NPOWER Problems!!!!!!!

rubyjam

Grrr!!! Is anyone else having problems with Npower billing :mad:

I feel like I have been banging my head against a brick wall!

I have been with Npower forever, their tariffs always work out the cheapest for me so there has never been any reason for me to change provider. I do check from time to time just to make sure I am on the best tariff and last October I found a better tariff. So, still staying with Npower I switched to that.

I did this online but nothing happened - so I rang them and the operator told me there was a backlog of customers who had switched online and that he would do it himself and would backdate the switch to the date I originally did it online.

Initially the switch went through and my December Direct Debit went through ok, then in January I got an email saying they were sorry to see me go and that my final Electric Bill was on its way. Feeling slightly confused I had a look at my online account and saw that my Electric account has dissapeared, my Gas was now on Standard Tariff, my Direct Debit was not there and my billing option was set to quarterly.

I have lost count of the number of calls I've made to them to try to sort this out - thank goodness they have an 0800 number to ring! I have literally been on the phone to them for hours! Each time I phone they extend the date it will take them to update my account. It started as 2-3 working days, then 7 working days, then 14 days and now the latest is 28 days. Well, 28 days is up today and I've just called them and they say 28 days doesn't mean 28 days ... it could actually take a further 2-3 days to show up on their computer. And because Easter is aproaching they told me it would probably not be sorted until after that.

They are blaming this on a new computer system :mad: Saying that they have a backlog of customers whose bills need to be updated manually.

Exactly how long does it take to set up a direct debit and put me on the right tariff?

I am due my next bill on 1st April, not sure what I will be billed for as according them I don't have Electric. In the meantime they have advised me to make manual online payments to my Gas account which will hopefully cover the Electric Bill too when they eventually sort this mess out .

I wish I hadn't bothered switching at all now!

Joking aside it's quite worrying as I am in DMP and need to budget for every single penny and I can't afford big, standard tariff bills

Fire_Fox

Stop wasting time and money dealing with telephone operatives, write a letter to the Complaints Team http://www.npower.com/home/customerservices/contact-customer-services/complaints/

bendipa

Is it really worth staying with these bozos? If you get that much grief with customer service isn't it better to pay about £10 pa more and find an alternative energy supplier. Npower's customer service is notoriously awful I used to be with them but I wouldn't go back, not even if I saved £50. Most of the energy suppliers have very similar tariffs at the end of the day. You are not saving much with Npower and you have to do the full 12 months to benefit from their discounts anyway.. In my area Scottish Power and Npower charge differently but in the end it only works out a few quid's difference for a year.without the aggro.

dogshome

As you have been with n'power for "forever", you will be well aware of the annual 'Credit Back' feature on most of their tariffs, which only kicks in if you have made 12 consecutive monthly D/Direct payments in the previous 12 months.

Through no fault of yours this D/Debit cycle has been broken - I strongly advise that you WRITE a letter to n'power setting out the saga, and head it Complaint to arm yourself against the day that the 'system' denies you 'Credit Back' because of the break in the 12 month D/Debit pattern

maghater

I left them before Christmas, three months later, endless phone calls, hanging on for hours, emails etc., still haven't had a closing statement, or a refund of the £250 I was in credit. Is there anyone you can make an official complaint to?

Fire_Fox

maghater wrote: »

I left them before Christmas, three months later, endless phone calls, hanging on for hours, emails etc., still haven't had a closing statement, or a refund of the £250 I was in credit. Is there anyone you can make an official complaint to?

Again stop using informal communication and start writing. As per link already posted you need to follow the official complaints procedure, after eight weeks you can go to the ombudsman. When eight weeks kicks in can depend on when you first escalated to a formal complaint: do you have a reference number from the Complaints Team?

rubyjam

Thanks for everyone's replies.

Yes, I will put my complaint in writing.

And no, I didn't know about a 'credit back' feature. I'll look into that.

The people I've spoken to are very nice but I do get the feeling they don't have much authority to do much. They are all very understanding but non have ever been able to actually do anything ...

I don't want to switch to anyone else before I have resolved this as I will get a big final bill and that's the last thing I need right now. Plus, I think they will charge me for leaving my contract early.

Fire_Fox

No telephone operatives generally don't have the ability authority to deal with more complex issues, they tend to deal with the basics like taking payments and meter readings. You might get some compensation from a formal complaint.

rubyjam

Just updating ....

I have written a letter of complaint and not heard anything back.

Situation still not resolved. I still don't have an electric account, direct debit due on the 12th hasn't been taken (when I was assured it would be) and Gas is still on standard tariff.

I was supposed to get a bill on April 1st :cool: but that didn't happen .... I checked online and my next bill is July :eek: I dread to think how much it will be :eek::eek::eek::eek:

I have found the big thread about people not being sent contracts - with all the stress about no bills and no direct debits I didn't notice that I've not been sent a contract either :mad:

Now waiting for 16th April when their web site re-opens and see if my account has been updated ... I won't hold my breath!