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nPower Complaint: Two years and still ongoing
allelectric
Posts: 3 Newbie
in Energy
Please bear with me – I’m attempting to condense a two year long saga into a single post… and I’m doing it because – with no end in sight - my patients with nPower and the Energy Ombudsman have finally run out...
We're longstanding nPower customers on their Super Tariff (Economy 10) rate. We had no problems until Feb 2013 when our meter display failed and we reported it to NPower. That’s when the nightmare of the past two years began…
Our Economy 10 meter (nPower called it a multi-MPAN meter) had two dedicated electricity outputs: One that gave standard rate and 10 hours economy rate; the other, named Heat, that gave 10 hours cheap rate supply to our night storage heaters). This Super Tariff (Economy 10) setup gave our heating a two hour afternoon boost (for which we paid a premium), but it met our needs and we were happy.
In March 2013, a MeterPlus engineer removed the faulty meter and replaced it with an Economy 7 meter instead of an Economy 10 one that he should have used. He explained that the tariff we were on no longer existed, and he didn’t have the correct meter anyway
I complained to nPower who told me the engineer was unauthorised to switch our meter type and they promised to arrange for the correct meter to be reinstalled. They also reassured us that, despite the temporary meter problem, we would neverbe put onto Economy 7 and that we would be fully reimbursed for any additional costs we incurred due to having the incorrect meter installed.
In April 2013, a MeterPlus engineer visited to assess our meter, but he turned up on the wrong date, so I complained to nPower. On the correct date, and despite a reassurance from nPower that he was on his way, no one from MeterPlus turned up at all.
I made a formal complaint to nPower about the situation and received promises and reassurance that all would be resolved as soon as possible.
Between April and June 2013, I called nPower numerous times to ask what was happening, but I was fobbed off with excuse after excuse, including:
More months passed and still nPower did nothing. The multi-MPAN Team did not contact me, the Complaints Team could not (would not?) help, and no one from any part of nPower ever returned my calls.
Then, unexpectedly, we discovered NPower had switched us to Economy 7 without informing us and without our permission. They had also terminated the multi-MPAN supply, again without our knowledge or permission.
In addition, nPower had terminated our DirectDebit without informing us... so we had run up a bill we had no knowledge about. Worse, the bill which was for the six month we were forced onto the Economy 7 tariff was approximately £300 more than it would have been when compared to our correct Super Tariff rate.
We complained to nPower and we also asked when the correct meter was going to be installed, they trotted out the same excuses and still nothing happened.
Around this time, six months late, we finally received the bill for the six month period up to March 2013 on the old Super Tariff meter.
In October 2013, after many more phone calls, a MeterPlus engineer finally called and removed the Economy 7 meter... and he then installed two Economy 7 meters, one to handle the Heat supply, the other for the standard / Economy supply.
I challenged nPower as to why, as Super tariff (Economy 10) customers, we were now only receiving 7 hours reduced rate electricity when (a) we used to receive 10 hours and (b) nPower had confirmed in writing which 10 hours that we would receive the reduced rate supply.
No one at nPower could (would?) help, although they repeatedly promised someone would call us back to deal with the problem.
No one from nPower has ever returned our calls about this issue.
In December 2013, I wrote to the Energy Ombudsman... who tried to dismiss our complaint because we made the referral to them more than 9 months after the issue began.
I challenged their dates and they relented, agreeing that only eight and a half months had passed since the complaint had been lodged with nPower, so the Ombudsman accepted the referral.
I made yet more calls to nPower to see when they were going to come and do something about our incorrect meter set-up... and I received more promises but no action.
In June 2014, the Ombudsman provided us with a proposed solution. The solution contained numerous errors and a seriously inadequate goodwill gesture. The entire solution was rejected and the Ombudsman was informed.
In July 2014, the Ombudsman contacted me to say that, because I failed to respond to their suggested solution - that's the solution I called them to emphatically reject - they were making it Final and there was no right of appeal.
I immediately contacted the Ombudsman to complain and they accepted that the error was theirs: the solution was not final and they would pursue another solution based on the evidence I had given them.
In October 2014, nPower unexpectedly called us to say they were implementing the final solution that the Ombudsman had suggested - that's the solution I called the Ombudsman to emphatically reject. I told nPower that the solution was rejected and that their reimbursement (approximately £150) and goodwill gesture were derisory and unacceptable. They told me that, even if I had rejected them with the Ombudsman, nPower had been told it was the Ombudsman's Final decision so the complaint was closed and they refused to change their mind.
I asked nPower what they intended doing about the issue of the meters that have been providing seven hours reduced rate electricity instead of ten hours for the past twelve months and they denied all knowledge of the problem. The person at nPower promised that they would record the problem in our account and have someone call me back to discuss the incorrect meter timings.
