NPower - problems with meter installation

poppyfreckles

My boyfriend and I moved into a flat in August that has a gas prepayment meter. Our landlord told us that we could change the meter to a credit meter one if we wanted. We called NPower in September, who agreed for us to switch over to them and to install a new meter free of charge.

We didn't hear anything from them throughout October, and when we called them, they would just say to wait for the letter which would come after 10 working days. By November we still hadn't heard from them so we called them again. It turned out they had switched over to new software and had lost our details. They finally switched our prepayment meter to their service and we arranged a date (29th December) for somebody to come and install the credit meter.

We called them again in December because we hadn't received a confirmation letter, and found out that no engineer was actually booked. We are now being told that we will receive a letter (at some point - no exact time frame) when an engineer will come out and install the meter - most likely a day that neither of us will be able to take off work.

I was wondering if anybody has been through a similar situation and if they have any advice for what we could do to speed things up? It seems ridiculous that we have been waiting for 4 months now. I had actually called up Eon before deciding to go with Npower and they had booked me in with an engineer in October - really regretting not going with them now, we have spent so much on telephone calls and the higher prepayment tariff.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

fed_up_and_stressed

Poppyfreckles I have replied to your post in the other thread about this advising you what to do ... The post is below

The change of date maybe nothing to do with your supplier. Its the Meter Operator for your area that changes the meter not the supplier. The supplier requests the Meter Operator to change the Meter.

However you do need to go back to your supplier (Npower) to chase up for another appointment. Athough all Suppliers have Standards of Service about failed appointments so you ***may *** be eligible for a set level of compensation in line with these industry levels (£20)

Word of warning though, if the Meter Operator contests this stating they did attend and were not able to get access (or no one in over age of 18) you may not be eligible because it is the Meter Operators word against yours.

chanz4

they can give dates over the phone, so confussed as why you never got one?

fed_up_and_stressed

chanz4 wrote: »

they can give dates over the phone, so confussed as why you never got one?

Depends who the MOP is

chanz4

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

Depends who the MOP is

All suppliers have a booking matrix, and can give dates.

t0rt0ise

Time to raise a formal complaint I'd think. Find their complaint procedure on the web and write a letter or email to them. I prefer a signed for letter but an email is worth a try first.

By the way if you've had one date given that they haven't kept then ask for the £20 compensation plus a further £20 for not automatically paying it to you. You are entitled to that.

chanz4

t0rt0ise wrote: »

Time to raise a formal complaint I'd think. Find their complaint procedure on the web and write a letter or email to them. I prefer a signed for letter but an email is worth a try first.

By the way if you've had one date given that they haven't kept then ask for the £20 compensation plus a further £20 for not automatically paying it to you. You are entitled to that.

As long as it was booked, and notes are on their systems

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Hi poppyfreckles,

I've been away so I've not seen your thread.

It looks to me that you are another Customer who has been caught up in the mess that npower have caused (as they introduce their 'new system').
The fact that this started in August 2012 is relevant. As is the fact that npower "... lost our details."

As documented in
Warning: npower accept new customers without sending them a Contract
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4273611
There are lots of people having problems switching to npower.

We now have evidence of knock on effects of the 'new system' affecting existing Customers too.
If you are short of time just read the most recent posts (Page 8, Post #141 ff).

As to what to do now, I agree with t0rt0ise - make a formal Complaint.

I'm sorry I can't be more help. There are many of us caught up in this mess.
I will add a link, in the main thread, to this thread because Ofgem are aware of the issue at npower.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

chanz4

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig wrote: »

Hi poppyfreckles,

I've been away so I've not seen your thread.

It looks to me that you are another Customer who has been caught up in the mess that npower have caused (as they introduce their 'new system').
The fact that this started in August 2012 is relevant. As is the fact that npower "... lost our details."

As documented in
Warning: npower accept new customers without sending them a Contract
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4273611
There are lots of people having problems switching to npower.

We now have evidence of knock on effects of the 'new system' affecting existing Customers too.
If you are short of time just read the most recent posts (Page 8, Post #141 ff).

As to what to do now, I agree with t0rt0ise - make a formal Complaint.

I'm sorry I can't be more help. There are many of us caught up in this mess.
I will add a link, in the main thread, to this thread because Ofgem are aware of the issue at npower.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Is this your answer to everything? Your worse than spam

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

My experience is limited to the issues at npower.

However, I was the first to report this issue here at MSE.
I was also the first report this issue to Ofgem.
Ofgem are aware of the systemic issue at npower (see Post #134).

As I posted, this issue that poppyfreckles is having to deal with may well be caused by 'the broken system at npower'.

See also
The SAP anti competition argument
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4294069

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)