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

stormtreader

I left nPower at the end of January after 14 months as my fixed rate deal was ending.

Id set up a direct debit for the amount theyd suggested, submitted all meter readings when requested, and expected a small bill or credit to finish things off.

When I looked at my online account though, there were no bills of any kind on there, just a list of the DD payments going in and the history of all the meter readings. I assumed that since the DD was going out every months everything was just ticking along.

I contacted nPower about the lack of billing three times, the final time the guy on the phone confirmed theyd had all the meter readings but just hadnt generated any bill. I got a letter from them saying that as the 8 weeks had passed I could now contact the energy ombudsmun, which I did. I submitted all the paperwork and details the ombudsmun asked for.

About a month or so later, I got an email from nPower saying they had my final bill - I owed £450 and theyd taken it via the direct debit. I contacted the ombudsmun and nPower saying that they shouldnt have taken it since it was still in dispute - no reply from nPower and the ombudsmun just said they had no power to do anything and all they could suggest was I contact nPower and ask for it back - yes, Im sure theyll hand it over!

So I followed all the procedures once I realised there was an issue, went through all the hoops, and ended up being billed for the whole amount even though at least 2 months clearly falls under the "back billing code". Totally pointless, they clearly all just do whatever they like.

scaredofdebt

JasonLVC wrote: »

NPower should have their licence to retail electricity/gas suspended until such time as they are capable of doing something as simple as issuing a bill and it being accurate.

Watchdogs letting NPower off far too easily with verbal slapdowns and occasional fines. Cut them off altogether should help focus their minds.

Unfortunately the regulator has no real teeth and nPower know it, that's why they keep getting away with this sort of thing year after year.

They will never get their licence revoked let alone suspended, too many back handers, vested interests involved for a start.

Even if the licence were revoked, what would happen to their customers?

joshp_2

I also made the momentous mistake of transferring dual fuel accounts to Npower on a fixed tariff rate. I gave initial meter readings and found out that they had made up their own and used those after I had submitted my actual readings. They then only took money for one supply with the excuse that the direct debit hadn't been set up in time for the other. The following direct debit bill was cancelled by them and then erased from their system so customer services could no longer see it; luckily I had down loaded it. I attempted to give an actual reading when I received my reminder a month into the plan and was unable to because they had already used an estimated reading and the actual was less. On more than one occasion I have accused them of possible fraudulent actions and it has not been disputed, so I can only read that this is normal practice for Npower. I eventually had enough and went with a MSE recommendation OVO and haven't looked back since. However I am now facing a large final bill from Npower who I believe should have to accept that it will be paid off as originally agreed in the original contract. Never go with this firm, do not even touch them with a barge pole, they should be investigated and should not be able to supply anyone with any thing!

vhalla1478

I have been battling with Npower for well over a year now over the dangerous position of my meter. I had long, seemingly sympathetic discussions with an 'Npower executive' called Andy. There were two issues, one about the placement of my meter which is practically inaccessible unless you're an acrobat, and one about the fact that I inherited a prepayment meter which was totally unsuitable as I live in rural Lincolnshire in the Wolds, the meter would only take £49 at a time which was woefully inadequate and worrying if I couldn't get out in the bad weather to fill it up. After numerous telephone calls between May and December the meter was changed but left in exactly the same place! I eventually switched companies because of this and the fact that I was getting tired of listening to their music for hours on end.

I received a bill for £299 which, when I queried it - I used a lot less electricity this Winter as I was away a lot, I was assured that it was an estimated bill. I then received another email apologising for not sending me a bill on time. And now I have been told that this is my final amount that is owed and that I should look to my new energy provider to move the meter!

I do not want to pull the 'OAP living on her own card', but I would rather go to prison than pay this bill which I know I don't owe! At one point in one of the numerous conversations that I have had with Npower this last year, they pointed out that they had 5.4 million customers - my reply was, you don't deserve any of them!

tucker_j

I moved home on 7th December last year and contacted NPower to close the account, provided meter readings etc. To date I have not received a bill and the last bill I had from them for that property was in July 2013. If they cannot be bothered to send me a bill for 10 months they should not expect me to pay promptly when they eventually do.

At our new home we immediately switched from NPower who were the existing provider to EDF. It took NPower five months to send out or final bill after we closed the gas and electricity accounts following the switch.

They are hopeless

Scientomology

It says: 'Npower will automatically refund cash to customers who have an in-credit balance of £60 or more, although this will fall to £5 or more later this year.'

This is RUBBISH! I had been in credit of over £140+ for over 3mths and they never refunded this off their own backs! I had to send them a message asking for a refund (which takes them 2wks to reply to each time) and then I can't reply to their email as it's from a mailbox that will never be checked but I have to log into the website again to send them another message just to say 'Yes I want this refund can you please authorise it'. I mean !!!!!!?! I can never remember my login details so it had been about 3mths before I got my refund and this is really taking the !!!! behaviour. All the while, they are making money investing our credit balances and on the other side, they increase their charges all the time.

Mike114

Left npower over 18 months ago, gave me a refund. Now I've recieved a bill for £250 for electricity. When I phoned to complain, they told me I also owed £250 for my gas! I've lodged a complaint!!!

alfie753

I switched from Npower to Eon in December 2012. The final bill arrived from Npower a few weeks later and it was not correct, they had mixed up the tariffs. After explaining this to their customer services it was agreed they would send a corrected bill. I had no more contact from them and moved house in July '13. This week a reminder was forwarded to me chasing the original incorrect amount, that's 17 months after the account was closed.

Hokeycokey

Left NPower in February and I am waiting for a final bill. The bill won't be too big (approx 100). The reason I am in debit is because they didn't bill me for gas for a year. After a few months of not receiving a gas bill and phoning them a lot, I upped the payment on my electricity bill so my account was in credit.
My last contact with Npower was regarding a complaint about not receiving the direct debit discount of £50 for being with them a year. I was not able to make 12 direct debit payments (the criteria for receiving the discount) on my gas account because it took a year to sort out my gas account. My complaint was pointing out that by not giving me the discount they were benefitting financially from being rubbish!
Last contact from NPower by letter said my complaint had been resolved (but not how) and that my final bill would be sent shortly. I wait with bated breath!

mackem1966

Hi I left the crazy world of Npower in July 2012.
Received a bill 18 months later in December 2013 stating i owed them £78 :mad:

Contacted Npower twice, got no where, so went through the ombudsman and received £23 credit left on my account , the bill was wiped and now await a £100 goodwill gesture along with a sincere apology :T

They then had the cheek after the ombudsman had forced them to wipe my bill to say "Thank you for letting us put this right"

Fossil fuels will be extinct before Npower sort this out :eek: