N-power hell. Advice needed!

paperbackreader

Hi everyone,

Big fan of the website and new to this forum. I'm looking for some advice with how to deal with my current issue with N-power. I'll get right to it:

I signed up for the N-power Price Fix April 2015 (electricity only) tarriff in December 2013. I have yet to receive a bill.

By the time I hit Feb 2014 I received a welcome letter from N-power detailing my account number etc. When I initially signed up, I gave N-power my current reading - which they said they would send to Scottish Power (my previous provider) and SP would use this to generate a closing bill. SP sent me a final bill in April 2014 which I promptly paid.

Now, despite phoning N-power multiple times, I still can't get them to send me my first bill. Yes, that's right folks, me, the customer, has spent HOURS phoning them over the course of nearly a year with the sole intent to pay them money.

The last time I called N-power was at the start of this year. I was told the issue was that N-power had my closing SP meter reading in the system as an estimate and that they were waiting (presumably till the end of time) for SP to provide them with an actual closing reading...? I called SP and they said my old (now closed account had my final meter reading as an estimate (I don't know how this would be as N-power should have handled this transition) but, despite this, SP told me my account with them was paid up and closed.

Now, does anyone have any advice on how to hurry this process along? The longer this situation continues, the bigger the bill I'm facing at it's eventual resolution.

Also, does anyone have any advice on what I should ask for as compensation for this insane situation? 25% off, 50% off?

Thanks for your help, team!!!

AndyPK

Well.

1) I signed up and it took about 6 months to get my bill. But your saying its over 12 months ?

2) I don't think you have to pay a bill that's over 1 year. So that could be cash to spend on other stuff.

3) Work out the bill yourself. Its not difficult. You have the meter readings. And make sure you keep that money aside.

or give us the readings and we will work it out.

dogshome

December 2013 till now, and not a single bill issued?

This is n'power who's crazy billing has surely driven many people onto a diet of ant-depressants
But
The good news for you is that you have a prime case to claim limited back-billing under the "12 month back-billing agreement" which n'power have signed up to
This limits the time that the supplier who has not sent out bills, to bill only for the past 12 months, with the 12 month time line running from the date that the supplier did manage to send out the first bill

You don't mention in your post as to wether or not you have been making Direct Debit payments since you joined n'power - It's actually better not to have done as then 12 month rule is easily applied
However if there is credit balance on the account because of D/Debit payments, then these are set off against the whole bill and the 12 month rule is applied only to any debt left on the account, and, you will have to argue to get even that

paperbackreader

Hey guys, thanks so much for the replies.

I signed up for monthly direct debit but the balance on my online N-power account is still £0.00. They've not ever taken money off my account.

I initially called them to start the changeover process in Dec 2013. My closing bill from my previous supplier is dated April 19th 2014. So I guess that N-power didn't take control of the account until not long before that, say end of March 2014?

So am I still within the 12 month period and liable to pay the whole bill? I say this on the assumption that they will bill me before the end of March. Of course nothing from them to indicate they will.

At this rate I'll be out of the fixed term period and liable for variable rate before I receive my first bill. Unbelievable. Any advice on how to press N-power along to generate me a bill would be really appreciated.

Thanks all.

paperbackreader

Hi everyone,

N-Power have now come back with a bill for me. (Reminder that I setup my account with them in December 2013).

They're asking for £291 and are offering a 'good will gesture' of £50 off. They say that's as far as they'll go and they don't even have to offer that.

Should I push for more? Seen as I've been chasing them for so long?

Would be great to hear from anyone who's faced a similar situation.

Thanks!

naedanger

paperbackreader wrote: »

Hi everyone,

N-Power have now come back with a bill for me. (Reminder that I setup my account with them in December 2013).

They're asking for £291 and are offering a 'good will gesture' of £50 off. They say that's as far as they'll go and they don't even have to offer that.

Should I push for more? Seen as I've been chasing them for so long?

Would be great to hear from anyone who's faced a similar situation.

Thanks!

