Electricity being cut off due to ongoing issues with NPower

undaunted

utility_csa wrote: »

Send a letter via recorded delivery.

how can you afford to go to LA but not pay a bill?

RoseUK wrote: »

I'm not sure what you mean - send a letter to who, and for what reason?

Not that it's relevant, but I obviously wasn't the one who paid for the travel.
Please stick to the subject at hand and not question the hows or whys I was out of the country.

To be fair to utility_csa I think it's a question Npower (and anyonone else involved) may well be asking so it wasn't unreasonable to raise it in my opinion. Does the person who paid for this travel live in your property with you?

I'm sure I remember replying to a similar thread. What came of suggestions made on that thread? Eg have you since issued written authority to talk to CAB or raised the ERA safety net with them?

What steps have you taken to pay Npower anything whilst away / not on benefits?

If they apply for a warrant of entry you will receive notice of the court date & have an opportunity to contest it. If obtained they will then turn up at some point within 28 days (may take a week to arrange but will probably be earlier rather than later)

Have you had anything other than letters from Npower / their agents so far? The threat of disconnection doesn't always mean they have any real intention of acting quickly, it could just be that they are trying to frighten you into paying up.

Richie-from-the-Boro

RoseUK wrote: »

~ snip ~
How can I get NPower to stop causing problems?

NPower are not causing problems, they supply, you pay. They supplied and you did not pay. The problem can be sorted in an hour, set up a DD and resolve repayment of the arrears.

- you personally speak to / communicate with your supplier
- authorise a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf
- hand your affairs over via 'power of attorney' to a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf

Reading this thread you have never given your supplier authority to speak to a named organisation on your behalf and never validated an individual to speak to your supplier on your behalf. Whether intentional or negligent you have wilfully or otherwise blocked attempts by organisations and individuals to liaise between yourself and your supplier.

The supplier can not even begin to correspond with any party without your explicit authority. If as you state you are "not in receipt of any DWP originated benefits", now the Fuel Direct option is off the table.

What is left is :

- you personally set up a DD and resolve repayment of the arrears
- you personally speak to / communicate with your supplier
- authorise a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf
- hand your affairs over via 'power of attorney' to a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf

You have weeks only to do so, the CAB will be of little help, and given your 'previous' with the CAB are unlikely to go any extra mile for you. You have used the fuel - you need a continuing suply of the fuel - you personally should immediately set up an arrangement with your supplier to pay your past / present / and future bills by direct debit. Failure to do so will result in your supply being cut off, at which point you will have to do all the running to have it reinstated - your supplier will need a guaranteed payment method before they will even consider re-connection.

NOTE : Yes I clearly read that you can't communicate.

KashaUK2013

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

NPower are not causing problems, they supply, you pay. They supplied and you did not pay. The problem can be sorted in an hour, set up a DD and resolve repayment of the arrears.

- you personally speak to / communicate with your supplier
- authorise a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf
- hand your affairs over via 'power of attorney' to a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf

Reading this thread you have never given your supplier authority to speak to a named organisation on your behalf and never validated an individual to speak to your supplier on your behalf. Whether intentional or negligent you have wilfully or otherwise blocked attempts by organisations and individuals to liaise between yourself and your supplier.

The supplier can not even begin to correspond with any party without your explicit authority. If as you state you are "not in receipt of any DWP originated benefits", now the Fuel Direct option is off the table.

What is left is :

- you personally set up a DD and resolve repayment of the arrears
- you personally speak to / communicate with your supplier
- authorise a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf
- hand your affairs over via 'power of attorney' to a~n~other person to / communicate with your supplier on your behalf

You have weeks only to do so, the CAB will be of little help, and given your 'previous' with the CAB are unlikely to go any extra mile for you. You have used the fuel - you need a continuing suply of the fuel - you personally should immediately set up an arrangement with your supplier to pay your past / present / and future bills by direct debit. Failure to do so will result in your supply being cut off, at which point you will have to do all the running to have it reinstated - your supplier will need a guaranteed payment method before they will even consider re-connection.

NOTE : Yes I clearly read that you can't communicate.

Clearly you've not read the post.

NPower are causing the problems.

NPower are REFUSING to set-up payment.

I have personally communicated with my supplier - they however refuse to set-up payment unless I am able to telephone them and provide them information that I do not have access to.

I have given authorisation for NPower to talk to a representative - however NPower still refuse to talk to anyone but myself.

I cannot set-up DD and may full payment as I am unemployed so cannot afford this - Fuel Direct is my only means of payment.

Currently I cannot set-up Fuel Direct until I am back on JSA - this would not have been such a big problem if not for the fact NPower have refused to take payment since August.

