NPower - Messed Up Refund, No Response To Complaint

KatieDee

Hi everybody,

I really am at my wits end with NPower. I've had nothing but issues with them since we moved into this property in March of last year. I must apologise in advance for the length of this post but I feel I need to explain everything in order for it to make sense!

In January I received my quarterly bill which left my account in £113 credit and a note stating my monthly DD would drop to £75. My monthly directly debit prior to this was £95 per month. I called Npower in order to request a refund of this credit and was told they were unable to process this as the refund would class as two changes to my direct debit in less than ten days. The advisor did suggest leaving the account in credit, removing £75 from the amount which would class as my next bill payment (which was due in three days time) and refunding the outstanding amount of around £38.

I explained that as my direct debit was due out in the next few days, I would prefer to have the entire amount as a refund as once the direct debit had been processed for the month, I would be in credit again. She assured me that she could cancel this direct debit and no money would be taken from my bank account. I thought ten days notice was required for all changes to DD but she told me three times that I would not be charged.

I received the refund but realised £95 had been taken from my account. Not the original £75 direct debit which was supposed to have been updated by Npower. I called up and was told it had been taken in error and they couldn't refund it - I would need to seek an indemnity charge by my bank.

I did this with Halifax who said they would send through a request to cancel the direct debit. A few weeks later, another charge of £95 was taken and yet again Npower couldn't help - it required another charge back from the bank.

As this had been a few weeks since my original bill, I logged in to my account to see what was going on and found I had received yet another bill for the past three weeks which totalled around £156. I live in a three bedroom house with one other adult and we are very careful with our bills. So much so, that my direct debit was supposed to be lowered to £75 per month. I cannot understand why they had billed me again and billed me so highly for three weeks worth of energy when my next bill isn't due until April!

I made a complaint over two weeks ago and have received no response - no email, no phone call. I tried to call today and they are closed. I really don't know where to go with this, if I'm just being thick in regards to the bills or if Npower are just making it up as they go along.

It doesn't seem as though they've taken into account this refund they were supposed to class as my monthly bill and have just seen the DD return as me not paying - but trying to explain this to anybody in their call centre is like pulling teeth. I'm sick of explaining it again and again and having people not listen. All the while, my account is in debit by £81 (another random number) and I have not been able to set my direct debit up as they are now asking for £120 per month when I attempt to set it up through the website!

visidigi

Is this for both gas and electric?

Any mistakes on the DD you just invoke the DD guarantee with your bank and then work it out with nPower.

Next time you speak to nPower ask them what their current response times is to complaints, you might find its quite a bit more than two weeks...

KatieDee

visidigi wrote: »

Is this for both gas and electric?

Any mistakes on the DD you just invoke the DD guarantee with your bank and then work it out with nPower.

Next time you speak to nPower ask them what their current response times is to complaints, you might find its quite a bit more than two weeks...

It is dual fuel, yes.

I remember seeing something along the lines of 7-10 days initially, then received an email confirming they had received my complaint but said they were experiencing "a high number of queries" and would get to me as soon as possible.

I don't mind the wait for a response, I just don't want this to have a negative effect on my credit history.

sandie3

Good Luck with your quest. I have been TRYING to get npower to link our electricity and gas accounts (used to be with a different supplier for gas) for 18 months, so I only have to log onto their website once to see both of them. As you say, its like "pulling teeth" trying to get them to do anything, despite numerous calls and emails.

arcon5

Get the refund using the DD guarantee with your bank.
Write them a letter or whatever. If they update your credit file incorrectly complain to have it put right.

KatieDee

arcon5 wrote: »

Get the refund using the DD guarantee with your bank.
Write them a letter or whatever. If they update your credit file incorrectly complain to have it put right.

Thank you for your advice but the refund isn't really the issue, as I managed to get that through an indemnity claim. The issue falls with their inability to manage anything at all to do with their billing system. I'll have to keep an eye on my credit file but I don't think it will be an issue.

They hadn't responded to my complaint for just over two weeks so I called them and spoke to an advisor who told me everybody else I had spoken had told me incorrect information. She took my meter readings (the third one in a month) and assured me she would set a new direct debit up for the £75 as agreed many times before. I was happy with the outcome as I thought I knew where I stood.

I logged onto my account today - the direct debit has been set up for £111.

I literally have no idea what they are doing. I don't think they do either. Time to move companies, I think!

unholyangel

I might be missing something, but wasnt the £75 the new cost of your monthly payments based on your usage AND the credit on your account?

Were your subsequent bills generated on actual readings or estimated readings?

KatieDee

unholyangel wrote: »

I might be missing something, but wasnt the £75 the new cost of your monthly payments based on your usage AND the credit on your account?

Were your subsequent bills generated on actual readings or estimated readings?

Estimated readings. The person I spoke to the other day basically removed the "estimated bill" of £150 for three weeks worth of energy and advised me, even without the credit on my account, the monthly direct debit would be £75. The first person I spoke to about the refund advised my direct debit would be changed to £75 even after she refunded the credit on the account.

I do understand that due to the way they bill, there are many different factors which influence your bill, direct debit, etc. I would be happy to pay a higher DD if required, I just want them to tell me what they are doing. I shouldn't have to make five different phone calls to sort out their billing issues (which are well known and even something they had to send letters out to apologise for).

nPower

KatieDee wrote: »

Hi everybody,

I really am at my wits end with NPower. I've had nothing but issues with them since we moved into this property in March of last year. I must apologise in advance for the length of this post but I feel I need to explain everything in order for it to make sense!

In January I received my quarterly bill which left my account in £113 credit and a note stating my monthly DD would drop to £75. My monthly directly debit prior to this was £95 per month. I called Npower in order to request a refund of this credit and was told they were unable to process this as the refund would class as two changes to my direct debit in less than ten days. The advisor did suggest leaving the account in credit, removing £75 from the amount which would class as my next bill payment (which was due in three days time) and refunding the outstanding amount of around £38.

I explained that as my direct debit was due out in the next few days, I would prefer to have the entire amount as a refund as once the direct debit had been processed for the month, I would be in credit again. She assured me that she could cancel this direct debit and no money would be taken from my bank account. I thought ten days notice was required for all changes to DD but she told me three times that I would not be charged.

I received the refund but realised £95 had been taken from my account. Not the original £75 direct debit which was supposed to have been updated by Npower. I called up and was told it had been taken in error and they couldn't refund it - I would need to seek an indemnity charge by my bank.

I did this with Halifax who said they would send through a request to cancel the direct debit. A few weeks later, another charge of £95 was taken and yet again Npower couldn't help - it required another charge back from the bank.

As this had been a few weeks since my original bill, I logged in to my account to see what was going on and found I had received yet another bill for the past three weeks which totalled around £156. I live in a three bedroom house with one other adult and we are very careful with our bills. So much so, that my direct debit was supposed to be lowered to £75 per month. I cannot understand why they had billed me again and billed me so highly for three weeks worth of energy when my next bill isn't due until April!

I made a complaint over two weeks ago and have received no response - no email, no phone call. I tried to call today and they are closed. I really don't know where to go with this, if I'm just being thick in regards to the bills or if Npower are just making it up as they go along.

It doesn't seem as though they've taken into account this refund they were supposed to class as my monthly bill and have just seen the DD return as me not paying - but trying to explain this to anybody in their call centre is like pulling teeth. I'm sick of explaining it again and again and having people not listen. All the while, my account is in debit by £81 (another random number) and I have not been able to set my direct debit up as they are now asking for £120 per month when I attempt to set it up through the website!

Hi KatieDee

Thanks for your post.

I'm disappointed to learn you've had issues with your Direct Debit and been given inconsistent information. If you can provide your account details to me via the information on our profile page, I'll make sure your account has been billed correctly (using the multiple readings you've provided) and your Direct Debit is set up for the correct amount. Mark any email as MSE and FAO Jess in the subject header, to make sure I pick this up personally.

Kind regards

Jess