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NPower: Incorrect Bill Setup

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Hi - I'd be grateful for any help anyone can provide with the below issue!

I switched onto an NPower Dual Fuel account back in October 2014 through USwitch. I've recently received a letter informing me that due to an error in setup, I have only been paying for one fuel. Now my monthly bills will increase by £120 per month for the next 9 months to help pay off the debt I have apparently accrued.

What is extremely confusing is that my previous Direct Debit amount matched the figure I was quoted through USwitch for both gas and electric. Also I have not submitted any meter readings (due to numerous problems trying to do this online) so its not as if I've excessively gone over my estimate usage.

Would really appreciate any help and advice. Have I been mis-sold this product? Do I need to increase my DD to pay this off, or are there any alternatives? Is there any way I can get NPower to write off this debt given they have said its a problem with their account setup?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Comments

  • naedanger
    naedanger Posts: 3,105 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    jjk101 wrote: »
    Hi - I'd be grateful for any help anyone can provide with the below issue!

    I switched onto an NPower Dual Fuel account back in October 2014 through USwitch. I've recently received a letter informing me that due to an error in setup, I have only been paying for one fuel. Now my monthly bills will increase by £120 per month for the next 9 months to help pay off the debt I have apparently accrued.

    What is extremely confusing is that my previous Direct Debit amount matched the figure I was quoted through USwitch for both gas and electric. Also I have not submitted any meter readings (due to numerous problems trying to do this online) so its not as if I've excessively gone over my estimate usage.

    Would really appreciate any help and advice.

    I suspect having made one error (i.e. having initially wrongly set your account up for only one fuel) npower are now making another (i.e. assuming the initial direct debit was for only one fuel).

    The problem will be trying to get them to fix the problem without making matters worse. If you call them I suggest you record the call as they may well say one thing and do another or alternatively tell you a lot of rubbish.

    Make clear you are making a complaint about their incompetence in setting up your account and their faulty system that will not allow you to enter readings online.
    Have I been mis-sold this product?
    Probably not if your concern is the cost is too high. As they have taken no readings their bills are completely estimated and you have probably not built up the debt they are estimating (assuming your actual usage has been in line what you previously entered into USwitch).

    However if they in any way sold you the product based on promises of good (or even competent) service then you have almost certainly been mis-sold their product.
    Do I need to increase my DD to pay this off, or are there any alternatives?
    In my view you should not need to increase your dd. Instead you should demand from npower a proper bill based on actual readings and demand that npower make no change to your dd until they have calculated your actual usage.
    Is there any way I can get NPower to write off this debt given they have said its a problem with their account setup?
    I can't see why there should be a significant debt if you have been paying for both fuels all this time. (Npower have presumably been crediting too much to one fuel and too little to the other. There should therefore be a debt on one fuel and a surplus on the other. Npower should recalculate both fuels accounts from inception allocating the correct split to each and taking account of actual readings.)

    Even if you are in debt, npower are unlikely to write it off (and are not obliged to do so). However you should demand compensation for the inconvenience caused by their failures.
  • footyguy
    footyguy Posts: 4,157 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    jjk101 wrote: »
    Hi - I'd be grateful for any help anyone can provide with the below issue!

    I switched onto an NPower Dual Fuel account back in October 2014 through USwitch. I've recently received a letter informing me that due to an error in setup, I have only been paying for one fuel. Now my monthly bills will increase by £120 per month for the next 9 months to help pay off the debt I have apparently accrued.

    What is extremely confusing is that my previous Direct Debit amount matched the figure I was quoted through USwitch for both gas and electric. Also I have not submitted any meter readings (due to numerous problems trying to do this online) so its not as if I've excessively gone over my estimate usage.

    Would really appreciate any help and advice. Have I been mis-sold this product? Do I need to increase my DD to pay this off, or are there any alternatives? Is there any way I can get NPower to write off this debt given they have said its a problem with their account setup?

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    You should be expected to pay for the energy you have consumed according to the tariff you agreed upon.

    The supplier has offered to spread the cost of any accrued debt so far over 9 months. If you don't wish to accept this offer, then discuss how you propose to pay for what you have already used. I would expect the supplier would welcome a proposal by you to pay all you owe immediately.

    The issue as I see it is have you actually been billed for what you have actually consumed? You say you have not given any actual readings for the past 11 months, so presumably any bills are based on an estimated consumption.

    How does this estimated consumption compare to what you have actually consumed as measured by the meters?
    It could be that you have actually consumed less than estimated :beer:, or you may have used more :eek:

    I would recommend you provide up to date meter readings so that the supplier can bill you accurately for what you have actually consumed.
    I understand you say you have had difficulty in the past supplying such meter readings online, but I'm sure you could come up with an alternative method of communicating them if this is still an issue for you.
  • I swapped in May this year and still haven't received a bill despite many online chats, phone calls and emails. They say the issue will be resolved in 40 days. I hope.....
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