Advise, NPOWER troubles

RBradly

Im frustrated and need advise….

I moved into my property in July 2014, The lease said I had two suppliers, British gas for gas and npower for electrics. I have had a bad experience with npower so I tried to move the dual fuel to British gas who were adamant they were not my gas supplier but npower was – this took about to months to get to the bottom of at which point I had not paid for energy for two months.

I contacted npower and asked for a bill with view of clearing it and making a switch. Npower first said they could not locate my account number and were not sure I was with them… I did not get a bill from Npower for a year.

In June 2015, I finally informed Npower I was moving abroad for work for six months and need this sorted out. I had kept meter reading from day of moving out. I am then informed an engineer has been visiting my property and has provided the meter readings.

I by this time I’m told I have a bill of £702.42. I think this is too high for a studio property with 3 radiators but it seems there is nothing I can do. In the absence of sending me a bill and dragging their feet for a year, Npower kept me on the standard rate which is high.

I set up a direct debit with an npower adviser who calculates that I should pay £120 a month to cover current usage and to clear the bill this was on the 5th June 2015. The direct debit should start on the 1st of July 2015. I leave and travel to the Sudan for work, leaving my partner in my flat.

In August I discover the direct debit did not come out. So I contact npower and I am informed there was a fault with npowers system so the direct debit did not go though. I set up another direct debit by opening an online account, a couple of days later. I receive an email from npower saying that I owe them too much money now at £900 and they cannot set up the direct debit if I owe money so they have cancelled it.

I email around mid August and say this is ridiculous. That I’m still using energy and the direct debit of £120 should cover this and some of the debt which is as a result of not getting a bill and that I intend to clear what I owe in a couple of months. I get no reply.

On the 5th of September I pay £400 of the debt. On the last week of September meter plus sends a letter saying I owe npower £927 and they will be installing prepay meters as the debt has been uncleared. On the 1st of October Meter plus installs prepay meters at the flat and disconnects the gas leaving instructions that I get intouch with npower to arrange reconnection at a fee.

Travelling in conflict ridden Sudan, I don’t get this message until late on the 2nd of October the same date I had made another £400 payment to npower unaware of the disconnection. I get intouch with npower and complain about their failure to update my account though out their departments to reflect payments made on the 5th of September. I’m told I have received a failure of service and the credit meters would be reinstalled but no one at npower will commit to when this will take place.

In the meantime, £30 credit was left on the prepay electric meter and no key has arrived for the electric. Ive been told it was sent on the 7th of October (a week from prepay meters installation) and it will take 7-10 days to arrive. Its been very cold in Leeds so my partner is stuck in a cold house, he can’t use electric heaters because he will run down the electric and there is no key to top it up yet.

Please advise, can Npower disconnect me and install prepay meters whilst I have not refused to pay my bill and have made every effort to pay it.

Can they leave the meters indefinitely in prepay?

Where do I complain about this?

Could not sending me a bill be deliberate to keep me on the higher standard rate and is the heist to install prepay meters deliberate or a failure in their systems and how do I get redress?


Thank alot
RB

nPower

RBradly wrote: »

Im frustrated and need advise….

I moved into my property in July 2014, The lease said I had two suppliers, British gas for gas and npower for electrics. I have had a bad experience with npower so I tried to move the dual fuel to British gas who were adamant they were not my gas supplier but npower was – this took about to months to get to the bottom of at which point I had not paid for energy for two months.

I contacted npower and asked for a bill with view of clearing it and making a switch. Npower first said they could not locate my account number and were not sure I was with them… I did not get a bill from Npower for a year.

In June 2015, I finally informed Npower I was moving abroad for work for six months and need this sorted out. I had kept meter reading from day of moving out. I am then informed an engineer has been visiting my property and has provided the meter readings.

I by this time I’m told I have a bill of £702.42. I think this is too high for a studio property with 3 radiators but it seems there is nothing I can do. In the absence of sending me a bill and dragging their feet for a year, Npower kept me on the standard rate which is high.

I set up a direct debit with an npower adviser who calculates that I should pay £120 a month to cover current usage and to clear the bill this was on the 5th June 2015. The direct debit should start on the 1st of July 2015. I leave and travel to the Sudan for work, leaving my partner in my flat.

In August I discover the direct debit did not come out. So I contact npower and I am informed there was a fault with npowers system so the direct debit did not go though. I set up another direct debit by opening an online account, a couple of days later. I receive an email from npower saying that I owe them too much money now at £900 and they cannot set up the direct debit if I owe money so they have cancelled it.

I email around mid August and say this is ridiculous. That I’m still using energy and the direct debit of £120 should cover this and some of the debt which is as a result of not getting a bill and that I intend to clear what I owe in a couple of months. I get no reply.

On the 5th of September I pay £400 of the debt. On the last week of September meter plus sends a letter saying I owe npower £927 and they will be installing prepay meters as the debt has been uncleared. On the 1st of October Meter plus installs prepay meters at the flat and disconnects the gas leaving instructions that I get intouch with npower to arrange reconnection at a fee.

Travelling in conflict ridden Sudan, I don’t get this message until late on the 2nd of October the same date I had made another £400 payment to npower unaware of the disconnection. I get intouch with npower and complain about their failure to update my account though out their departments to reflect payments made on the 5th of September. I’m told I have received a failure of service and the credit meters would be reinstalled but no one at npower will commit to when this will take place.

In the meantime, £30 credit was left on the prepay electric meter and no key has arrived for the electric. Ive been told it was sent on the 7th of October (a week from prepay meters installation) and it will take 7-10 days to arrive. Its been very cold in Leeds so my partner is stuck in a cold house, he can’t use electric heaters because he will run down the electric and there is no key to top it up yet.

Please advise, can Npower disconnect me and install prepay meters whilst I have not refused to pay my bill and have made every effort to pay it.

Can they leave the meters indefinitely in prepay?

Where do I complain about this?

Could not sending me a bill be deliberate to keep me on the higher standard rate and is the heist to install prepay meters deliberate or a failure in their systems and how do I get redress?


Thank alot
RB

Hello RBradly

Thank you for your post.

If you would like me to look into this in more detail please email me using the address on our profile page; be sure to mark it for my attention.

Thanks

Neil