Npower - bad customer service, share here.

paulo1888

The company that promises "We will keep in touch with you as we work towards a resolution"

Almost another month gone, No Contact.

Before anyone considers switching to npower, read the posts on this forum regarding their computer system shambles.

Parafira

paulo1888 wrote: »

My case is currently with Ombudsman Services.

Do not take anything less than £100 as a compensation. Ask for more 200-300. Npower will be offering £25, do not accept, ask for more for all your troubles.

Krojan

I had npower in my old flat, moved house and found pre-payment meters in the new house, so thought to save a few quid the others wanted to swap them to normal meters, I'd stick with them as I'd been a customer etc theyd swap for free. Biggest mistake ever made.

It took them two months after multiple appointment cancellations by them to swap the meters over, then they couldn't set up the accounts properly because.. well I dunno the hamster in the wheel powering their computers died I guess... for a few months, then they put us on the wrong tariff, then we get left with a bloody great bill a few weeks before xmas and my daughters birthday because amidst all their cockups they hadn't set up the direct debit so unknown to us (yes, in hindsight we should have checked given all the problems but when you're told stuff like its all sorted out, everythings all set up etc... you live and learn) we hadn't paid a penny for gas and electric for best part of 8 months including winter! (we've just about got on top of it all now nearly 2 years later.)

What did I learn? first, check the direct debits are set up, second, at the earliest opportunity even if they're the cheapest avoid npower because they simply arn't worth the ruddy hassle.

Mat_Lock

Doesn't bode well for me after reading this then.

Moved in to a flat where my girlfriend already lived with a friend, the friend moved out and both of them paid a final bill to npower for usage up to 31/7/13. I then rang up a few hours later and asked to open a new account in my name, provided readings and asked for the online fixed tariff. He gave me an account number but said the account couldn't be setup because the existing account had not been processed. He advised he would call back the next day.

Next day came and no phone call, so rang npower back and waited 22 minutes before getting through to someone who was waffling on at a hundred miles an hour and I couldn't make any sense out of her at all. She mentioned something about the account couldn't be opened and needed to go to a specialist team and could take 28 days to sort out.

28 days !!!!!!, all I wanted was a new account opened in my name.

Wywth

Mat_Lock wrote: »

Doesn't bode well for me after reading this then.

Moved in to a flat where my girlfriend already lived with a friend, the friend moved out and both of them paid a final bill to npower for usage up to 31/7/13. I then rang up a few hours later and asked to open a new account in my name, provided readings and asked for the online fixed tariff. He gave me an account number but said the account couldn't be setup because the existing account had not been processed. He advised he would call back the next day.

Next day came and no phone call, so rang npower back and waited 22 minutes before getting through to someone who was waffling on at a hundred miles an hour and I couldn't make any sense out of her at all. She mentioned something about the account couldn't be opened and needed to go to a specialist team and could take 28 days to sort out.

28 days !!!!!!, all I wanted was a new account opened in my name.

Why has your g/f paid a final bill? Is she no longer on the account?

According to the nPower rep who responded to you over a month ago about this, you (or rather your OH) should have just asked for a name change on the existing account.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4663097

Mat_Lock

She wasn't on the bill, it was the other person's name, my g/f only paid her her share. She was on standard tariff and wanted to end the bill. I wanted to be on online tariff so rang up and requested an account in my name.

Parafira

Krojan wrote: »

at the earliest opportunity even if they're the cheapest avoid npower because they simply arn't worth the ruddy hassle.

Agree 100%

Parafira

Mat_Lock wrote: »

28 days !!!!!!, all I wanted was a new account opened in my name.

28 days will turn in months, for me so far it has been 10 months 2 days and counting :-)

Mat_Lock

Great, so I will have no account setup and no way to pay the bills and then eventually one day they will come asking for a huge bill.

paulo1888

Mat_Lock wrote: »

Doesn't bode well for me after reading this then.

Moved in to a flat where my girlfriend already lived with a friend, the friend moved out and both of them paid a final bill to npower for usage up to 31/7/13. I then rang up a few hours later and asked to open a new account in my name, provided readings and asked for the online fixed tariff. He gave me an account number but said the account couldn't be setup because the existing account had not been processed. He advised he would call back the next day.

Next day came and no phone call, so rang npower back and waited 22 minutes before getting through to someone who was waffling on at a hundred miles an hour and I couldn't make any sense out of her at all. She mentioned something about the account couldn't be opened and needed to go to a specialist team and could take 28 days to sort out.

28 days !!!!!!, all I wanted was a new account opened in my name.

Told me the exact same. Still waiting half a year later. Doesn't matter how many times you phone, they fob you off. They will pass you to the Specialist Complaints Team, then after 28 days they will pass you to the Executive complaints team, with a new "deadline", then they will pass you to the Head of Customer Relations with another "deadline". They promise to keep you informed through to resolution. They don't. They will then advise you that you have the right to take your complaint to Ombudsman Services. What they won't tell you is this. Npower are having major issues with their computer system.