They don't have to offer anything but nor do you need to accept their offer. If you are unhappy you can escalate to the Ombudsman, who is independent of npower.

Is the bill a proper one, showing the start date, and end date and the start and end readings? If so does it look correct, and have they only charged you for energy used in the last 12 months?

Personally I would not accept £50 given the circumstances you have described and would formally complain. If I did not get an offer that I thought was satisfactory I would take my complaint to the Ombudsman.

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

paperbackreader

Thanks for the quick reply naedanger.

NP's bill is from 5 March 2014 > current.

I initially called them to setup my account in Dec 2013 but it must have taken SP (my old supplier) until March 2014 to transfer things over.

Last bill with SP was April 2014. Bill start date with NP is March. So I'm not eligible for anything over 12 months.

I'm not sure if it's worth taking to the Ombudsman? At the moment it's NP's complains department who are dealing with this. Maybe I can try and reach someone higher up within N-Power?

Thanks for all the help and advice!

naedanger

paperbackreader wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply naedanger.

NP's bill is from 5 March 2014 > current.

I initially called them to setup my account in Dec 2013 but it must have taken SP (my old supplier) until March 2014 to transfer things over.

Last bill with SP was April 2014. Bill start date with NP is March. So I'm not eligible for anything over 12 months.

I'm not sure if it's worth taking to the Ombudsman? At the moment it's NP's complains department who are dealing with this. Maybe I can try and reach someone higher up within N-Power?

Thanks for all the help and advice!

So it sounds like the full bill is due.

If you can evidence that you spent hours chasing npower on the phone I think £50 is not particularly generous. But I would expect npower, as a commercial organisation that makes lots of mistakes, to offer the minimum amount that you will settle for.

paperbackreader

Thanks naedanger.

The person in the complaints department basically said they didn't have to make an offer at all and £50 was as high as they would go. They initially offered £25 good will - which I went through the roof at.

I'm wondering whether there is scope to take this higher within Npower before moving it on to the Ombudsman...

My thought at the moment is that the whole Ombudsman process might not be worth it if it's only likely to be a little bit more comp. I really want this bill out the way. Plus I risk losing the current offer of £50 comp.

They've kept this offer open for 10 days. My plan is to phone back in a couple of days, ask to be put through to the highest operator level possible and tell them I'm paying this bill and then moving company straight away (absolutely not an empty threat I can assure you!).

I'll also offer to pay the amount in full at the time of call if they can lower it to an even £200.

Thoughts?

Thanks again!!!!

naedanger

paperbackreader wrote: »

Thanks naedanger.

The person in the complaints department basically said they didn't have to make an offer at all and £50 was as high as they would go. They initially offered £25 good will - which I went through the roof at.

I'm wondering whether there is scope to take this higher within Npower before moving it on to the Ombudsman...

My thought at the moment is that the whole Ombudsman process might not be worth it if it's only likely to be a little bit more comp. I really want this bill out the way. Plus I risk losing the current offer of £50 comp.

They've kept this offer open for 10 days. My plan is to phone back in a couple of days, ask to be put through to the highest operator level possible and tell them I'm paying this bill and then moving company straight away (absolutely not an empty threat I can assure you!).

I'll also offer to pay the amount in full at the time of call if they can lower it to an even £200.

Thoughts?

Thanks again!!!!

Worth trying but not what I would do.

I would tell them what I would accept as a minimum and if they did not agree I would take my complaint to the Ombudsman. If they did not agree I would then go to the Ombudsman. It is extremely unlikely the Ombudsman will decide an amount lower than what npower have offered. (Just as it is unlikely they would ever decide an amount higher than the customer was claiming.) Of course they might say npower's offer was reasonable, so you might not get any more.

Also by telling npower you are definitely leaving they will be less inclined to make you an offer. (One reason for making a goodwill offer is in the hope that this will change your view of them and encourage you to stay their customer.) It seems the only reason they have to up their offer is to get their payment quicker. I think the threat of an Ombudsman complaint would act as a larger incentive.

paperbackreader

Good advice. Thanks dude.