NPower abusing OAP's in the middle of winter!

macman

And how exactly do you think NPower know how old your mother is? They have her name and address, her bank details and her gas consumption. That's all.
Undoubtedly this has taken longer than it should have, but to blame it on an anti-OAP conspiracy, rather than just the usual Big 6 admin chaos, is unrealistic.

Yorkie1

I swapped from npower in September.

The cheque for £200+ arrived this morning without having been chased.

Monsieur_Bob

macman wrote: »

And how exactly do you think NPower know how old your mother is? They have her name and address, her bank details and her gas consumption. That's all.
Undoubtedly this has taken longer than it should have, but to blame it on an anti-OAP conspiracy, rather than just the usual Big 6 admin chaos, is unrealistic.

Well, as she's a member of their 'Warm Response' service they know she's at least over 60. Don't bother apologising friend, but a little thought before a post goes a long way on www message boards I find, as does couching a reply in a more diplomatic fashion. Apart from that, she's told 'em she's a pensioner when she's phoned, 'cos she struggles to both hear what they are saying sometimes and operate the phone when it's asking her to enter her account number etc.

Perhaps conspiracy is too strong a word for it.

But the Guardian asks a similar question regarding Npower and pensioners, from an article entitled: 'Npower tardy in handing back pensioner's money' [19th October 2012]

'We have had a couple of letters along these lines and wonder whether something is happening at npower?'

The letter to the Guardian newspaper consumer section is from a pensioner who's in almost exactly the same position as my mum. Taking a statistical view of the situation, if the Guardian have a few letters stating the same, it stands to reason that there's a hell of a lot more pensioners out there in the same position. I'm not a suspicious person by nature, but this is really making me wonder whether they may be up to something and this is a policy rather than an error.

[I can't post a link to the Guardian article, but obviously searching for the article's title in Google will direct anyone interested to the link]

macman

Your original post commences with the rant: 'Npower are the vilest, most disgusting company I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with!'

And you are giving lessons on how to post diplomatically?!

That Guardian story could just as easily have said 'Npower tardy in handing back customer's money'. But cheap sensationalism is much easier journalism by using the emotive word 'pensioner'. Not everyone over 60 is vulnerable, or incapable of managing their utility accounts suppliers. Do you really think that NPower have an active management-approved policy of ripping off old ladies?

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Reading the story published by the Guardian

Npower tardy in handing back pensioner's money
Npower owed me £187 – so why was it so slow to pay?
by Miles Brignall 19 October 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/oct/19/npower-tardy-pensioners-money

I note that the reader (of the Guardian) wrote

"... I am a pensioner on a basic state pension and I need that money to be paid back now. ..."

Once the Guardian was on the case npower paid an extra "... £125 as a goodwill gesture to say sorry for the delays ..."

As npower are having major issues with their 'new computer system' it is possible that the delay that you have had is a 'knock on effect' of this.

I offer this as an explanation not an excuse.

See
Warning: npower accept new customers without sending them a Contract
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4273611

npower have ignored all the more difficult questions asked in the thread.
npower have tried to 'play down the whole issue' be a 'bland as possible'.
See Post #110 above and their FAQ (next).

I joined npower but I still haven't received my welcome pack?
https://customerservices.npower.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/654/~/i-joined-npower-but-i-still-haven%27t-received-my-welcome-pack%3F

"There have been slight delays ..."
It is tempting to laugh but they are breaching Consumer's legal rights.

This issue is now affecting lots of people.

The Energy Shop see their blog
http://blog.theenergyshop.com/?p=492
have at least tried to inform their Customers and they have tried to get some accurate information from npower.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

dogshome

Hi Monsieur Bob - The reason I suggested that you get your mother to send a written authority for you to deal with n'power on her behalf, it that it is a LEGAL requirement if you want to manage her account with n'power

The reason I suggested that once you have the authority, you write Complaint letters to n'power, is that once a supplier has a communication headed Complaint, by the terms of their licence they have to deal with it within a fixed time frame - If they do not do so in 8 weeks you can escalate the matter to the Ombudsman, which will cost n'power £350

If you are manageing Mum's accounts, it would be as well for her to send an 'Authority' letter to her new supplier

Monsieur_Bob

macman wrote: »

Your original post commences with the rant: 'Npower are the vilest, most disgusting company I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with!'

And you are giving lessons on how to post diplomatically?!

That Guardian story could just as easily have said 'Npower tardy in handing back customer's money'. But cheap sensationalism is much easier journalism by using the emotive word 'pensioner'. Not everyone over 60 is vulnerable, or incapable of managing their utility accounts suppliers. Do you really think that NPower have an active management-approved policy of ripping off old ladies?

I think you're clutching at straws for the sake of an argument here. IF I'd described an actual individual in that way, you may have had a point, but it's a company, it has no feelings. From your post regarding 'how do npower know how old my mother is', you seem to specialise in making assumptions regarding a person without being in possession of the facts.

Obviously not every pensioner has difficulties managing their affairs. I'm describing my mother's own problems, which you obviously know nothing about.

Monsieur_Bob

dogshome wrote: »

Hi Monsieur Bob - The reason I suggested that you get your mother to send a written authority for you to deal with n'power on her behalf, it that it is a LEGAL requirement if you want to manage her account with n'power

The reason I suggested that once you have the authority, you write Complaint letters to n'power, is that once a supplier has a communication headed Complaint, by the terms of their licence they have to deal with it within a fixed time frame - If they do not do so in 8 weeks you can escalate the matter to the Ombudsman, which will cost n'power £350

If you are manageing Mum's accounts, it would be as well for her to send an 'Authority' letter to her new supplier

Thanks! I did this yesterday and posted it today, so I should be able 'to get to the bottom' of this by the end of next week.

nPower

Good morning Monsieur Bob,

I'd really like to look into this for you but, for DPA reasons, I would need to speak with your mother, or she would need to contact me.

If your mother calls us and you are with her at the time, she can ask for you to speak on her behalf.

Best wishes,

Adam

Richie-from-the-Boro

Says it all really, 30 in the thread going round~and~round and in #3 dogshome already said they could only discuss with the account holder, what a waste of the alphabet

#30 """for DPA reasons, I would need to speak with your mother, or she would need to contact me"""