NPower delaying bill investigation - not heard anything in 2 months, still paying!

Charshy

Hi all,

Hope someone has some advice on how to proceed.

I moved out of a private rented flat June 2013, electric only. I unfortunately spent a great deal of my tenancy in hospital, meaning I was unable to take interim meter readings.

I had the initial meter readings from my letting agency, who use a 3rd party to check the state of the meters.

The electricity meter is outside the flat. I was given a key to open the cupboard, and on my last day of tenancy duly took down the measurement and provided it to NPower. I was shocked that they concluded I owed £700. I had been paying by direct debit monthly an amount that was about right for my consumption. (£30).

Not wanting trouble however, I set up a monthly repayment plan, but did ask for an investigation, as this sounded irregular (one person in a flat, was hospitalised for most of winter months so barely running anything). I was told this would be at my cost, the meters are never wrong, etc. etc. so backed down.

A week or two later, I got my moving out report from the 3rd-party with the letting agent - turns out, I was given the wrong key to the meter cupboard, so I was not reading my meter, but someone else's. It was MUCH lower than the figure I had!

I called nPower immediately, but was told as the amount was now LOWER, it had to go to an "investigations team" who would take up to 28 days to report.

I offered to send in my reports from the letting agency, and the Npower rep declined: investigation only. The investigators would call or e-mail, I was told.

After 28 days, I got a text from Npower: "it is taking longer than we are expecting". No date, no estimate, nothing.

I am still currently paying them for charges which I think are no longer valid, according to the reports I have.

I am planning to write in, attaching photocopies of the reports, and ask for a definite date for being contacted.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and have any advice? Thank you.

[Edit: corrected tenancy end date!]

undaunted

Personally I'd write a letter of complaint, enclose your explanation & evidence, state what you now believe due & offer to pay pro rata based upon that.

Chances are however that if they know you can afford £70 pm they'll want to keep it at that if they can - it means the debt will be paid faster obviously.

Do we assume you've not yet paid the sum you believe is actually due?

nPower

Charshy wrote: »

Hi all,

Hope someone has some advice on how to proceed.

I moved out of a private rented flat June 2013, electric only. I unfortunately spent a great deal of my tenancy in hospital, meaning I was unable to take interim meter readings.

I had the initial meter readings from my letting agency, who use a 3rd party to check the state of the meters.

The electricity meter is outside the flat. I was given a key to open the cupboard, and on my last day of tenancy duly took down the measurement and provided it to NPower. I was shocked that they concluded I owed £700. I had been paying by direct debit monthly an amount that was about right for my consumption. (£30).

Not wanting trouble however, I set up a monthly repayment plan, but did ask for an investigation, as this sounded irregular (one person in a flat, was hospitalised for most of winter months so barely running anything). I was told this would be at my cost, the meters are never wrong, etc. etc. so backed down.

A week or two later, I got my moving out report from the 3rd-party with the letting agent - turns out, I was given the wrong key to the meter cupboard, so I was not reading my meter, but someone else's. It was MUCH lower than the figure I had!

I called nPower immediately, but was told as the amount was now LOWER, it had to go to an "investigations team" who would take up to 28 days to report.

I offered to send in my reports from the letting agency, and the Npower rep declined: investigation only. The investigators would call or e-mail, I was told.

After 28 days, I got a text from Npower: "it is taking longer than we are expecting". No date, no estimate, nothing.

I am still currently paying them for charges which I think are no longer valid, according to the reports I have.

I am planning to write in, attaching photocopies of the reports, and ask for a definite date for being contacted.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and have any advice? Thank you.

[Edit: corrected tenancy end date!]

Hi Charshy,

Would you like me to chase this up for you and see what's happening?

Please could you email me on the address on my profile page and I'll take a look at this?

Best wishes,

Adam

Charshy

Thank you both for your replies.

undaunted, thank you: I believe that there might well be some amount due, but not as much as £700! Edit to add: Ah, I misread. I am currently paying it, as agreed, by standing order monthly. So I am paying it.

Adam - thank you for your offer. I will e-mail you now.

Charshy

Update:

After e-mailing nPower as per Adam's post, a few days later I received an update e-mail, confirming my meter reading that I had provided was accepted (I don't know if the investigation ever took place, but the correct meter reading number was used). I owed £81 or so left on my balance, as opposed to another £500.

I paid it off on my card, and hope this is now all closed and resolved. Result considered successful. I can now sleep at night