this a domestic supply to your residential address, or a commercial supply to a business premises?

Who has been supplying your energy since August? Or were you disconnected?