Have I been conned

whizzing

I thought I should look at changing my utility supplier. I did, and it said cheapest was NPower Energy Online June 2014, with a saving of £360 per annum. As I was currently with NPower but on a different,Go Save, tariff thought I would phone them up and asked to change tariff.
This was no problem but during the conversation it came to light that the Go Save tariff used in the comparison was the one that is to start on the 26th Nov (i.e including the price rise) but the Energy Online tariff has not yet been increased and is expected to increase in early 2013 - i.e a couple of months away. The Energy Online June 2014 tariff only guarantees that the rate will be 3% less that the standard rate. Whatever that is?
I said I think Ive changed my mind but it was too late,unless I wanted to wait a month. My old tariff had no exit fees(for want of a better expression) but the new one has £60 if I want to go elsewhere.
So now I am going to be hit with a price rise of an unknown amount in January and a £60 penalty if I want to go to another company. Have I been foolishly caught out?

s1lv3rdal5

When did you agree to the new contract?

As it was all done over the phone, you are entitled to a "Cooling off Period".
also
You should have been sent (posted), a copy of the new contract.

If you haven't received a copy of the new contract, you should be able to: Cancel the contract and switch supplier.

nPower

Good morning whizzing,

Did you do your comparison via the npower.com site, or was it a broker site?

@s1lv3rdal5 You're right, we do have a 'cooling off' period. This is 14 days from when we process the application to switch, so if you switched via a site, this could be a couple of days after.
If the contract was agreed by phone, then it will be 14 days from this day.

If you'd like me to take a look into this for you and see what we can do, pop over your details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL]

Many thanks,

Adam

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Hi whizzing,

s1lv3rdal5 wrote:

When did you agree to the new contract?

As it was all done over the phone, you are entitled to a "Cooling off Period".
also
You should have been sent (posted), a copy of the new contract.

If you haven't received a copy of the new contract, you should be able to: Cancel the contract and switch supplier.

s1lv3rdal5 is correct you SHOULD receive a Contract in the Post.

However, I have discovered that some people who want to become Customers
of nPower have not received their Contract. This is because of the 'new system'
at nPower:
(I mean the people, processes and procedures together with nPower's computers) is not working as it should.
There is evidence that it is failing the Standard Licence Conditions (SLC).

See the thread:
Warning: npower accept new customers without sending them a Contract

In particular, I am alleging, the 'new system' is breaching

SLC 25.6 - they are not supplying new Telephone Customers with a written
Contract before they 'switch them'.

SLC 22.8 - they are not providing a written Contract to Customers, like me,
who ask for a copy of their Contract.

As you are an existing Customer of nPower you might receive a Contract.
Legally you should.
If you do please can you post in this thread.

If you don't please can you add to the
Warning: npower accept new customers without sending them a Contract
thread.

Best wishes,

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Hi Adam,

(the official company representative of nPower)

It is good to see you posting here.

Please can you also read
Warning: npower accept new customers without sending them a Contract
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4273611

I would like nPower's comments (in that thread)

Please can you either refute what is being alleged
OR
answer the questions I have asked nPower in Post #6 of that thread.

The questions for nPower are:

Q-N-01. When did you discover that you were accepting new Customers without providing them with a Contract - contrary to the "Pre-contract obligations", section (25.6) of the "Standard conditions of gas supply licence"?

Q-N-02. How many new Customers is npower supplying without providing them with a Contract as per Standard Condition 25.6?

Q-N-03. When did npower inform the Regulator that they were in breach of Standard Condition 25.6?

Q-N-04. On what basis, conditions or terms has the Regulator allowed npower to continue accepting new Customers in breach of Standard Condition 25.6?

Q-N-05. If a Customer informs npower that they have NOT received a Contract (for any potential reason e.g. it was lost in the Post): what is a reasonable number of days for a Customer to wait to receive a Contract?

Thanks,

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig