NPower hiking estimated projected usage!

drusy_2

Got my most recent bill, which came as a bit of a shock, but when the dust settled, I realised it was for a 7 month period and not 6. However, NPower had then calculated my anticipated usage for the next 12 months at an inflated rate, increasing my estimated use by 20% aprox for both gas and electricity. They even included a debit of £220 in their calculations despite £124 having been paid on the 1st April. So the new monthly payment had gone up to £157.
I contacted NPower and after 20 minutes or so managed to get the payment back down to £129, that's £120 monthly use and £9 for a repayment order for the outstanding £90 odd pound from the last period.
I am mentioning this to you, so that you can be aware to check the sums on your bills, and not line NPowers pockets at your expense.
Regards Drusy

lee111s

Don't you provide regular meter readings? That would stop estimated bills...

spartansnet

My daughter left her flat at the end of June 2013; she contacted NPower with final readings. Two weeks later she recieved a bill which showed her in credit of £48 pounds. Whilst she was waiting for her final bill and refund of credit they continued to remove funds from her bank account on standing order. She reckons she is owed £200 pounds. She has contacted them on numerous occasions (after waiting hours for them to answer the phone) where they always say that they will sort out the problem and send a final bill. Today 9 months later they sent her a letter saying that her new monthly payment (for an account that has been closed for 9 months) from the 4th May 2014 will be £758 per month (yes that correct £758 per month). The incompetence of this company is unbeleivable. She now will have to find a spare few hours in a busy schedule to contact them again for empty promises of resolving their errors.

paulh2008

I've just received a bill from Co-op Energy saying my projected electricity and gas costs for the next 12 months will be about three times more than I have actually used over the last 12 months. I have been with them for over a year, and supplied monthly readings, so estimated readings can't be blamed.

The bill also said I had used more than three times the electricity over the past 12 months than I actually have, based on both meter readings and what they have charged me.

I queried both and they replied saying "The personal projection on the bill is based on 10 years worth of usage for the property". We have been here for nearly four years, which means the previous occupants must have used five-times more electricity per year than we do, and the property is (and has been for over 10 years) heated by gas. They didn't respond to the second part of my query.

If they are right, and they are basing projections on what previous occupants have used, then it could cause outright panic in some customers leading to them turning the heating off with all that implies for the sick and elderly.

teddysmum

As Npower insisted on returning my credit, as it was over their limit, this quarter's bill is £11 in arrears, so they want to almost double my monthly payment.


I used to pay around £80, but they dropped it to £49 over the summer and returned my credit with the autumn bill leaving the payment low.


The new payment of £87 is calculated by assuming I will go onto standard rate after my fixes end in April and May (stupid,as no one would do this, when short fixes have no leaving penalty).


However, I'm happy to pay the larger amount for a couple of months,so I can build up credit.....which they will then return.

System

I think that we are seeing the unintended consequences of the Government policy in 2013 which forced suppliers to return cash held on account. I saw my projected annual usage rise by over a 1/3 when I switched to one of the Big 6. I complained, whilst switching out at the same time, and didn't get a satisfactory reply. I referred the matter to the EO whose response took 2 1/2 months and was along the lines of 'energy suppliers have a Licence condition which requires them to ensure that customers do not get into debt'. It would seem that suppliers can now do what they want with DDs with the tacit approval of the regulator.

Having now switched to one of the smaller suppliers, my projected annual usage has fallen back to my normal usage pattern. Five months on, my DD remains at the original level (1/12 of the annual cost) and I am over £200 in credit. Read into that what you will.

teddysmum

It is the Government's fault, as Martin said on his programme, but at least you can request that your payments be adjusted if you feel you are building too much credit or falling behind.