Npower's debt goons have sent me a court letter! Fake?

ultimatefighter

Hey guys. Thanks in advance for your help.

6 months ago I logged into my online banking and noticed a pending transaction for £198 and I usually pay £51 monthly. I called up and asked what this was for and the guy on the phone said "Oops... it does seem like a SLIGHT overestimation...." I like that. Slight. Marginal.... 4 times the amount?

He failed to resolve by 5pm so I cancelled the DD. Since August and informing them of my meter readings and confirming that this is fine, it has continued into now the debt collection agency sending me a letter to ask me to present myself to Croydon County Court to state why I should not pay the hiked amount.

Is this even a real letter? It says I should call in advance to state why I shouldn't present myself. I have called the debt company and given readings and they said they will contact npower to give it to them but every time I phone they say they haven't got back to them yet..... Terrible!

I don't want a CCJ against my name as I pay for all my taxes and so on. I just work hard. I'm a little frustrated as my one bed flat is just a fridge I pay for and a shower I have daily with hot water.

Bark01

What's the name of the debt company? Its likely to be npower using another name, perhaps Collections Direct?

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/utilities/2014/07/well-keep-using-fake-debt-firm-to-target-customers-npower-says

Marktheshark

Can you post a picture of this letter ?

chanz4

meter plus, richburns? does it say rights of entry warrant application?

ultimatefighter

chanz4 wrote: »

meter plus, richburns? does it say rights of entry warrant application?

It does say warrant with right of entry to your home....

Last night I called Npower again and they said that I owe £1800!!!!

How can I owe £1800 for 6 months worth? I barely use my place as im at work 6 or 7 days a week and don't use heavy gas or cook with my cooker. I turn off lights when not used and my fridge is on for the mean time.

I take in utility bills for some of my clients with very expensive properties and see £3000 annually for some of them.

£1800 would be almost £4000 per year. My rent is £7000 per year. This is ludicrous. What can I do?

Alfrescodave

What does your online bill show? Your amount owing should be based on actual meter readings as indicated on your bill. If these are correct then this is the amount you should be charged and you need to speak to customer services. I've been in a similar position and it took 6 months to resolve and only when I managed to find one of the few NP customer service people who knew what they were doing. Keep ringing them and repeating the same information

Cardew

ultimatefighter wrote: »

How can I owe £1800 for 6 months worth?

Why do you think it is covering 6 months?


The usual reason for a huge bill is that you have been paying insufficient amounts each month(£51 is low) and a large debit balance has built up. This is normally because under-estimated meter readings were used.

enekomh

Cardew wrote: »

Why do you think it is covering 6 months?


The usual reason for a huge bill is that you have been paying insufficient amounts each month(£51 is low) and a large debit balance has built up. This is normally because under-estimated meter readings were used.

When it comes to Npower, the usual reason is they !!!!ed it up.
I take readings of my meter and have an Excel Spreadsheet that calculates my bill. Guess what company hasn't been able to calculate my bill for the last 18 months?

chanz4

easy ways to stop their warrant, 1. raise a formal complaint to the executive complaints inbox. 2. option which always throws it out of court is to attend and say you dispute the bill, it wont even go into court as the clerk wont have the time to look at it been thrown out.


You wont get a ccj but watch your file, as they will report late payments etc. One thing with this company they are wetting them selves over complaints from the regulator.


Do you have panel heaters or emersion heating / underfloor?

ultimatefighter

chanz4 wrote: »

easy ways to stop their warrant, 1. raise a formal complaint to the executive complaints inbox. 2. option which always throws it out of court is to attend and say you dispute the bill, it wont even go into court as the clerk wont have the time to look at it been thrown out.


You wont get a ccj but watch your file, as they will report late payments etc. One thing with this company they are wetting them selves over complaints from the regulator.


Do you have panel heaters or emersion heating / underfloor?

Thank you for this....

Someone said £51 is low. I don't have anything fancy in my place. It's just a one bed flat.
£700 a year seams incredibly reasonable to use:
1. Fridge on all year
2. Computer hard drive on a lot that doesn't use much power. I bought an efficient one and sleep mode.
3. Occasional oven useage (very occasional).
4. Occasional microwave useage
5. Heating water for 30 mins before shower most days.
6. TV useage most days also.

It has been £48 from 2012-2013
It has been £50 per month from 2013-2014 on fixed capped tarrif
£198 is a little extreme and would indicate that my units went up four fold or that the price per unit went up four fold. I haven;'t heard a 400% increase in peoples bills one year later...

I've seen a lot of peoples utility bills and ive seen detached places with £3000 per annum
and semi detached properties with £1700 per year with kids using a lot of stuff or heavy TV/3 bedroom useage of lights etc.

Marktheshark

Start the official complaints system and follow to the ombudsman.