Help N Power are driving me crazy.

susie93

N Power fitted a new Ampy Single Phase Digital Electricity Meter in 2009. For two years it was relatively okay - they read the meter and I gave meter readings using the zeros at the front (at their request) and they asked for the first five digits including any zeros. In August 2011 Scottish Power took us over (without my knowledge). As soon as I realised this I rang them and they said that they had closed the account - this was not true as I received a letter saying that they were unable to close the account two days later. I rang again and they gave me a new account number and since then everything has gone "pear shaped". I gave a reading and it seems someone the other end did not put in the first zero so I received a bill for £2,470 on the new account. When I rang them saying this could not be possible as my bills were usually around £200 per quarter less the spreading warmth tarriff. They sent someone around (I have now been informed that it was to check what sort of house I lived in?) to "check" the meter and after they had gone I noticed that I no longer had a decimal point on the meter. At my request they put in a test meter (again with no decimal point) They now insist that I use 601 units in a month when it is usually approximately 60 - 70. I cook by gas, heat by gas I have to choose whether I buy a meal or buy a new electric lightbulb at £5 a go. I have hardly any lights on as I am too nervous in case I use too much electricity. The only electrical items I use are fridge, kettle, two tvs, computer and the washing machine. I complained and they did not do anything they did not reply to my letters, e mails or phonecalls so I requested all past bills on the old account and was sent a bill I had never seen before amending a bill dated three days earlier than the original bill. This one said that I owed £1303. Then another one arrived saying it was now £1850. I then received a bill for some house in Sheffield??? I live in East Sussex and do not have a house in Sheffield. I raised a complaint with Offgem (who have been useless!!!!!) they just back up N Power. I have even sent photos of my meter showing the last digit had moved round within two hours and they said that they ignore the first digit of 0. I have run a check and I seem to use approx 9 to 11 units in a day not 90? I have rung N Power Service who say that they always include the first digit even if it is a 0. She asked if I had two indoor swimming pools and ten fish tanks (random!!?) which of course I do not. I have rung several times to ask how to read the meter and they always say the first five digits including any zeros. I also received an estimation on how much my electricity will cost in the next 12 months - £26,600.!!!! Anyone any ideas? Is there another consumer help organisation as I really feel that Offgem lean toward the energy companies. One of the complaints team at N Power actually told me that he used to be on the Offgem Team??:mad: I am a pensioner and on pension credit I do not have the sort of money they are trying to bully me into.

Sorry to rant but my blood pressure has been raised to the limits over this - this has been going on now for a year. I also had to insist that they immediately put my £130 from the government scheme rather than hang on to it for six months as they did last year - they also take off VAT from it rather than take £130 off the total. They obviously can claim VAT back?

bob_bank_spanker

It's not clear how the complaint has been handled, although going straight to OFGEM generally won't achieve much, they're a regulatory body who will only arbitrate if a resolution cannot be reached between you and npower.

If you haven't already, write a letter (don't phone) headed "Complaint". Outline your grievances, making it clear that you have no intention paying 26k for electricity you aren't using. If the complaint isn't handled to your satisfaction 1st time round (within 8 weeks), you can then go to the ombudsman, who will arbitrate on the matter, and award compensation if deemed appropriate.

If they threaten court action in the interim, let them. If your case is as watertight as you suggest, it's very doubtful it would get to court, and if it did a judge would see straight through it.

Good luck

spiro

what is the model of the meter? can you post a picture of it on here?

undaunted

Whilst my first impression of the title was you could start a club and the complaint / dispute doesn't sound to have been well handled (typical Npower!) 60 units a month does sound low - even for a careful user (600 also sounds high though)

I'd suggest a written complaint outlining your issues clearly & requesting clear response & explanation of how they justify the changes.

If it has gone on for more than 8 weeks you could contact the energy ombudsman with those issues

chris1973

I cook by gas, heat by gas I have to choose whether I buy a meal or buy a new electric lightbulb at £5 a go

Why are you buying light bulbs at £5 a go. If you are buying energy saving light bulbs then most supermarkets often have them for under £1 each.

If you are buying those stupid little glass halogen spot / down lamps (GU10 / MR16) then its a clue as to why your bills are high, as GU10's can be 50 watts each and a row of 6 or 7 will consume as much as 300w to 350w. If you do have any rooms with these in, then switch them off, and get a couple of cheap £5 table lamps from B & Q and put an 11w energy saver in them. 22 watts instead of 300w+ will save you a fortune, if this is the case.

The best thing to do whilst this is being sorted out, is to take readings from the meter every day / week and keep a close eye on what you are using - write them in a diary. This will indicate straight away as to how far out Npowers' statement of using 600+ units a month is.

Better still, if you own a phone with a camera on it, take a photo every week, showing the date / time on the meter and the actual reading for that day.

susie93

Many thanks for the replies it is really appreciated - I meant The Ombudsman Energy not Ofgem - the level of help is minimal as he went along with N Power. When I sent an e mail back to him he said that "I think you misapprehended my e mail??"

The energy saving lightbulbs I see are at least £3.50 in Tescos - where have you seen them for a £1 as I would buy those.

How do I upload a photo of the meter on to this site?

Susie

MothballsWallet

I've often seen energy saving bulbs on offer in places like Morrisons and Wilkinsons, perhaps even Lidl and Aldi.

They may even be available in Poundland, but check the brand out online before buying to make sure they're okay if looking to get them at (say) Poundland.

back_against_the_wall

I greatly sympathise with your situation. I am in the process of changing supplier from npower to British Gas because npower saw fit to increase my bill by 40% per month which I cannot afford as I am on a very small income. Npower have based this on what I regard as totally suspect meter readings which show I am using an average of 18 units per day. The meter readings are actual and not estimated but it is a complete mystery to me how I can be possibly clocking up this useage. I have had no heating on for months despite the recent cold weather and only use a minimum of other possible sources of high useage. I have no idea really whether meter readings can be so ridiculously inaccurate and overstated as they appear to be in my case but there is just no other explanation for my high readings. Npower are no help at all. You register a complaint on their website and then you never get a reply. However, I am certainly not paying up my final bill with them before this is sorted out. They can take me to Court for payment or whatever but I am convinced that my meter readings are totally up the wall and inaccurate and if this is correct I may well have been overcharged for months if not years. Good luck.

dude89

back_against_the_wall wrote: »

I greatly sympathise with your situation. I am in the process of changing supplier from npower to British Gas because npower saw fit to increase my bill by 40% per month which I cannot afford as I am on a very small income. Npower have based this on what I regard as totally suspect meter readings which show I am using an average of 18 units per day. The meter readings are actual and not estimated but it is a complete mystery to me how I can be possibly clocking up this useage. I have had no heating on for months despite the recent cold weather and only use a minimum of other possible sources of high useage. I have no idea really whether meter readings can be so ridiculously inaccurate and overstated as they appear to be in my case but there is just no other explanation for my high readings. Npower are no help at all. You register a complaint on their website and then you never get a reply. However, I am certainly not paying up my final bill with them before this is sorted out. They can take me to Court for payment or whatever but I am convinced that my meter readings are totally up the wall and inaccurate and if this is correct I may well have been overcharged for months if not years. Good luck.

And what do you think changing suppliers will do? If the meter is reading one amount with one supplier it will do the same with next. You don't say whether its gas or electric. This will help posters to give you some more advice. If you are so convinced the meter is at fault you can ask them to test the meter though there will be a charge to yourself if the meter is proven correct.

British gas will also increase your direct debit to cover what you are using.


Not paying the final bill will be a stupid idea as it will affect your credit rating. Even more of a stupid idea if you can't disprove the bill as well

nPower

Hi susie93,

This does sound frustrating and I'm sorry to hear about the problems you've been having.

When we ask for meter readings we usually ask for any numbers in front of the decimal place.

As some of the other posters have said, I think it would be really useful if you could take a picture of the meter.

If you can, please send the picture and your account details to me at [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL] and I can take a look into this for you.

Many thanks,

Adam