MSE News: Warning: Npower's slapping ex-customers with huge bills

naedanger

john94 wrote: »

We left npower when we moved house at the end of feb. Gave them the final meter readings etc and settled up with them.
In july they sent us a letter saying that they were sorry for not sending us a final bill but all remaining unbilled amonuts had been written off. Fine I thought as there was nothing left to pay anyway.

Got home on 25th October to find new bill from npower for nearly £6k! Clearly its an error as we were living in a one bed terraced house not a mansion.

Phoned them yesterday to sort it out they said could only be sorted out by raising a complaint which would take 28-90 days to resolve!

There's so many things wrong with the bill that anyone with an ounce of common sense would recognise there was a problem, not npower though.

So angry that they can do this and not resolve for so long. I think npower should have to answer for their actions.

Complain through their official complaints process, and put everything in an email so you have evidence. After 8 weeks (don't wait 90 days!) take your complaint to the Ombudsman if it has not been fully resolved to your satisfaction by then.

The process, with email addresses, is here:

http://www.npower.com/home/help-and-support/contact-us/complaints/complaints-handling-policy/

Even if the npower rep offers to help keep your official complaint running in parallel as you can only escalate to the Ombudsman if you have followed the official process.

Unfortunately it may take a long time to resolve because npower's customer service is terrible e.g.

Npower 'worst company in the UK' for customer service

Nessa22

We have received a final warning from NPower that we owe them around £400 for invoices that were not paid when we left them in February.
To be honest we assumed that because their accounts system was in total dissaray that they wouldnt bother chasing it once we switched, i know silly.
However, I believe we were on an extremely high rate, and only after switching in February to iSupply Energy have i realised we were paying a stupid amount. Is there anyway that we can contest the rate that they were charging at the time?

many thanks

naedanger

Nessa22 wrote: »

However, I believe we were on an extremely high rate, and only after switching in February to iSupply Energy have i realised we were paying a stupid amount. Is there anyway that we can contest the rate that they were charging at the time?

many thanks

Were you misled in any way over the tariff, and if so can you demonstrate this (on the balance of probability)?
Is there any mistake with the bill?
Were npower at fault such that you incurred any extra costs?
Unless you can answer "yes" to at least one of the above questions I can't see how you can contest the bill now.

Also worth reading the following (though I don't think it helps you):
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/utilities/2014/06/npower-agrees-to-moneysavingexpertcoms-calls-to-wipe-ex-customers-bills

Also you can still ask npower to allow you to pay the bill off over a period of time.

eMadCanadian

I would be grateful for any advice on dealing with nPower.

I received a letter in July claiming I owed them for gas at a property I haven't lived in for three years! I have rung and written saying (a) that I did not contract with them for gas (my last provider when I lived at the property was EDF) and (b) to send me a bill to prove that I contracted with them (even though I know I didn't). They have not produced any bills, and have NEVER responded to my letter. Rather they have now passed the matter on to a debt collector!! How can this be?

It implies that I can send letter to anyone claiming that they owe me for some service I may or may not have provided and they set a debt collector on them if they don't pay up!!!

There HAS to be some way I can fight this without either having to cough up the money or having my credit rating tarnished - any ideas?

I cannot be the government is not doing something to stop this awful company which is clearly causing so much anguish to everyday individuals!!

Thanks

naedanger

eMadCanadian wrote: »

I would be grateful for any advice on dealing with nPower.

I received a letter in July claiming I owed them for gas at a property I haven't lived in for three years! I have rung and written saying (a) that I did not contract with them for gas (my last provider when I lived at the property was EDF) and (b) to send me a bill to prove that I contracted with them (even though I know I didn't). They have not produced any bills, and have NEVER responded to my letter. Rather they have now passed the matter on to a debt collector!! How can this be?

It implies that I can send letter to anyone claiming that they owe me for some service I may or may not have provided and they set a debt collector on them if they don't pay up!!!

There HAS to be some way I can fight this without either having to cough up the money or having my credit rating tarnished - any ideas?

I cannot be the government is not doing something to stop this awful company which is clearly causing so much anguish to everyday individuals!!

Thanks

You should complain using their official complaint process.

http://www.npower.com/home/help-and-support/contact-us/complaints/complaints-handling-policy/

Put your complaint in writing using the email addresses in the above link. If things are not fully resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks complain to the Ombudsman. (Don't expect any quick replies from npower.)

The process is slow and you need persistence. But if you follow it you should eventually get the matter sorted.

While npower themselves are primarily to blame for their awful service I think their regulator is not taking enough action to ensure their service improves to an adequate standard.

Arcan

I need serious help

I left a rented student property just under a year ago and received a bill for £1456.54 and after explaining that I'd already paid my quarter they told me I am liable for the full amount as I was the only person named by the landlord! The landlord told me we'd all be liable for the bills and nor knowing the other housemates thought they'd already paid. Now npower is after me for their share which I can't afford!!!

naedanger

Arcan wrote: »

I need serious help

I left a rented student property just under a year ago and received a bill for £1456.54 and after explaining that I'd already paid my quarter they told me I am liable for the full amount as I was the only person named by the landlord! The landlord told me we'd all be liable for the bills and nor knowing the other housemates thought they'd already paid. Now npower is after me for their share which I can't afford!!!

Did you and your flatmates jointly take out the same tenancy at the same time? Or did you each rent (e.g. a room) separately?

Arcan

naedanger wrote: »

Did you and your flatmates jointly take out the same tenancy at the same time? Or did you each rent (e.g. a room) separately?

Each rented a room separately. I didn't know them.

ironman1

Hi all... Yesterday I received a 'final bill reminder' from Npower for £158 gas and £73 for electric.

I switched to First Utility In April this year. So seven months have passed.
After alot of calls I finally received £175 from Npower on a final bill in June which I was in credit. Then I cancelled my direct debit . So how can they bill me seven months later saying I now owe them? Their shocking customer service seemed to not know what was going on. Apparently they received an official meter reading from a meter man just before I sent mine which differed to what I gave them upon leaving and what I gave to First Utility upon joining.

After asking for the reading I gave and what they were given by the meter man I know I am right as the reading he gave is more than what my meter reads now, seven months later.

What are my options here as surely it is a mistake by them/meter reading man/new supplier?!

naedanger

ironman1 wrote: »

Hi all... Yesterday I received a 'final bill reminder' from Npower for £158 gas and £73 for electric.

I switched to First Utility In April this year. So seven months have passed.
After alot of calls I finally received £175 from Npower on a final bill in June which I was in credit. Then I cancelled my direct debit . So how can they bill me seven months later saying I now owe them? Their shocking customer service seemed to not know what was going on. Apparently they received an official meter reading from a meter man just before I sent mine which differed to what I gave them upon leaving and what I gave to First Utility upon joining.

After asking for the reading I gave and what they were given by the meter man I know I am right as the reading he gave is more than what my meter reads now, seven months later.

What are my options here as surely it is a mistake by them/meter reading man/new supplier?!

Complain in writing. See my above post (number 216) for how to do this. Part of your complaint should be about the length of time it has taken npower to dispute the final meter reading. It would have been much easier to resolve it they had raised this much nearer the time.