npower "Disconnection Notes"

salford_smile

I am in arrears with my nPower account (duel fuel) by about £360. This has mounted up since March's quarterly bill. I pay online with my debit card and don't have a pre-pay (rip off) meter (as it's against my tenancy agreement).

Their local agent has been writing ON THE FRONT of the envelope with warnings of disconnection (notice of applying for warrant etc). Obviously to get my attention but using BRIGHTLY COLORED HIGHLIGHTER PEN. My postbox is shared with other neighbours and I really think it is inappropriate to write my personal financial situation in a way other people can see.

As I do not live alone and am a carer for someone with mental health issues they find it VERY distressing when one of those handwritten "notes" saying we are "about to be disconnected" (when no court warrant has even been obtained). I feel it is a breach of my confidentiality.

SwanJon

Phone them, agree a repayment plan and stick to it.
Does the person you are a carer for live with you? If they don't know this already, let them know.

If not they will get the warrant and charge you to install a prepayment meter. It's your bill not your landlord's, so this line on a tenancy agreement is not enforceable - they will just swap one meter for another without damaging the property.

PS - Prepay meters are the same as paying your bill when it arrives, not a rip off. They meay even be cheaper than NOT paying your bill when it arrives as you avoid the late charges.

macman

PPM's cost the same as Standard tariff on a credit meter.
Notwithstanding your potential data protection complaint about 'brightly coloured marker pens' (which should be the subject of a separate complaint), the fact remains that unless you can agree a plan to clear your debt with the supplier, then a PPM will be fitted, whether voluntarily or not. Sending a collection agent round is not done until every other method has been tried: if that fails then the next step is to proceed to obtain a warrant, and then the costs escalate.
So it does seem as though you're burying your head in the sand, and getting distracted by confidentiality issues is not going to solve your real issue.

chanz4

Op my guess is your bills 3 months plus in arrears, so they will of delivered a rights of entry notice.

The meter belongs to the supplier, so the landlords line is like me saying you have to pay me £10 to read this

yangptangkipperbang

salford_smile wrote: »

I am in arrears with my nPower account (duel fuel)

............very droll

ExtraMask

salford_smile wrote: »

I am in arrears with my nPower account (duel fuel) by about £360.

Setup an instalment plan of £30 per month to clear the balance over 12 months, arrange a payment plan to cover your ongoing usage.

salford_smile wrote: »

Their local agent has been writing ON THE FRONT of the envelope with warnings of disconnection (notice of applying for warrant etc). Obviously to get my attention but using BRIGHTLY COLORED HIGHLIGHTER PEN. My postbox is shared with other neighbours and I really think it is inappropriate to write my personal financial situation in a way other people can see.

It's inappropriate that you're using energy and not paying for it, the rest of us have to. Also the landlord can't refuse a prepay meter, he doesn't own the meter.

Wail

What your landlord can do is charge you for converting them back to Credit by discounting this from your deposit.

nPower

salford_smile wrote: »

I am in arrears with my nPower account (duel fuel) by about £360. This has mounted up since March's quarterly bill. I pay online with my debit card and don't have a pre-pay (rip off) meter (as it's against my tenancy agreement).

Their local agent has been writing ON THE FRONT of the envelope with warnings of disconnection (notice of applying for warrant etc). Obviously to get my attention but using BRIGHTLY COLORED HIGHLIGHTER PEN. My postbox is shared with other neighbours and I really think it is inappropriate to write my personal financial situation in a way other people can see.

As I do not live alone and am a carer for someone with mental health issues they find it VERY distressing when one of those handwritten "notes" saying we are "about to be disconnected" (when no court warrant has even been obtained). I feel it is a breach of my confidentiality.

Hi salford_smile,

Can I get this checked over for you? The letters shouldn't have any hand-written notes on the front of them.

You can email me the details (address is on my profile page) so I can take a look.

It may also be worth you speaking to us about setting up a payment plan on the account, which will stop any collection activity, and also our Energy Efficiency team, who can discuss ways to save energy with you.

Best wishes,

Adam