No way I can pay Bill - Npower

nPower

BigDebtBoy wrote: »

Hi guys

I moved into a new flat at the end of last year, its in social housing (electric only)..more of a large bed sit than flat I guess, Its on economy 7 .. I have little Idea about all this is as its my first place of my own
I am out of work on esa due to mental health issues and other ill health problems.
I heard a lot of stuff about bills going up when I moved in so used u-switch and change from eon to npower
However last month I got a bill through for £200 from start of december to start of feb, basically 2 months
I have no idea how the hell its that much, for one I have only been staying there for approx 50% of the time, rest at my parents so I have no idea how its so much I was expecting around £30-50 per month max, as I am on benefits there is no way on earth I can afford that and I would really love to know how they work it out and what is burning all that electric
I know for a while the boiler/economy 7 heater whatever it is the clock/timer was wrong as the person here before me must have messed up and it was coming on in the day so when I worked out how I changed that so it comes on at night which I believe is what its supposed to do.

I've had no hot water until yesterday due to a problem with the heating (sinks in kitchen/bathroom and bath)

I am at a bit of a loss as to whats costing so much, and how I am mean't to pay such a lump sum, when I simply don't have that kind of money, this plus water, council tax etc will take up pretty much all my ESA leaving naff all for food
to top it off I have an upcoming appt with those lovely people at ATOS who will no doubt screw me over once again leaving me even less money and having to give the flat up, and go back to my parents box room at 35 years old.
is there any help,advice, way of finding out whats using all the electricity , I can't even see my meter only the caretaker has access so have to find him when I want one, and judging by my last reading I got off him, my next bill will be just as high if not higher.

I have tried phoning but its a 20-40 minute que, I don't have the patience or credit for such stuff

Any advice much appreciated

Hi BigDebtBoy,

I'd like to try and get to the bottom of this for you.

Having reviewed the post the first thing that we do need to look into is the billing of your account to ensure it's accurate, as there is a discrepancy in reads between what we have used and the reads obtained by you/caretaker.

If it turns out that the billing is incorrect we can certainly get this amended and take it from there. If the billing is however accurate, we'll need to discuss a suitable payment arrangement to help with the management of ongoing usage/repayment of the balance.

If there was a problem with the timer on one of your own appliances then we won't be able to make any adjustments in the billing, however moving forward we can provide you with some free energy efficiency advice, to make sure you are getting the benefits of having an Economy 7 meter.

So that I can take a closer look into this for you please can you drop me an email (using the address from my profile) with your account details. It would also be helpful if you could also clarify the serial number of your electricity meter to rule out any crossed metering issues.

Thanks

Leigh

BigDebtBoy

nPower_company_representative wrote: »

Hi BigDebtBoy,

I'd like to try and get to the bottom of this for you.

Having reviewed the post the first thing that we do need to look into is the billing of your account to ensure it's accurate, as there is a discrepancy in reads between what we have used and the reads obtained by you/caretaker.

If it turns out that the billing is incorrect we can certainly get this amended and take it from there. If the billing is however accurate, we'll need to discuss a suitable payment arrangement to help with the management of ongoing usage/repayment of the balance.

If there was a problem with the timer on one of your own appliances then we won't be able to make any adjustments in the billing, however moving forward we can provide you with some free energy efficiency advice, to make sure you are getting the benefits of having an Economy 7 meter.

So that I can take a closer look into this for you please can you drop me an email (using the address from my profile) with your account details. It would also be helpful if you could also clarify the serial number of your electricity meter to rule out any crossed metering issues.

Thanks

Leigh

Hi Leigh

I emailed you last week I think on Thursday or Friday but will re-send the email now

I can't get to the serial number as only the caretaker has access to where the meters are stored and I have to ask him for a reading, when I can find the bloke

I'm worried as I will be due another bill and if its even half this amount I am in massive trouble

BigDebtBoy

They have just sent me a revised bill £100 more than original, the set of jokers, £150 p/m for a bedsit?
are you trying to give me a heart attack?

needless to say, you have no chance you can cut me off and i'll leave the bedsit first before I pay anything even close to that, I am not even there everyday and my max budget is closer to £50 p/m

sort yourselves out, you greedy greedy !!!!ers

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

BigDebtBoy wrote: »

They have just sent me a revised bill £100 more than original, the set of jokers, £150 p/m for a bedsit?
are you trying to give me a heart attack?

needless to say, you have no chance you can cut me off and i'll leave the bedsit first before I pay anything even close to that, I am not even there everyday and my max budget is closer to £50 p/m

sort yourselves out, you greedy greedy !!!!ers

If your budget is £50 a month, you'd better start only using £50 a months worth of energy. That is down to you, nobody else. Use more, pay more.

scaredofdebt

Are the readings on the bill correct and is it the right meter?

BigDebtBoy

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

If your budget is £50 a month, you'd better start only using £50 a months worth of energy. That is down to you, nobody else. Use more, pay more.

I'm not using anywhere near what they say, that's all I know, I'd rather have a pre pay meter to be honest, don't see how they can justify 17p per kwh for one but they keep chopping and changing stuff



I don't know what the crack is I have no access to the meter the caretaker has to take the reading and give it me
£50pm month fair enough £150 ??? you've got no chance, maybe for a decent sized house not a bloody bedsit

SwanJon

BigDebtBoy wrote: »

I'm not using anywhere near what they say, that's all I know,

The only way you can 'know' this is by checking the meter.
You need to check that the meter number on the bill is the same as the meter number you are taking readings from, and that this meter is actually the one supplying your property.

BigDebtBoy wrote: »

I'd rather have a pre pay meter to be honest

This may be the best way to help you budget, but if you will need to arrange more frequent access to the meter to allow you to top up - you wouldn't want to rely on the caretaker if ytou run out of credit.

You need to take control, and the first step is to get access to your meter on your own terms.
There is no point phoning/emailing npower saying their bill is wrong unless you have a credible alternative - and you are only going to get that from the meter.

macman

BigDebtBoy wrote: »

I'm not using anywhere near what they say, that's all I know, I'd rather have a pre pay meter to be honest, don't see how they can justify 17p per kwh for one but they keep chopping and changing stuff



I don't know what the crack is I have no access to the meter the caretaker has to take the reading and give it me
£50pm month fair enough £150 ??? you've got no chance, maybe for a decent sized house not a bloody bedsit

No they don't. You are entitled to have access to your own meter, with an appointment if required-so enforce your rights. You are never going to resolve this issue unless you check your own meter and validate the meter number and readings. All else flows from that.

Bigphil1474

I think the point made was that the readings you gave that you had taken, and the readings that the supplier gave, cannot be from the same meter for all the readings - for example, your reading on the 16th January was higher than there actual reading on the 6th Feb - which is impossible generally speaking. One of you is looking at the wrong meter which might explain why the bill may be higher than you expect. If they have looked at one meter for the initial reading, and a different meter for a further reading, the difference would be nothing to do with your consumption?