NPower – nightmare with incorrect bills – please help

DeerD

We moved into our rented flat in September 2013. I called NPower with meter readings for 3 rates as they showed on the meter and it was explained that we had an Economy 10 meter as I was trying to work out how much our 3 night storage heaters might be costing us.

I gave meter readings again in May 2014 for the 3 rates but still no sign of a bill. I complained but they were having billing issues and couldn’t deal with complaint (it turns out no account had been set up). In July 2014 I got a write off letter shortly followed in August with a bill for £457. In September I was told that the write off letter was meant for the previous tenant but they would honour it and my account would be credited and reduced to zero. I gave new meter readings but this time a 4th rate showed on the meter, which turned out to be heat. That day I got another bill for £868.72. I called again to query this and was assured it would be written off and to disregard any more bills and reminders. The collections letters became too worrying so I complained several times and gave new meter readings. Each time I was given apologies then finally I got a deadlock letter to go the Ombudsman in Jan 2015.

The Ombudsman decided that the company didn’t need to offer to write off the £868 and I should be given an apology for misinformation and £25. I didn’t accept the decision as I’d realised in the course of going through all my bills for the ombudsman that the heat rate had been an estimated opening reading and that it didn’t seem possible that we could have used 6458 units on 3 storage heaters for 1 winter. But because this was not part of my original complaint to the ombudsman they directed me back to NPower.

I received a bill in February 2015 that appeared to show correct energy usage between Nov 2014 and Feb 2015 for £505 which I paid. (I didn’t pay the rest of the outstanding balance because I wanted a correct bill.)

In March 2015 NPower agreed to investigate the estimated opening meter reading and that it would use the accurate meter readings between September 2014 and February 2015 to calculate our average daily usage and then based on this recalculate the opening estimated meter reading it used to start our heat rate on. We moved out of the flat and gave exit readings and our new address in April 2015. It has escalated through the complaints team but they maintain that the opening estimated reading was correct. Instead of recalculating the estimated opening reading based on this winter’s usage (which is over 1000 units less) they cancelled and amended the bill I had paid in February where the heat rate was charged at 7.04p p/unit and charged it at 12p p/unit.

The last exec complaints person I spoke to told me that they were closing the complaint so I said I wanted to go back to the ombudsman but he implied because I hadn’t accepted their last decision (even though they directed me back to NPower) I just had to pay up. I just went back to our old flat to pick up post and there was a ton more letters threatening court action and saying we now owe £1452. So they haven’t updated our address either!

I’m feeling really desperate about it all. Its taken so many hours of my life trying to sort this all out. Do I go back to the Ombudsman? I’ve discovered on this forum Resolver. Should I try going back to NPower through them? I’ve tried to explain my complaint to NPower directly but they just don’t listen and I can’t bear to go through all the business with the Ombudsman again only to find that I’ve not given them the chance to rectify it first – especially the part about them changing the tariffs instead of recalculating the bill. It feels like I’m being bullied and I’m very unhappy.

Any advice greatly appreciated. Apologies for the long post!
D

D_M_E

You're not the only one having bother with npower - various ways to contact them are shown at


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/energy-bills/11174004/Npower-how-to-make-customer-services-listen-to-your-complaint.html


There's many examples of energy companies' employees not bothering to read or listen to what the customer has to say - one recent example can be found in the post at


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5247545

DeerD

Hi DME
Thanks for the links. The bailiff story is terrifying. Do you think I should keep trying to get through to npower via the email links rather than go to the ombudsman? I want the threatening letters to stop.
Thanks

D_M_E

Please note I cannot give advice - I do not know enough about the subject - but if it were me, I would refuse to take any more phone calls and ask for EVERYTHING to be put in writing, everything, no calls, nothing else, only letters and or emails which I can, if necessary, provide to the Ombudsman or produce in court.


I would also find a way to record any future calls they try and make contrary to my instructions and send a letter and email to the COMPLAINTS department detailing what has gone wrong and why I think it's wrong, keeping copies of everything sent and received - from what I have read, this is a necessary step before escalating it to the Ombudsman.


As well as the Complaints department, I would also write and email the people and teams detailed in the Telegraph link as well.


Should it get as far as court, PROVIDING I could prove that my version of the facts is correct, I would employ a solicitor and tell him/her to demand a vast sum in damages/exemplary damages for their disgraceful behaviour and, if possible, see if the judge can refer them to the Energy Secretary with a view to revoking their licence.


That is what I would do.

DeerD

Thanks DME. I have emailed the complaints team and CEO as per the Telegraph article and stated that I will only correspond now via email. Lets see what happens...