just moved in NPOWER bill

sdullat123

Hi guys, I need some help or advice, I moved into a property over a month ago and had an energy advisor (forgot what their actual title is) and he found a good rate with an energy company and on the day I moved in I told him I had moved in and to contact my new Energy provider, I didnt hear anything for afew weeks I got a call from NPOWER (the old owners electricity provider) who said I was still on their tariff and was being charged 'out of contract' rates because I hadnt signed up with them but was still being provided electric by them, the charges are obviously extraordinary.
Any way then I contact my new electric provider and they said its takes afew weeks for everything to transfer over to them so now, everything has finally transferred to my new provider BUT, I just received a bill from NPOWER for over £700, (its a shop and the bill is usually around £300).

I cannot pay that amount right away, is there anything I can do?

Thanks

Sorry if I rambled on, Any Help will be great.

[Deleted User]

That"energy adviser " was hopeless.It has fed you with useless info which was incorrect.Npower are your supplier and you had a "deemed " contract only with Npower in which you start off on their higher Standard/ variable tariff.You register your reads/start date with Npower then are free to either switch ( about 3 weeks ) or go onto a much cheaper tariff with them.
It sounds as if your are on business tariff ( not domestic )where you may be on a contract from day one with Npower. You have to enquire with Npower business about the contract details for the shop

Cardew

Get your 'energy advisor' to pay for the difference.




If you didn't contact NPower when you occupied the premises(which you should have done), how are you sure that you have been billed to the correct initial meter readings and are not paying for some of the previous occupants electricity?

sdullat123

the person I bought the property/business from is a friend of mine and on the night before I took ovver we both took meter readings and even on my Npower bill the start meter reading is fine, Its just because I had no idea I was still being provided by Npower (at a rate more than three times higher than the normal rate), is there anything I can do or say, or will they accept some kind of payment plan where I pay weekly/monthly till its paid off, will this affect my credit rating?

macman

You can try to negotiate an extended repayment period, but they're not obliged to offer you one. If you stick to the agreed plan then it does not affect your credit record. If it's a limited company then your personal credit rating does not apply anyway, if it's billed to the company.

Cardew

Until recently there was no real protection for business customers, on the premise that those in business should investigate these things. Many were caught out by not giving notice to end an agreement and were automatically rolled over onto a new contract with punitive rates.


However fairly recently there was a change in regulations and 'mini-businesses' were given greater protection.


I don't know if your shop can be classified as a mini-business, but it might be worth an investigation to find out the criteria and if it gives you protection against Npower's Modus operandi.


This might be a start point for investigating - albeit they won't take up your individual case, but might point you in the right direction.


http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/contact-us.html

Robin9

What action have you now taken to get a contract ?

Don't use an energy adviser, online comparison or broker - go direct to the suppliers.

Depending on how "small" you are I would expect contract rates of approx 35-40 p a day and 10 -11 p/kwh

When you say 3 times the normal rate what were you charged ?

Cardew

sdullat123 wrote: »

Hi guys, I need some help or advice, I moved into a property over a month ago .

Is this accommodation as well as a shop?

sdullat123

no its just the shop, the energy advisor set everything up for the new company but I was just told that it usuay takes afew weeks for everything to transfer fro one company (npower) to the other.
Npower charged me at 'out of contracct' rates, 26p rate and 58.46p standing charge. (almost double normal rate not tree tims, sorry)