Npower meter check - am I being unreasonable?

sickparrot

We got the usual 'Need to check your meter - you have 7 days to reply or we'll smash down your door' letter the other day.

The thing is, several years ago the 'checkers' turned up at the door whilst I was at work, and my wife was heavily pregnant, and acted in a very threatening way when she wouldn't let them in. Npower have been told by us on numerous occasions going back years that meter readers/checkers will not be let into the house unless I am at home.

We complained at the time and it was sorted out for them to come at a more appropriate time.

This time I contacted them with our usual 'After 2pm friday or anytime saturday' spiel and after spending ages on hold while they bring up their appointment list from whoever they use to check the meters, they said 'can do fridays but after 12, can't guarentee it will be after 2' (no good) and 'saturdays all booked up until mid-october, it won't book beyond that (no good). All they could say was 'check again next week to see if any saturday slots come up'.

I can't take days off all my holidays are used up for this year. So are my demands unreasonable? We live in fear now they're just going to go ahead and get an entry warrant anyway because we don't trust them to keep to any agreements made over the phone. Is it worth writing?

spiro

So you had one bad experience and now your wife wont let anyone in without you being there, I would think that is slightly extreme especially as you can set a password so she knows they are genuine.

In term of things like Friday pm and Saturday appointments they are extremely popular so dont be surprised if you cant get one. At the end of the day its their meter and they have a right to inspect it. At worst you are going to have to take time off or your wife will have to let them in.

undaunted

He / she hasn't said they won't let them in - they said they need to come when it is convenient to the home owners not the supplier. What is so unreasonable about that?

They could alternatively move their meter outside of the property of course.

Have a look at last nights watchdog if you didn't see it - Npower were criticised for illegally breaking into peoples homes & they are now looking for questions for energy co. bosses too.

sickparrot

We saw it, with that and their inability to provide bills that make any sense we're almost certain to be switching in the near future.

I appreciate that it's not npowers fault that they can't agree to a time convenient for us because they are using a seperate company with a hopeless booking system to check the meters, but they need to put the pressure on them to compromise and not us, it's causing a great deal of stress.

undaunted

Npower & compromise just don't go together - they appear to believe it merely means that when you do as you are told they will then stop trying to bully you.

They've long held a reputation for poor practices & service - Ofgem previously said





"npower in particular disconnected significantly more customers in 2006 than in 2005 and when compared to other suppliers. Whilst the ERA Safety Net ensures no vulnerable customer is knowingly disconnected, we encourage npower to look hard at what more they could do to proactively manage customers in debt at an earlier stage to limit the numbers who end up disconnected and to bring them in line with other suppliers' practices. "


"Whilst npower demonstrated some elements of good practice, as set out below, it has the most improvement to make to bring its practices, and disconnection rates, in line with those of other suppliers.

Numerous surveys since that time have rated them at or second to bottom places on customer service / satisfaction.

[Deleted User]

Yes YOU are being unreasonable.Why does your wife being pregnant make it any less of a reason to let us in . I am entering households all day with women on their own . I never have any problems. We are all doubly vetted to a high standard in this job. Do you think we are all rapists ? Its totally ridiculous to have an attitude like yours. Just let the bloke in for 45 seconds and stop making a fuss over nothing.
G4S have a some female meter readers, so do EON, so maybe Npower have some ( they did when I last worked for them ) so that would allay your fears of molestation of your wife possibly.

chanz4

Well they could use the refused access to see you maybe hiding something, report you to the grid and they will then refer to their theft of gas unit who can turn up without even telling you in advance.

I believe npower use meter plus for their reads, all in uniform and vans. All they want is a read, if they have tried to gain access before if they have no appointments they have no appointments.

Pregnancy is a condition not an illness, can her mum or dad be there to hold her hand?

st999

What about when prepayment meters took half crowns and the meter man came round every three months to empty the meter and give you some money back?


I bet you wouldn't have refused to let him in then?

chanz4

bet he would

sickparrot

sacsquacco wrote: »

I am entering households all day with women on their own . I never have any problems.

Yeah but if you are asked politely to come at another time, do you then jam your boot in the door and say 'we can break this down whenever we want'?

Thought not.

The guy they sent for the re-arranged appointment was fine.

We want our meter inspecting, it would just be nice if we could contact meter plus directly and arrange something instead of having to go through Npowers tortuous customer support system.

[Deleted User]

sickparrot wrote: »

Yeah but if you are asked politely to come at another time, do you then jam your boot in the door and say 'we can break this down whenever we want'?

Thought not.

The guy they sent for the re-arranged appointment was fine.

We want our meter inspecting, it would just be nice if we could contact meter plus directly and arrange something instead of having to go through Npowers tortuous customer support system.

absolutely not, saying something like "breaking doors down " is bonkers. That guy needs disciplining, he s a one off. None of our team at G4S act like that. Its hammered into us to be polite all the time. If its not convenient, no probs, we just leave a call back card for another visit later.