KashaUK2013

Joyful wrote: »

By law you have to have access to your meters. You should arange with the landlord to give you this access. As you are not on any benefits at this time I can see this going to warrant where they will either disconnect you or fit a PP meter.

By law I'm not allowed access to other people's meters - this seems to trump the idea that I should have access to my own, which I think is perfectly reasonable. The landlord is not allowed to give me access.

KashaUK2013

FYI this is the OP - different account.

Update:

I'm back in the UK, and still have electricity.

I have had no further letters from NPower, and NPower still have not replied to the email I sent them on the 7th January.

I applied for JSA online while in the US and have an appointment at the job centre tomorrow - hopefully I'll be back on JSA temporarily tomorrow, then I can go to CAB to try to get Fuel Direct set-up...but I'm not holding my breath that this will be resolved.

I'm a little concerned as to how this will work out given as the job centre know I'm currently unlikely to be able to work and they have informed me that if I can't use a telephone I cannot follow the Job Seekers Agreement so cannot claim JSA - CAB haven't been able to advise me in the past on what to do in this situation.

I've still yet to find a solution - if NPower refuse to do anything on my account unless I phone them, and they refuse to talk to anyone calling on my behalf, then I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do.

Richie-from-the-Boro

KashaUK2013 wrote: »

Clearly you've not read the post.

- I did / have read your post

NPower are causing the problems.

- no they are not, you used the energy and have not / will not pay for it

NPower are REFUSING to set-up payment

- they'll set one up minutes after you contact them, this time I suspect for payment in full
- both you, and they, will be able to access the account within 2 hours and see it as 'paid in full'

provide them information that I do not have access to

- so what would you 'reasonably' expect your energy provider to do ?
- its your responsibility not theirs - do something to help yourself - or get a 'friend' to get the information for you

I have given authorisation for NPower to talk to a representative - however NPower still refuse to talk to anyone but myself.

- in which case they decided for whatever reason not to accept your 'nominee'
- arrange for 'power of attorney' or a~n~other means to deal with your financial affairs

I cannot set-up DD and may full payment as I am unemployed so cannot afford this - Fuel Direct is my only means of payment

Currently I cannot set-up Fuel Direct until I am back on JSA - this would not have been such a big problem if not for the fact NPower have refused to take payment since August

- in which case :
- set up a payment arrangement today Wednesday
- they'll set one up minutes after you contact them, this time I suspect for payment in full
- maybe, if you plead, they will accept a 'payment plan' of usage plus arrears %
- both you, and they, will be able to access the account within 2 hours and see that payment has begun to happen

I have no money

- what do you reasonably expect any supplier of anything to do ?
- do you really expect them to deliver groceries / beer / wallpaper / clean laundry ?
- at which point do you expect a supplier to stop supply ?

I help the unemployed / disabled / less able and aged each day of the week but I'm having trouble understanding you. Essentially you want to not pay because you claim you have no money, but don't want your supply cut off .. .. even though you have not paid in the past and can't / won't pay now.

Tell me Andy if you can't / wont pay what do you think your supplier should do ? You, no one else must set up an arrangement for someone acceptable to your supplier to speak for you. Your supplier has to decide to trust your nominee, and I suspect they will want to see an absolute minimum of regular money going into the account immediately to cover your current usage +_arrears otherwise there would be no point in entering into an agreement - and you claim to have no money. What do you think your supplier should do ?

chanz4

How can they set fueldirect if you dont have the benefit anyway?

[Deleted User]

KashaUK2013 wrote: »

By law I'm not allowed access to other people's meters - this seems to trump the idea that I should have access to my own, which I think is perfectly reasonable. The landlord is not allowed to give me access.

Thats total rubbish, I see meter cupboards all over with multiple prepays and credit meters. Likewise about landlords "not allowing access " to meters. Hes got no choice in the matter. The only landlords I ve had trouble with getting to the meters have usually turned out to be bypassing.
I think the OP will have to accept a prepay meter in the meter cupboard to resolve this. He/She has a right to access the meter cupboard. Online top ups are available with Brit Gas. Eon,Scot Power.
If its possible to jet off to LA surely in passing down the stairs to the airport he/she can pop into the meter room and top up
N.Power seem to be the toughest supplier about with regards to enforced prepays, they dont mess about. Probably because they are big producers of electricity

espresso

KashaUK2013 wrote: »

I've still yet to find a solution.

Simple, do absolutely nothing and they will then fit a prepayment meter. You don't need to be able to use a telephone and your debt will be paid off automatically so everyone will be happy.

Prepayment meters are ideal for people like yourself because you will then will no longer need to try to find excuses why you can't pay for what you have already used and you will have to pay before using any more energy.