Npower-RIP OFFS-stay clear!

gasperated

I don't know if anyone else has had a similar experience to me with Npower, but I would warn people to stay very clear of them for a number of reasons. THEY OPERATE A NUMBER OF SCAMS WITH OUR MONEY! Firstly my gas and electricity direct debit has recently been increased from £111 per month to £220 per month (on their best tariff)! I spent hours on the phone over many attempts awaiting them to pick up but was disconnected many many times (sometimes waiting for up to one hour)! When they finally picked up my call I was informed that my new DD increase was due to the calculations being taken over 6 months not 12 months. Thus Npower get a tax free loan from the unawares! BEWARE THIS SCAM!! They reluctantly agreed to recalculate over 12 months, but this did not happen! My original direct debit was still taken! It was as if the phone calls had not taken place!




It is also worth noting here that we closed an account with them for a 2nd property recently and following numerous phone calls (again on hold many times for up to one hour and numerous emails to their complaints dept) it took us 3 months to get our £420 credit back from them!!!! Lastly they have just taken jobs from thousands of people as they have closed the local office to relocate to India! As a result of this I have switched to a different provider (Co-op) with a much better customer service and NO RIP OFF PROFIT RAISING SCAMS!

Strebor

Thanks, for the heads up...been there myself. I was so poorly treated and fed up that I started an e-petition. Please sign if you can. It is about the awful systems they have tha. Overcharge customers.

Not had signings for a while, so if you can it would be great.

Cheers, Steve
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/56280

Swipe

You can easily change the DD amount yourself on their website. There's no need to speak to anyone.

dmliverpool

I have just posted a similar thread about our pre-payment meter.
I have a theory that my meter is rigged by Npower as a quick way to fleece people.

We turned off all gas and the meter was still using our gas. We can't smell gas and we are now afraid to put money on it as it will go down the swanny.

Has anyone else with a pre-paid Npower meter tested whether or not units are being used with no appliances on? It only takes an hour to check. I'm tempted to email the guardian for them to do an investigation!!! :mad:That will get our meter sorted more sharpish!

chanz4

dmliverpool wrote: »

I have just posted a similar thread about our pre-payment meter.
I have a theory that my meter is rigged by Npower as a quick way to fleece people.

We turned off all gas and the meter was still using our gas. We can't smell gas and we are now afraid to put money on it as it will go down the swanny.

Has anyone else with a pre-paid Npower meter tested whether or not units are being used with no appliances on? It only takes an hour to check. I'm tempted to email the guardian for them to do an investigation!!! :mad:That will get our meter sorted more sharpish!

are you sure you don't have a leak

nPower

gasperated wrote: »

I don't know if anyone else has had a similar experience to me with Npower, but I would warn people to stay very clear of them for a number of reasons. THEY OPERATE A NUMBER OF SCAMS WITH OUR MONEY! Firstly my gas and electricity direct debit has recently been increased from £111 per month to £220 per month (on their best tariff)! I spent hours on the phone over many attempts awaiting them to pick up but was disconnected many many times (sometimes waiting for up to one hour)! When they finally picked up my call I was informed that my new DD increase was due to the calculations being taken over 6 months not 12 months. Thus Npower get a tax free loan from the unawares! BEWARE THIS SCAM!! They reluctantly agreed to recalculate over 12 months, but this did not happen! My original direct debit was still taken! It was as if the phone calls had not taken place!




It is also worth noting here that we closed an account with them for a 2nd property recently and following numerous phone calls (again on hold many times for up to one hour and numerous emails to their complaints dept) it took us 3 months to get our £420 credit back from them!!!! Lastly they have just taken jobs from thousands of people as they have closed the local office to relocate to India! As a result of this I have switched to a different provider (Co-op) with a much better customer service and NO RIP OFF PROFIT RAISING SCAMS!

Hello gasperated,

Thanks for you post.

I can assure you this is not a "scam" the system calculates it this way in the winter to ensure your usage is covered and you do not end up in debit.

The payments are easily changed and if you want to send me an email to address of my profile page I will happily look into this for you and reassess your payments over a 12 monthly period.

Thanks

Carmel

Cardew

gasperated wrote: »

Thus Npower get a tax free loan from the unawares! BEWARE THIS SCAM!!


NO RIP OFF PROFIT RAISING SCAMS!

How much interest do you think you lose? £1 a year, £2 a year?


Easy solution - pay your bill quarterly in arrears and then you get 3 months free credit.


Or do you not want to lose the Direct Debit discount?


'The Computer' Npower use(like all other companies) uses an independently audited algorithm(program if you like) to calculate the DD payment needed to bring your account to a zero balance at the time of the Review.


That said, like any other computer, 'rubbish in = rubbish out'. However to suggest there is some criminal conspiracy to scam customers is simply a nonsense.


I suggest you read back the scores of posts where all the companies are accused of setting the DD too low and hence the customer has run up a big debit balance.

carefullycautious

I have to jump to their defence in that I have never had any problems with N Power. I pay monthly and if I need to speak with anyone they are always polite and deal with me efficiently.

I'm sure the representative will deal with your grievance

ExtraMask

dmliverpool wrote: »

I have just posted a similar thread about our pre-payment meter.
I have a theory that my meter is rigged by Npower as a quick way to fleece people.

We turned off all gas and the meter was still using our gas. We can't smell gas and we are now afraid to put money on it as it will go down the swanny.

Has anyone else with a pre-paid Npower meter tested whether or not units are being used with no appliances on? It only takes an hour to check. I'm tempted to email the guardian for them to do an investigation!!! :mad:That will get our meter sorted more sharpish!

The costs will be coming from the daily standing charge. This is automatically added each day to the meter. Usual costs are around 40p per day on a gas meter.

To the original poster, if you want to benefit from the DD discount and not pay in advance, go for a quarterly variable method. The balance is collected from your bank automatically every three months. Just make sure you submit meter reads to get accurate bills. Even on monthly DD you're better off than you would be if it was in the bank. Would you get £100 per annum off the bank in interest?

sniggings

Strebor wrote: »

Thanks, for the heads up...been there myself. I was so poorly treated and fed up that I started an e-petition. Please sign if you can. It is about the awful systems they have tha. Overcharge customers.

Not had signings for a while, so if you can it would be great.

Cheers, Steve
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/56280

if I were you I would reword your petition, it reads badly...

Energy companies to 1. pay for their meter errors and to 2. pay proper compensation for the harassment they inflict on innocent customers.



Harassment is a crime, there are already laws on harassment, it's a criminal offense! The max sentence for that is prison, if prison doesn't stop them harassing the customers then compensation isn't!


There are also set amounts already in place for missed appointments etc so again not sure what you are asking for.


The wording is also bad, "to 2 pay proper" reads not very well, I had to read it a couple of times before I understood what it was you were saying.


I'm not having a go, as I support you for standing up to them and going to the trouble of starting a petition, I did click on it to sign it, but couldn't after reading it, for the above reasons.


If it were to get to Parliament, the points I have mentioned would be made, in effect you would be limiting the debate they could have as what you are asking for is already in place, the debate couldn't go very far.