Unfortunately, despite more calls to nPower on this subject, nothing has been done and no one from nPower has ever called me back.
I also complained to the Ombudsman for making a mess of their handling of out complaint. They apologised for their mistake and promised to contact nPower to inform them that the complaint was not closed and that they were still reviewing the case.
The Ombudsman manager I spoke confirmed the referral of my complaint was still open and that he would ensure the case was re-reviewed to reach a new proposed solution as soon as possible. They would also ensure the issue of the incorrect meter timings was raised with nPower and that reimbursement would be sought for the missing three hours a day of reduced rate electricity we were missing.
In November 2014, despite knowing that the entire solution had been rejected and that the Ombudsman had informed them that the complaint was still ongoing, nPower went ahead and paid the meagre goodwill payment into out bank.
It is now January 2015 - twenty months since the original complaint was made and nearly two years since I reported the failed meter display to nPower… The complaint is still ongoing, our bills have risen significantly as a result of not receiving the correct energy supply for the Economy 10 Super Tariff we’re supposed to be on and neither nPower nor the Ombudsman have done anything positive to resolve the problem:
So, if anyone is thinking of switching to nPower, my recommendation is: don’t! As for asking the Ombudsman for help… well, I’d have hoped for a better outcome.
It’s time to ask Martin Lewis and MoneySavingExpert forum users what they think… and to see how much compensation you think nPower (and the Ombudsman?) should pay?
We're longstanding nPower customers on their Super Tariff (Economy 10) rate. We had no problems until Feb 2013 when our meter display failed and we reported it to NPower. That’s when the nightmare of the past two years began…
Our Economy 10 meter (nPower called it a multi-MPAN meter) had two dedicated electricity outputs: One that gave standard rate and 10 hours economy rate; the other, named Heat, that gave 10 hours cheap rate supply to our night storage heaters). This Super Tariff (Economy 10) setup gave our heating a two hour afternoon boost (for which we paid a premium), but it met our needs and we were happy.
In March 2013, a MeterPlus engineer removed the faulty meter and replaced it with an Economy 7 meter instead of an Economy 10 one that he should have used. He explained that the tariff we were on no longer existed, and he didn’t have the correct meter anyway
I complained to nPower who told me the engineer was unauthorised to switch our meter type and they promised to arrange for the correct meter to be reinstalled. They also reassured us that, despite the temporary meter problem, we would neverbe put onto Economy 7 and that we would be fully reimbursed for any additional costs we incurred due to having the incorrect meter installed.
In April 2013, a MeterPlus engineer visited to assess our meter, but he turned up on the wrong date, so I complained to nPower. On the correct date, and despite a reassurance from nPower that he was on his way, no one from MeterPlus turned up at all.
I made a formal complaint to nPower about the situation and received promises and reassurance that all would be resolved as soon as possible.
Between April and June 2013, I called nPower numerous times to ask what was happening, but I was fobbed off with excuse after excuse, including:
- Your account is being transferred from the old system to the new system, so we cannot access your records; and
- Your complaint is not being dealt with by the Complaints Team, it has been passed to the multi-MPAN Team, so we're not able to give you any information: You will have to wait for the other team to contact you in due course... and we cannot give you their number or transfer your call...
More months passed and still nPower did nothing. The multi-MPAN Team did not contact me, the Complaints Team could not (would not?) help, and no one from any part of nPower ever returned my calls.
Then, unexpectedly, we discovered NPower had switched us to Economy 7 without informing us and without our permission. They had also terminated the multi-MPAN supply, again without our knowledge or permission.
In addition, nPower had terminated our DirectDebit without informing us... so we had run up a bill we had no knowledge about. Worse, the bill which was for the six month we were forced onto the Economy 7 tariff was approximately £300 more than it would have been when compared to our correct Super Tariff rate.
We complained to nPower and we also asked when the correct meter was going to be installed, they trotted out the same excuses and still nothing happened.
Around this time, six months late, we finally received the bill for the six month period up to March 2013 on the old Super Tariff meter.
In October 2013, after many more phone calls, a MeterPlus engineer finally called and removed the Economy 7 meter... and he then installed two Economy 7 meters, one to handle the Heat supply, the other for the standard / Economy supply.
I challenged nPower as to why, as Super tariff (Economy 10) customers, we were now only receiving 7 hours reduced rate electricity when (a) we used to receive 10 hours and (b) nPower had confirmed in writing which 10 hours that we would receive the reduced rate supply.
No one at nPower could (would?) help, although they repeatedly promised someone would call us back to deal with the problem.
No one from nPower has ever returned our calls about this issue.
In December 2013, I wrote to the Energy Ombudsman... who tried to dismiss our complaint because we made the referral to them more than 9 months after the issue began.
I challenged their dates and they relented, agreeing that only eight and a half months had passed since the complaint had been lodged with nPower, so the Ombudsman accepted the referral.
