Energy ombudsman - npower

Wywth

zerog wrote: »

OK, sorry, I haven't been clear.

As I knew nothing was going to happen until the billing system was upgraded, I just accepted their previous response (sent in March) to wait.

The billing system has now been upgraded (17 April). I contacted them again to see whether they could now issue my bill, and they have not responded to that message. On that date I also got the letter, which says exactly what assj said. There is nothing specific to my problem in the letter at all.

The letter said to email them at the executive complaints address if I wanted to discuss my complaint further, which I did as well. On 19 April I then got the reply "Please accept our apologies that we cannot immediately respond to your concerns. One of our Customer Relations Executives will be in touch with you shortly to address the points raised in your correspondence."

It's now one week later, nobody has been in touch (last year they always used to reply in 2-3 days even if they didn't read what I said properly) so I am thinking of using the ombudsman option. I just wanted to know what the ombudsman can make them do.

I'm sorry but you are still not being very clear.

You said you were expecting a bill in January, but then seem to accept it wasn't due until February or March.

I can assure you nPower were issuing bills in February (and presumably March as well)

Anyway, now we are at the end of April!
Do you really think the supplier has issued no bills to anyone since January???
If not, why do you think they have singled you out to not issue a bill? Is it because they don't think you are due one yet (whether or not you think you are due one)

There are 3 internal steps to the nPower complaints procedure.

What was nPower's response to step 1?
Are you suggesting it was the same as the response you received to step 2 which you claim was simply "Please accept our apologies that we cannot immediately respond to your concerns."

So you've not actually received a letter, but an just an email?

If you have received a letter I suggest you post a legible photo of the letter you have received. We can only offer advice based on the quality of information you provide.

Finally, I suggest you also escalate the complaint to step 3 of the suppliers complaint procedure before considering asking the ombudsman for help. If you are as vague in giving the ombudsman all the facts of the complaint and the responses you received as you appear to be here, I'm afraid I doubt the ombudsman will be able to do much to help you.

zerog

I don't understand where I'm being vague.

Wywth wrote: »

You said you were expecting a bill in January, but then seem to accept it wasn't due until February or March.

The website said my next bill was due in Jan.
I got an email asking for my meter read in Jan.
I submitted my meter reading.
There was no bill.

I asked why.

They said my next bill was due in March.
I asked why the website said Jan.
They said the website was wrong.
I said I wanted to complain about their online billing system giving false information.
They did not respond to that (but apparently logged it as a complaint) and just said that I would be given a bill in March.

I submitted another meter reading in March before the date they told me.
There was no bill.
I asked why.
They said they were upgrading their billing system and couldn't answer any questions until that was done.


As I said, I received a letter last week.
I can't take a photo of the letter.

assj wrote: »

So they are saying "As we have not sent you a final response within the allowed 8 week period, you can now take your complaint to the Ombudsman".

That is all the letter says. It ends with, "if you would like to discuss this with us again you can email the Executive Complaints address"

I then emailed the Executive Complaints, which is apparently Step 2.
On 19 April they replied with the "Please accept our apologies that we cannot immediately respond to your concerns."

That's it. So you are saying I should take it to Step 3? How long more should I wait?

Atidi

zerog wrote: »

I don't understand where I'm being vague.



The website said my next bill was due in Jan.
I got an email asking for my meter read in Jan.
I submitted my meter reading.
There was no bill.

I asked why.

They said my next bill was due in March.
I asked why the website said Jan.
They said the website was wrong.
I said I wanted to complain about their online billing system giving false information.
They did not respond to that (but apparently logged it as a complaint) and just said that I would be given a bill in March.

I submitted another meter reading in March before the date they told me.
There was no bill.
I asked why.
They said they were upgrading their billing system and couldn't answer any questions until that was done.


As I said, I received a letter last week.
I can't take a photo of the letter.



That is all the letter says. It ends with, "if you would like to discuss this with us again you can email the Executive Complaints address"

I then emailed the Executive Complaints, which is apparently Step 2.
On 19 April they replied with the "Please accept our apologies that we cannot immediately respond to your concerns."

That's it. So you are saying I should take it to Step 3? How long more should I wait?

It seems to me you've actually raised 2 separate complaints.

The first one was in January complaining that the information you were provided online was incorrect.
The supplier responded to that confirming the correct date for your bill should be March. You have also been informed that the supplier has updated their system.

