HELP Just received new payment for npower

woodess

I have been paying £59 for gas and electric since about february i realise that this is a low payment but we are on benefits and cant afford anymore. I have received a letter this morning saying that the new payment is going to be £176 per month!!! This is based on predicted usage over the next year, i vaguely remember having an argument with an energy supplier about this, stating that i am not prepared to pay for anything up front, i wouldnt expect tescos to write and say you spend £60-80 on shopping per week but with the increases you need to save £120 per week!! anyway just tried phoning npower and the wait at the moment is 45 mins! I am going to go to the Citizens advice bureau on friday but has anyone else experienced this and if so how have you dealt with it please, my daughter in law has exactly the same problem:mad:
thankyou in advance

Mrs_Overall

:eek: £176 ?? :eek: The CAB idea sounds good. The power companies are really taking the proverbial at the moment re monthly direct debit payments. Has Npower ever suggested applying for this: ?> http://www.npower.com/spreading_warmth/Content/WarmHomeDiscount/index.htm

WestonDave

Do you know the current state of your account?

At this time of year most suppliers would aim to get your account in credit (i.e. you've paid in more money than you've used so the same payments will cover the winter charges), with a view to it being around zero (i.e. you've paid for everything you've used but no more - obviously within margins for error) by the end of winter.

My guess is that this increase is little to do with an increase in tariff and more to do with the state of the account.

If its about zero now (i.e. you don't owe them anything if you get a bill done as of todays meter readings) then you can argue the point with them about them overpredicting usage you may not use.

If in fact you've been using £80 worth of electricity and gas per month since February, then for a start your payments will be going up at least £20 per month to clear the debt, and you will struggle to argue that shouldn't take place.

The place to start is to get some meter readings as of todays date, get the account billed up to date (you can usually request this either online or on the phone) and then you can start to see whether its debt you have to pay back or advanced instalments you can argue about. The alternative is to ask them for a calculation of the new payments to check if there is any debt/debit balance to pay back.

foxyuk

hi there look at my post this afternoon - they owe me money yet increased my direct debit by £80 a month and predict that i am going to use 2.5 times what i use...

they are numptys....clueless:mad:

woodess

WestonDave wrote: »

Do you know the current state of your account?

At this time of year most suppliers would aim to get your account in credit (i.e. you've paid in more money than you've used so the same payments will cover the winter charges), with a view to it being around zero (i.e. you've paid for everything you've used but no more - obviously within margins for error) by the end of winter.

My guess is that this increase is little to do with an increase in tariff and more to do with the state of the account.

If its about zero now (i.e. you don't owe them anything if you get a bill done as of todays meter readings) then you can argue the point with them about them overpredicting usage you may not use.

If in fact you've been using £80 worth of electricity and gas per month since February, then for a start your payments will be going up at least £20 per month to clear the debt, and you will struggle to argue that shouldn't take place.

The place to start is to get some meter readings as of todays date, get the account billed up to date (you can usually request this either online or on the phone) and then you can start to see whether its debt you have to pay back or advanced instalments you can argue about. The alternative is to ask them for a calculation of the new payments to check if there is any debt/debit balance to pay back.

They stated that even if i paid the o/s balance of £120 my new payment would still be £130 per month.:eek:

woodess

foxyuk wrote: »

hi there look at my post this afternoon - they owe me money yet increased my direct debit by £80 a month and predict that i am going to use 2.5 times what i use...

they are numptys....clueless:mad:

yeah read that earlier so the theory that we owe money doesnt come into it then lol.;)

McKneff

You are catching up now. You said yourself your payment was too low.

So now you have debt from the past year added to the projected use for next year, divide it by 12 and you should be paying what the answer to that comes up as.

Its not a case of you cant afford it, you dont have any choice I'm afraid, if you use the gas/electric you have to pay it.
You need to look at your consumption and do your meter readings on a monthly basis.

chanz4

You maybe best on a pre-pay with a company that has no standing charge.

jalexa

woodess wrote: »

I am going to go to the Citizens advice bureau on friday but has anyone else experienced this and if so how have you dealt with it please,

You need to study the NPower scheme description. http://www.npower.com/Campaigns/direct-debit/direct-debit-explained/index.htm

Go through it line by line and if NPower are in breach of any of it raise a formal complaint, in writing or by email.

The key parameters you need to identify is your previous 12 months consumption, NPower's projected cost for the next 12 months, the date of your 'annual review' also the previous and next interim review dates), your actual monthly payment (I fear it is too low. If you cannot afford more then pre-pay may be your only option) and your account balance on the occasion of a recent meter reading.

Given all that it may be possible to challenge the payment calculation via the complaint's procedure.

If you ignore the above you cannot argue a case.

LiGhTfasT

Dont use it if you cant afford it. Your only paying the debt off and what they expect you to use.

undaunted

Fuel Direct may be an option for you in terms of preventing them from making unaffordable direct debit / repayment demands. You may however lose any direct debit discounts you currently qualify for if you choose to go down this route.

Short of a lottery win, there is no "perfect answer" if you're struggling I'm afraid.

Good luck

http://cfe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5488/~/information-about-fuel-direct