nPower forgot to add price rise!!

adamsko89

So I got a letter a couple of days ago from nPower saying that they had not added their November price rises to our last bill and that they would be applied to our next bill as well as the extra from the previous bill. We pay via quarterly direct debit.

Can they really do this? Their error is now my problem.

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Hi adamsko89,

Welcome to the forum!

Have you seen this thread?

Npower forgot to pass on their November 2012 price hike
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4543465

I posted my thoughts in Post #6.

I agree it is npower's fault but I think we all have to pay.

Unfortunately, there are many issues with npower's 'new system' as documented in the long thread:

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

Ofgem are aware, here is their response, but the chaos continues.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Fire_Fox

Will you stop with this vendetta against NPower 25.6_Pre-contract_oblig? The contract issue is NOTHING to do with this thread.

chanz4

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Will you stop with this vendetta against NPower 25.6_Pre-contract_oblig? The contract issue is NOTHING to do with this thread.

Its needs reporting as spam now, op as long as its within 12 months yes

Wywth

adamsko89 wrote: »

So I got a letter a couple of days ago from nPower saying that they had not added their November price rises to our last bill and that they would be applied to our next bill as well as the extra from the previous bill. We pay via quarterly direct debit.

Can they really do this? Their error is now my problem.

Thoughts appreciated. Thanks.

You have to pay the contract price for the energy you consume.

Their error means you have been undercharged. The fact they are not going to correct this for another 3 months, essentially means they are providing you with 6 months interest free credit :beer:

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Hi Fire Fox,

Both Ofgem and npower know that npower's new system is not working well.
The first symptom of this was the inability to send out Contracts.
Since then there have been many other issues.

The 'new system' has lost Customer's data. There are also issues with DDs and Billing.

These are documented in the main thread.
Ofgem are monitoring the thread.
To assist Ofgem, npower and npower's potential and actual customers I have been updating the main thread.

To aid readers, I have now added a short introduction to Post #1 of the main thread.

As npower are using a 'broken system' there are, naturally, many Posts (in the main thread and other linked threads here at MSE) about difficulty in contacting npower.

I believe the issue in this thread: npower have now noticed that some Customers have been billed on the wrong rate,
is another symptom of their 'new system' failing.

While it is a good thing to check that the Customer is being billed correctly, it is a pity that this error occurred.

I was trying to help the OP, adamsko89, by providing links to a very similar thread where the specific issue had been discussed (there are three people reporting this) and also to the background cause.

When npower fix their system I'll stop posting about it. In the mean time, if it is causing their Customers difficulty I'll try and help.

I hope that everything is clearer now.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

chanz4

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig wrote: »

Hi Fire Fox,

Both Ofgem and npower know that npower's new system is not working well.
The first symptom of this was the inability to send out Contracts.
Since then there have been many other issues.

The 'new system' has lost Customer's data. There are also issues with DDs and Billing.

These are documented in the main thread.
Ofgem are monitoring the thread.
To assist Ofgem, npower and npower's potential and actual customers I have been updating the main thread.

To aid readers, I have now added a short introduction to Post #1 of the main thread.

As npower are using a 'broken system' there are, naturally, many Posts (in the main thread and other linked threads here at MSE) about difficulty in contacting npower.

I believe the issue in this thread: npower have now noticed that some Customers have been billed on the wrong rate,
is another symptom of their 'new system' failing.

While it is a good thing to check that the Customer is being billed correctly, it is a pity that this error occurred.

I was trying to help the OP, adamsko89, by providing links to a very similar thread where the specific issue had been discussed (there are three people reporting this) and also to the background cause.

When npower fix their system I'll stop posting about it. In the mean time, if it is causing their Customers difficulty I'll try and help.

I hope that everything is clearer now.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

Hate to tell you but 3/6 of them are using it.

dogshome

Whoa Folks - Forget the the intercine spat between regular responders.

The whole point is that any variation in the price for customers on a contract, has to be pre-notified to the customer in writing prior to the price rise

Though n'power may well now claim that such written notice was given, with their record of not implementing the rise, any claim about prior notice is highly suspect.
If was me, I'd not pay the 'extra' billing until n'power have taken it to a Court and have a decision in their favour.

If the OP has not had a pre-advice letter, he/she should write to n'power rejecting the 'extra' billing

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig

dogshome wrote:

Whoa Folks - Forget the the intercine spat between regular responders.

The whole point is that any variation in the price for customers on a contract, has to be pre-notified to the customer in writing prior to the price rise

Though n'power may well now claim that such written notice was given, with their record of not implementing the rise, any claim about prior notice is highly suspect.
If was me, I'd not pay the 'extra' billing until n'power have taken it to a Court and have a decision in their favour.

If the OP has not had a pre-advice letter, he/she should write to n'power rejecting the 'extra' billing

Emphasis added.

Hi dogshome,

I think you are making an excellent point: npower should have notified their Customers of any variation.

In my case, I have received a letter (and I've been billed correctly).

However, in adamsko89's case (and WheresWally's and KTF's cases - in the other thread
Npower forgot to pass on their November 2012 price hike
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4543465).

It is is possible that they did receive the notification,
then a Bill (at the wrong rate) and, most recently, a Bill (at the correct rate).
From what they posted, I don't think they did.

However, if this were the case, then I think npower could rebill (for their error, and only for usage in the last year).

I think this is what Wywth, in Post #5 (above), is assuming.

Wywth wrote:

You have to pay the contract price for the energy you consume.

Their error means you have been undercharged. The fact they are not going to correct this for another 3 months, essentially means they are providing you with 6 months interest free credit

I think, when chanz4 says: "Hate to tell you but 3/6 of them are using it.",
chanz4 is trying to point out that 3 of the 'Big 6' Suppliers have spent money with SAP to install SAP software as
part of their 'new system'. The 'new system' has to be designed, tested and implemented.

I do know this, indeed I have have documented this (on 17-12-2012), in
Post #128 Timeline - npower's 'new system' and SAP

I know that npower's 'new system' is not working well and, as a result, we are seeing many very odd phenomena which can be explained (not excused) by npower using a 'broken system'. These 'odd situations' are, I think, not random errors but are caused by npower using a 'broken system'.

All readers,
I speculate that dogshome is correct in guessing that 'No notice of variation was sent' and so the rebilling is challengeable.

25.6_Pre-contract_oblig