What more do you want? If you feel the supplier has not answered your complaint about the incorrect information given to you via their online service, you could escalate this to the ombudsman as 8 weeks have now passed.
However, I would suggest you escalate the matter first using the suppliers own internal procedures if you are not happy with the response given to your complaint.
But I'm not sure what exactly more you want? They gave you the correct information and have explained they have updated their system.

Then on Apr 17, you made a second complaint that you did not receive a bill in March. You have already escalated this matter to step 2 of their complaints process. As the responses to step 1 & 2 were clearly not acceptable, I suggest you now escalate this to step 3.

You are required to wait at least 40 days (or until you receive a deadlock letter) before the ombudsman will consider your complaint. I make that about mid -June. Hopefully you will receive the bill you have asked for before then.

Good luck!

zerog

Atidi wrote: »

The first one was in January complaining that the information you were provided online was incorrect.
The supplier responded to that confirming the correct date for your bill should be March. You have also been informed that the supplier has updated their system.

You are required to wait at least 40 days (or until you receive a deadlock letter) before the ombudsman will consider your complaint. I make that about mid -June. Hopefully you will receive the bill you have asked for before then.

OK. But as I have said many times they have sent me this letter saying I can contact the ombudsman NOW (see post by assj for the content of this letter).

Are you saying that this letter was incorrect? Can I complain about their complaints handling...

cing0

Change suppliers, that will force npower to issue a bill.
I would take it up with the EO on the basis of poor customer service. Perhaps state npower would be forced to issue a bill if you changed suppliers and that they are preventing you from switching as you have an outstanding balance.
The EO will say it is not up to us to say how the npower runs its billing system. The EO say they cannot award compensation but suggest 'goodwill' payments.
I don't think you can complaint about poor complaints handling process. If the company says it will respond to you within 5 working days but takes 8 weeks, the EO will say depending on which officer you get that the company dealt with your query.
If you have 2 separate complaints, put separate complaint forms in spaced 2 weeks apart if you want to cause npower problems.

pete1968_2

Zerog, I changed over to Npower last year and they confirmed by letter they were supplying me in Dec 12. Nothing further has been heard from them and despite me complaining in February still nothing, no contact except a letter confirming my complaint and a letter last week stating as they hadn't fixed my problem within 8 weeks I can now take to the ombudsman.

I've had no bill despite demanding one monthly, which is what I was told I'd get.

I was reluctant to transfer to Npower as I'd received poor service a few years back. seems nothings changed.

keiran

hey don't expect any great joy with the ombudsknut service. they're in bed with the power companies and will give derisory, if any, compensation

chanz4

pete1968 wrote: »

Zerog, I changed over to Npower last year and they confirmed by letter they were supplying me in Dec 12. Nothing further has been heard from them and despite me complaining in February still nothing, no contact except a letter confirming my complaint and a letter last week stating as they hadn't fixed my problem within 8 weeks I can now take to the ombudsman.

I've had no bill despite demanding one monthly, which is what I was told I'd get.

I was reluctant to transfer to Npower as I'd received poor service a few years back. seems nothings changed.

you never said you had only joined in december 12, you do know a lot of suppliers only bill during billing windows

nPower

zerog wrote: »

npower have sent me a letter saying I can escalate my query to the energy ombudsman. I complained that I had not received a bill despite them telling me that one was due in January.

Then they decided to change the billing system.

I don't see what the ombudsman can do if they continue to refuse to issue a bill.

Hi zerog,

It shouldn't be taking this long to get a bill to you.

Please can you email me over your details to [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL] and I can get this looked into for you?

Many thanks,

Adam

nPower

cing0 wrote: »

Change suppliers, that will force npower to issue a bill.
I would take it up with the EO on the basis of poor customer service. Perhaps state npower would be forced to issue a bill if you changed suppliers and that they are preventing you from switching as you have an outstanding balance.
The EO will say it is not up to us to say how the npower runs its billing system. The EO say they cannot award compensation but suggest 'goodwill' payments.
I don't think you can complaint about poor complaints handling process. If the company says it will respond to you within 5 working days but takes 8 weeks, the EO will say depending on which officer you get that the company dealt with your query.
If you have 2 separate complaints, put separate complaint forms in spaced 2 weeks apart if you want to cause npower problems.

Good morning cing0,

Is there anything I can help with here?

I'm over on [EMAIL="forumresponse@npower.com"]forumresponse@npower.com[/EMAIL] if you want to send through the details and I can see what's happening here.

Kind regards,

Adam