I made yet more calls to nPower to see when they were going to come and do something about our incorrect meter set-up... and I received more promises but no action.
In June 2014, the Ombudsman provided us with a proposed solution. The solution contained numerous errors and a seriously inadequate goodwill gesture. The entire solution was rejected and the Ombudsman was informed.
In July 2014, the Ombudsman contacted me to say that, because I failed to respond to their suggested solution - that's the solution I called them to emphatically reject - they were making it Final and there was no right of appeal.
I immediately contacted the Ombudsman to complain and they accepted that the error was theirs: the solution was not final and they would pursue another solution based on the evidence I had given them.
In October 2014, nPower unexpectedly called us to say they were implementing the final solution that the Ombudsman had suggested - that's the solution I called the Ombudsman to emphatically reject. I told nPower that the solution was rejected and that their reimbursement (approximately £150) and goodwill gesture were derisory and unacceptable. They told me that, even if I had rejected them with the Ombudsman, nPower had been told it was the Ombudsman's Final decision so the complaint was closed and they refused to change their mind.
I asked nPower what they intended doing about the issue of the meters that have been providing seven hours reduced rate electricity instead of ten hours for the past twelve months and they denied all knowledge of the problem. The person at nPower promised that they would record the problem in our account and have someone call me back to discuss the incorrect meter timings.
Unfortunately, despite more calls to nPower on this subject, nothing has been done and no one from nPower has ever called me back.
I also complained to the Ombudsman for making a mess of their handling of out complaint. They apologised for their mistake and promised to contact nPower to inform them that the complaint was not closed and that they were still reviewing the case.
The Ombudsman manager I spoke confirmed the referral of my complaint was still open and that he would ensure the case was re-reviewed to reach a new proposed solution as soon as possible. They would also ensure the issue of the incorrect meter timings was raised with nPower and that reimbursement would be sought for the missing three hours a day of reduced rate electricity we were missing.
In November 2014, despite knowing that the entire solution had been rejected and that the Ombudsman had informed them that the complaint was still ongoing, nPower went ahead and paid the meagre goodwill payment into out bank.
It is now January 2015 - twenty months since the original complaint was made and nearly two years since I reported the failed meter display to nPower… The complaint is still ongoing, our bills have risen significantly as a result of not receiving the correct energy supply for the Economy 10 Super Tariff we’re supposed to be on and neither nPower nor the Ombudsman have done anything positive to resolve the problem:
- The meters are still providing 3 hours too few at reduced rate.
- No one from nPower has ever contacted us about this issue and no reimbursement has been offered for the fifteen months we’ve been short-changed every day by nPower.
- The reimbursement nPower offered for the additional costs over the six months we were forced onto Economy 7 is still inadequate.
- The goodwill gesture they made (which we rejected as insufficient) has yet to be discussed.
- No one at nPower has ever done what they promised and all of our requests, questions and plea’s for information and answers have been brushed aside or ignored.
So, if anyone is thinking of switching to nPower, my recommendation is: don’t! As for asking the Ombudsman for help… well, I’d have hoped for a better outcome.
It’s time to ask Martin Lewis and MoneySavingExpert forum users what they think… and to see how much compensation you think nPower (and the Ombudsman?) should pay?
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Comments
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allelectric wrote: »It’s time to ask Martin Lewis and MoneySavingExpert forum users what they think… and to see how much compensation you think nPower (and the Ombudsman?) should pay?
Asking MoneySavingExpert forum users how much compensation they think npower should pay is unlikely to help. Quite a few seem to nearly always consider the customer to be largely to blame regardless of the evidence. And if others suggest a compensation level in line with what you feel is reasonable what good is it going to do you?
My suggestion on how to take this forward. Chase the Ombudsman for their final decision. Then either accept it and start chasing npower to implement it, or reject it. If you reject the Ombudsman's final decision you can take court action, although this will involve expense, which you may not recover.
Also once you have the Ombudsman's final decision you may wish to complain about their service (but not their decision). Details of how to do that are here:
http://www.ombudsman-services.org/service-standards.html0 -
I have been in touch with the Ombudsman since the start of January 2014.Their initial proposal of a resolution contained numerous errors and ignored other issues, making their proposed settlement little more than useless.
I rejected their solution and waited for them to actually review all of the evidence, not just the first few months’ worth. Instead, they failed to inform NPower that I had rejected the solution and instead of the Ombudsman and NPower seeking a solution, they closed the complaint without informing me.
In November 2014, the Ombudsman apologised for their mistake, but NPower refused to reopen the complaint. Instead, they set about implementing the rejected solution... which also meant they ignored the issues that were missing from the error filled Ombudsman initiated solution.
