WARNING: Changing to NPower through USwitch is a Scam

StuartieG

A warning to all: The Energy Ombudsman have today told me they are unable to consider my complaint as the switch was initiated by USwitch. NPower have only switched my electricity but not yet my gas almost a year later. Details below:

I asked to switch both my gas and electricity from EOn nearly a year ago through USwitch. Received confirmation from NPower that both would be switched over, and gave my current meter readings. Account and direct debit was set up, cancelled my old ones with EOn. Then I received a letter from EOn stating I was overdue paying my gas bill, after a few phonecalls back and forward NPower admitted that they had not fully transferred over my gas account and said a small number of customers had experienced this issue due to computer problems on their end. After a couple of months worth of phone calls between NPower and EOn to try and sort this out I was still left in the expensive situation that my gas was with one provider and my electricity with another. Despite repeated acknowledgement from NPower that it was their computer systems at fault and repeated promises to get it fixed I am still in the same situation.
I eventually wrote to the Energy Ombudsman, only to receive a reply today stating "We are unable to consider your complaint against npower as the transfer appears to have been enacted by a third party broker, USwitch, which is not a participating member company. You may wish to consult Citizens Advice or seek legal guidance in order to resolve these issues."

So basically I'm stuck paying my gas with EOn and my electricity with NPower for the foreseeable future. What makes it so infuriating is that NPower have acknowledged several times the issue is due to a computer problem at their end and have made (and broken) promises to get this resolved several times now. And frankly it seems ridiculous that the Ombudsman will not get involved. What use is an Energy Ombudsman if it will not investigate a complaint such as mine? Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed given that the Ombudsman have said they will not help. Is my only option now to take either NPower or USwitch to Court?

Quentin

Ask npower to reimburse all the costs they have caused you through their problem.

Only if they refuse should you move to the court.

davidgmmafan

I agree it is somewhat bizarre that the ombudsmen won't get involved. You can still raise a mis selling complaint when going through a comparison site to the best of my knowledge.

This effectively means a switching site could be totally misleading or dishonest and not have any comebacks on this.

Very strange.

More bizarre still is if NPower have admitted the error is due to their computer system them surely the ombudsmen has all the evidence they need.

Personally, if I had the time to fight it, I would push for this decision to be reviewed. Doesn't do much to support the idea that people should be switching to get the best deal does it.

Your complaint is that Npower has failed to act on the request to change supplier for one fuel, the source of this request IMO is irrelevent.

nPower

StuartieG wrote: »

A warning to all: The Energy Ombudsman have today told me they are unable to consider my complaint as the switch was initiated by USwitch. NPower have only switched my electricity but not yet my gas almost a year later. Details below:

I asked to switch both my gas and electricity from EOn nearly a year ago through USwitch. Received confirmation from NPower that both would be switched over, and gave my current meter readings. Account and direct debit was set up, cancelled my old ones with EOn. Then I received a letter from EOn stating I was overdue paying my gas bill, after a few phonecalls back and forward NPower admitted that they had not fully transferred over my gas account and said a small number of customers had experienced this issue due to computer problems on their end. After a couple of months worth of phone calls between NPower and EOn to try and sort this out I was still left in the expensive situation that my gas was with one provider and my electricity with another. Despite repeated acknowledgement from NPower that it was their computer systems at fault and repeated promises to get it fixed I am still in the same situation.
I eventually wrote to the Energy Ombudsman, only to receive a reply today stating "We are unable to consider your complaint against npower as the transfer appears to have been enacted by a third party broker, USwitch, which is not a participating member company. You may wish to consult Citizens Advice or seek legal guidance in order to resolve these issues."

So basically I'm stuck paying my gas with EOn and my electricity with NPower for the foreseeable future. What makes it so infuriating is that NPower have acknowledged several times the issue is due to a computer problem at their end and have made (and broken) promises to get this resolved several times now. And frankly it seems ridiculous that the Ombudsman will not get involved. What use is an Energy Ombudsman if it will not investigate a complaint such as mine? Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed given that the Ombudsman have said they will not help. Is my only option now to take either NPower or USwitch to Court?

Hi StuartieG,

That does sound a bit odd. I'd like to try and get to the bottom of this for you, so if you can email me using the address on my profile page I'll see what's happening with your account.

Thanks

Leigh

StuartieG

Thank you Leigh, I have sent you more details as requested.
Hopefully we can get this sorted out soon!
Stuart

redmug

Presumably you have raised a complaint with nPower and therefore you are going through the ombudsman because nPower have failed to resolve the complaint within the 8 weeks permitted.

Although the initiation may have commenced with uSwitch, all they do is act as an introducing agent. They pass your details to nPower who have "purchased" / "paid an introduction fee".

I would say that nPower are liable, if the issue is to do with responding / dealing with your transfer. Indeed, they have it recorded on their system and whilst that is in process you can not transfer to another provider.

I have exactly the same situation with transfer of Gas with the same reasons. I have a complain in and have 10 days left before I can get the ombudsman to weigh in. I'd be interested to know how you are getting on because the situation with nPower transfer of Gas seems ludicrous and is 100% the result of their new computer systems.

StuartieG

Leigh passed my complaint on and it is being investigated. I've had a couple of emails from them and they have said it should be resolved within the next ten days. They have offered to pay compensation for the difference in what I have been paying versus what I should have paid, and also offered an additional (as yet no amount agreed) goodwill payment for all the hassle involved.

I'm glad things finally seem to be getting somewhere, and if NPower switch my supply correctly and compensate me for the expenses and inconvenience then I will be happy. It's just a shame it's taken so long for this to be looked at properly.

pooch

StuartieG wrote: »

A warning to all: The Energy Ombudsman have today told me they are unable to consider my complaint as the switch was initiated by USwitch. NPower have only switched my electricity but not yet my gas almost a year later. Details below:

I asked to switch both my gas and electricity from EOn nearly a year ago through USwitch. Received confirmation from NPower that both would be switched over, and gave my current meter readings. Account and direct debit was set up, cancelled my old ones with EOn. Then I received a letter from EOn stating I was overdue paying my gas bill, after a few phonecalls back and forward NPower admitted that they had not fully transferred over my gas account and said a small number of customers had experienced this issue due to computer problems on their end. After a couple of months worth of phone calls between NPower and EOn to try and sort this out I was still left in the expensive situation that my gas was with one provider and my electricity with another. Despite repeated acknowledgement from NPower that it was their computer systems at fault and repeated promises to get it fixed I am still in the same situation.
I eventually wrote to the Energy Ombudsman, only to receive a reply today stating "We are unable to consider your complaint against npower as the transfer appears to have been enacted by a third party broker, USwitch, which is not a participating member company. You may wish to consult Citizens Advice or seek legal guidance in order to resolve these issues."

So basically I'm stuck paying my gas with EOn and my electricity with NPower for the foreseeable future. What makes it so infuriating is that NPower have acknowledged several times the issue is due to a computer problem at their end and have made (and broken) promises to get this resolved several times now. And frankly it seems ridiculous that the Ombudsman will not get involved. What use is an Energy Ombudsman if it will not investigate a complaint such as mine? Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed given that the Ombudsman have said they will not help. Is my only option now to take either NPower or USwitch to Court?

Notwithstanding any other reasons, the ombudsman will only consider your complaint once you have exhausted the suppliers own complaints procedure (or 8 weeks have passed since you made a formal complaint to the supplier)
http://www.npower.com/idc/groups/wcms_content/@wcms/@busi/documents/digitalassets/puttingthingsright100108.pdf