Getting back credit

kec1964

Hello all, this is my first thread on MSE forums and it's a bit of a rant but I am sure I can get the answer I need here!

My current (dual fuel) supplier is npower. Last month they sent me a statement saying I was £145 in credit but that my monthly payments were going up to £250 a month (from £150). I called to challenge that so they took a meter reading and agreed that as my usage wasn't as high as they'd estimated, the monthly payments would stay the same.

Yesterday I had another statement saying I'm £711.96 in credit. I called them to ask for a £500 refund, thinking I was being sensible leaving the rest of it on account to cover extra energy usage throughout the winter. However, they said that if I had a refund they would have to increase my monthly payment by £50.

I argued that the fact I am so much in credit surely means I have been paying too much energy for a while, and asked them to justify making me pay more since it seems that would mean me building up more credit. They had no answer to that, just said they'd refer me to the Complaints Department.

Somebody help me, I'm getting absolutely nowhere with npower. I said it's not fair that they are effectively punishing me financially for wanting them to refund money that is rightfully mine.

OhReally_2

kec1964 wrote: »

Hello all, this is my first thread on MSE forums and it's a bit of a rant but I am sure I can get the answer I need here!

My current (dual fuel) supplier is npower. Last month they sent me a statement saying I was £145 in credit but that my monthly payments were going up to £250 a month (from £150). I called to challenge that so they took a meter reading and agreed that as my usage wasn't as high as they'd estimated, the monthly payments would stay the same.

Yesterday I had another statement saying I'm £711.96 in credit. I called them to ask for a £500 refund, thinking I was being sensible leaving the rest of it on account to cover extra energy usage throughout the winter. However, they said that if I had a refund they would have to increase my monthly payment by £50.

I argued that the fact I am so much in credit surely means I have been paying too much energy for a while, and asked them to justify making me pay more since it seems that would mean me building up more credit. They had no answer to that, just said they'd refer me to the Complaints Department.

Somebody help me, I'm getting absolutely nowhere with npower. I said it's not fair that they are effectively punishing me financially for wanting them to refund money that is rightfully mine.

So let me get tjis right.

1. Last month you were £145 in credit.

2. Following a call to the supplier it was agreed your monthy payment would remain at £150 per month.

3. This month you thought it sensible to ask the supplier for a £500 refund???

:doh:

kec1964

yes. the £145 credit last month was based on estimated readings, the £771 credit is based on actual meter readings

Not clear what you think is wrong with that

OhReally_2

kec1964 wrote: »

yes. the £145 credit last month was based on estimated readings, the £771 credit is based on actual meter readings

Not clear what you think is wrong with that

If you are genuinely in excess of £700 in credit, then your monthly repayments would be set low to repay you that credit.

If you want the credit back now (and I'm not sure why you didn't want it back last month when it was presumably at least £700 in reality - how did you ever let it get to that amount?) then your monthly payments would need to reflect your actual consumption not the reduced figure that allows for the repayment of that credit

Bear in mind you would usually expect to be in credit at this time of the year to a certain extent to fund the normally heavy use over the winter period.(Presumably that is why you are opting to leave £271 credit in the account?)

As this is a moneysaving site, I'm sure you could cut down on your consumption too. £150 per month with a £771 accrued credit being repaid also factored in is one heck of a consumption level.

nPower

Hi kec1964,

This sounds very frustrating!

I'd like to get this sorted for you so if you can send me through your details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL], I can find out what's happened and hopefully:

a. get a refund to you and,
b. get your monthly payments set so you're only paying for what you use.

Best wishes,

Adam