nPower complain (official). What body to send it to?

Sapphire

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig wrote: »

Sapphire,
Another wee point.



In this strange 'limbo land' - in my experience, you do have an npower Account Number (see Post #3 in the MAIN Thread - URL below).
As npower have not written to you, you don't know what it is!
If you can get through on the phone, npower can tell you what it is.

In your communication with npower I would quote both your Account Number and your Complaint Number.
I think their systems 'link the numbers' but best to be as clear as possible with npower.

In your complaint to Ofgem cite your 'npower Complaint Number' (for privacy reasons).
If Ofgem want more information, which I doubt they will ask for until after Christmas, your Complaint Number number will be able to 'confirm the evidence trail'.

Very sadly

• you are not the only one

• many Customers are having to deal with a very odd situation

• all of this could have been prevented if npower had fixed their 'new system' back in September 2012

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

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Thanks very much again. I have written to nPower, copying in Southern Electric, and will send a copy of the letter to Ofgem as well (with a covering letter).

I have quoted a complaint number in my letter to nPower. This was supplied to me in the only communication I have had from them – basically a standard letter merely acknowledging the complaint.

I've switched gas and electricity suppliers before and there was never any problem. I find this episode quite unbelievable – they've lost me as a customer forever. (I expect companies to deal with me efficiently and honestly, in the same way that I deal with both companies and individuals myself. If they are not able to do that, then I'm not interested.)

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

First, the narrow points about SLCs and Contracts then, the big picture.

jalexa and undaunted,
I think all 3 of us agree that:

• a Customer can 'back out of' a switch and stay with their existing Supplier

• the SLCs describe how this can be done

• there are time windows in a 'normal switch process'

• in this case the Contract that npower may 'think they have with Sapphire' is unenforceable because s/he has not received the physical Contract.

In may well be, in this specific case, that SSE and/or Sapphire are 'too far down the road' to stop the switch.
Had Sapphire guessed sooner (why would s/he? - this whole situation is bizarre - there was no information), hypothetically, SSE could have 'stopped the switch'.

This whole mess is entirely npower's fault!

jalexa wrote:

...
However in this "time is of the essence" and the right time to attempt to invoke that was on receipt of the 'sorry you are leaving' communication. I think another poster asked about that but I don't recall an answer.

I agree, time has been Sapphire's main issue (in addition to the total absence of information from npower). It is possible, that due to the 'bizarre data flows' that SSE may also have NOT been informed. If SSE did not know then they would not have sent a 'sorry you are leaving' Letter. We don't know.
"I think another poster": you might be thinking of makeem95 see Posts #116, #117 and Post #120 where makeem95 decided to let the switch complete and then move away from npower.


The big picture

Well done, Sapphire, for writing to Ofgem. :T
AFAIK they have not launched an (Official) Investigation.

However, IMHO, this issue does need to be Investigated by Ofgem.

There is plenty of evidence in the main thread.
npower have - it seems to me - have been 'migrating to a new system'.
Although npower knew 'there were issues' with their 'new system' they
recklessly carried on using it (instead of stopping to fix it).

I think, but don't know, that by late October 2012 npower,
their Customers, and other Companies, then ran into a much bigger issue when the 'switching sites' were also caught up in the 'mess caused by npower'.

In Post #128 I have produced a Timeline.

In Post #20, on 08-Nov-2012, I have given my view of what should have happened.

In Post #109 I have used the iceberg metaphor: it is not clear how many Customers, 'switching sites' and other Suppliers have been caught up in this entirely preventable mess.

Also, see Ofgem's highly significant answers to questions asked in Post #7 in Post #134.
npower had NOT informed Ofgem!

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

nPower

Hi Sapphire,

I'm really sorry to hear about this, it is clearly not the level of service I would expect.

If you can forward me a copy of the email/letter you've sent, along with your address details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL] I can take a look at this for you and get things speeded up.

Best wishes,

Adam

Sapphire

nPower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Sapphire,

I'm really sorry to hear about this, it is clearly not the level of service I would expect.

If you can forward me a copy of the email/letter you've sent, along with your address details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL] I can take a look at this for you and get things speeded up.

Best wishes,

Adam

I have today sent you a copy of the letter sent to nPower. I trust this will be resolved quickly.

Thank you.