To their credit, NPower have finally acknowledged the continued complaint and agreed to add more information that would enable them to consider the new evidence (but not reopen the complaint). To my surprise, NPower have since called me twice to ask me to clarify details – We still have no resolution, but it’s a start…
Meanwhile the Ombudsman, who already had the same evidence, failed to keep in touch with me despite their promise to do so and, in my opinion, their lack of communication has continued to let us down.
In February 2015, I was informed by the Ombudsman that they had reached their Final Decision on my complaint. My options are to accept or reject it, and I must do so on their official form… Unfortunately, they failed to send me a copy of the form, which pretty much sums up their handling of our case.
Their letter makes it plain that I am not allowed to appeal against their decision and, should I disagree with their "take it or leave it" settlement, they have stated that they will not assist me further.
The public perception of the Ombudsman is that it acts on behalf of the consumer as an independent arbitrator in disputes between energy companies and their consumers until a settlement is reached. However, this role ceases as soon as you reject the solution it proposes, and then you are on your own.
Should the Ombudsman’s solution be filled with errors or neglect to include issues that are relevant to the complaint, as ours was, be prepared for an uphill battle to find a way to resolve the complaint because there is nowhere else to turn other than the courts, and that’s an option no one wants to take.0 -
Asking MoneySavingExpert forum users how much compensation they think npower should pay is unlikely to help. Quite a few seem to nearly always consider the customer to be largely to blame regardless of the evidence. And if others suggest a compensation level in line with what you feel is reasonable what good is it going to do you?
My suggestion on how to take this forward. Chase the Ombudsman for their final decision. Then either accept it and start chasing npower to implement it, or reject it. If you reject the Ombudsman's final decision you can take court action, although this will involve expense, which you may not recover.
Also once you have the Ombudsman's final decision you may wish to complain about their service (but not their decision). Details of how to do that are here:
http://www.ombudsman-services.org/service-standards.html
Oh grow up. As you well know, the majority of complaints on here are from people are indeed at fault - "I haven't read my meter in years and my DD was too low and now I have a huge catch up bill unacceptable bla bla bla"
During my time in the energy industry I would say at least 80% of the time when customers got into a state it was entirely their fault. Sure the energy industry c0cks up more than it should, but there are scores of millions of people who you don't see on this forum.
Back to the OP, it sounds as though they need to take legal action to get this sorted. Both to compensate for the extra expense incurred, and to get an injunction for specific performance to replace the meter.
OP contact a solicitor, not Doris from the High Street that just does wills/conveyancing, a serious corporate law firm.
http://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/united-kingdom/uk.html
And yes, this is definitely npower's fault.0 -
You can make a court claim against npower. The costs are probably less that you think. See the following link:allelectric wrote: »I have been in touch with the Ombudsman since the start of January 2014.Their initial proposal of a resolution contained numerous errors and ignored other issues, making their proposed settlement little more than useless.
I rejected their solution and waited for them to actually review all of the evidence, not just the first few months’ worth. Instead, they failed to inform NPower that I had rejected the solution and instead of the Ombudsman and NPower seeking a solution, they closed the complaint without informing me.
In November 2014, the Ombudsman apologised for their mistake, but NPower refused to reopen the complaint. Instead, they set about implementing the rejected solution... which also meant they ignored the issues that were missing from the error filled Ombudsman initiated solution.
To their credit, NPower have finally acknowledged the continued complaint and agreed to add more information that would enable them to consider the new evidence (but not reopen the complaint). To my surprise, NPower have since called me twice to ask me to clarify details – We still have no resolution, but it’s a start…
Meanwhile the Ombudsman, who already had the same evidence, failed to keep in touch with me despite their promise to do so and, in my opinion, their lack of communication has continued to let us down.
In February 2015, I was informed by the Ombudsman that they had reached their Final Decision on my complaint. My options are to accept or reject it, and I must do so on their official form… Unfortunately, they failed to send me a copy of the form, which pretty much sums up their handling of our case.
Their letter makes it plain that I am not allowed to appeal against their decision and, should I disagree with their "take it or leave it" settlement, they have stated that they will not assist me further.
The public perception of the Ombudsman is that it acts on behalf of the consumer as an independent arbitrator in disputes between energy companies and their consumers until a settlement is reached. However, this role ceases as soon as you reject the solution it proposes, and then you are on your own.
Should the Ombudsman’s solution be filled with errors or neglect to include issues that are relevant to the complaint, as ours was, be prepared for an uphill battle to find a way to resolve the complaint because there is nowhere else to turn other than the courts, and that’s an option no one wants to take.
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/overview Include the court fees as part of your claim and if you win you should recover your costs.
You can also complain about the Ombudsman. My first post on this thread gives a link with details. Unfortunately they won't reconsider their decision but if they did not follow their own procedures they may recognise this as a failing and offer some compensation for their failings.0
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