NPower: Let me go!

Spirael

Hi all, I'm having an issue with NPower that I'd really appreciate some advice on. Thank you in advance-!

At the end of 2012 I moved into my current home. A new build property, the building firm had gone bust so it was being sold by the bank. I'd been with NPower at my previous residence for both gas and electricity on direct debit payment. Being mid-contract, decided it would be easiest to stick with them at my new property for the short term.

A few months later around April 2013 as we received our first quarterly bill I noticed that our electricity meter readings didn't seem to match up with what NPower were expecting. I contacted them and it was established that an erroneous transfer had taken place, because the national database indicated the electricity meter attached to my house was different to the one that was actually on the wall.

I gave them all the details, they assured me it had been resolved and the national database corrected. In May 2013 my contract came to an end and I attempted to move to a different provider - Ovo. I was given a final bill by NPower, which I duly paid, but they then blocked the transfer for electricity. Gas transferred to Ovo without any problems.

Over the next two and a half years I've been in regular contact with NPower trying to get the situation resolved. I've had a variety of complaints, they've been blaming a variety of different computer issues at their end and repeatedly told me it was fixed only to have the transfer blocked again when I tried to initiate it.

Then, eventually, my account was so messed up on their system that I could no longer pass their security checks to actually talk to anyone.

Reaching the end of my patience, at the end of last year I went to the Ombudsman. One investigation later and they ruled that NPower were at fault, needed to fix the issues, issue me with a bill for the last 12 months of electricity and provide written confirmation that I could transfer my electricity supply to another provider.

Within the 28 days, NPower assured the Ombudsman that the issue was fixed, they issued me with a bill (<£500) from estimated/imaginary meter readings and gave me written confirmation that I could leave. But, when I tried to transfer, they blocked it again!

I went back to the Ombudsman who initially told me that because I'd received the letter saying I could leave, that it was resolved as far as they were concerned. :eek: One argument later, they agreed it needed further investigation so passed me on to the relevent team. That was two weeks ago and they warned me that the team was snowed under so it might be slow to hear anything back.

I told them at this point that I was unhappy to pay my 'final bill' from NPower, when clearly it wasn't my final bill at all because they hadn't let me leave. I told them to pass on that at the point I was allowed to transfer, I would happily make the payment in full. They said they would give this information onto NPower.

However I'm still getting increasingly demanding letters from NPower that payment is due, with the latest (yesterday) saying I have until next week before it goes to a debt collection agency and that if they do so, there will be additional fees added.

I will try and get hold of the Ombudsman again later, but I strongly suspect I'll be told by the first point of contact that there's nothing I can do but sit tight until they get back to me. But in the meantime I'm worried now that if debt collectors get involved I'm going to have a black mark on my credit record (which is completely clean at the moment) and end up paying even more!

Do I try and get hold of NPower and pay the final bill that isn't? I say try, because I'm not even sure whether anyone will talk to me about my account due to my inability to pass the security questions with whatever bogus details now exist on my account.

I'm just not sure where to take this anymore. I'm actually in a worse position since contacting the Ombudsman, as I still can't move and now also have NPower chasing me for a debt!

[Deleted User]

Read this article at the Daily Telegraph and email the Chief Executive at the address given in it

Npower: how to make customer services listen to your complaint

Start at the top to get things moving.

Spirael

Thanks gsmlnx, I've read the article and I'll give Twitter a go first then email the CEO if that doesn't lead anywhere.

I tried calling the Ombudsman and their computer systems are down for the next two hours...

Spirael

I'm not sure whether anyone is interested or following this, but the latest update is as follows:

Finally got through to the Ombudsman, was told at first point of contact that there's nothing they can do and they have no idea when the relevant team who can do something might get to my file. Brilliant, what service. 9_9 They suggested talking to NPower.

Called NPower and finally got through to someone willing to talk to me who actually sounded quite competent - makes for a change! They're positive the latest block was due to the unpaid bill. Not sure why the letter they sent didn't mention it then... And what about all the previous times when there was no bill? Anyway, they've cancelled the bill and put a stop on any more being generated until someone manually overrides the process once I've successfully transferred. Result in that regard, at least! Meant I slept better last night.

I then made them check the national database while I was on the line and they assured me that there is just one meter listed as being attached to my house. I was told to contact Ovo to initiate the transfer of the supply again and it should go through this time. I've heard that before, but we'll see what happens.

So, called Ovo next (exciting way to spend an afternoon, huh?) and got though to a cheerful person who set everything up to try again to take the supply. They also checked the national database for me again and said it's correct. They even took the serial number from my meter to make absolutely sure it was the right one. Thumbs up for service there, Ovo! They confirmed that it is the correct meter and the same one they've been trying to take every single time so far...

Hmm. So we'll see whether or not the transfer actually goes ahead. I should know by the end of the month!

I also, finally, had half a conversation last night with NPower on Twitter. That individual double checked the details, asked me a question then never came back after I responded. So no idea what, if anything, happened there!

undaunted

Whether it will help remains to be seen but you could


Complain to your MP, ask that they contact Npowers Parliamentary Liaison people & seek a resolution.


Contact the Energy Ombudsman & ask them to take some action to enforce their ruling - which suppliers are supposedly obliged to follow


If necessary refer a complaint about the Energy Ombudsmans failure to resolve this matter / enforce their findings to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. What is the point of having an Ombudsman if it's happy to just sit back and accept a supplier ignoring it's finding, whilst claiming it can do nothing about it?


It's about time someone got a grip on the lot of them, they all seem to just do as they like.


I wish you good luck

Spirael

Thanks for replying, undaunted!

I've asked the Energy Ombudsman to enforce their ruling and it's currently with their specialist team, who are snowed under so they have no idea how long it might take before they resolve it. (Funny, I heard the same thing from NPower for months...) They suggested I contact NPower myself which, as you say, makes me wonder over the purpose of the Energy Ombudsman at all!

No indication so far of whether or not the transfer is going through this time. I'll hopefully know in the next week or so. Depending what happens then, I might well pursue some of your suggestions.

In the meantime, NPower continue to confuse me. Yesterday I received three letters to my address; two in my name and one in my neighbour's name! Fortunately we get on well with the neighbours, so took the letter around for them to open, which they were happy to do in front of me.

All three letters are almost identical. They refer to the same address and the same account number. They all are about an Ombudsman enforced payout for having had a complaint taking more than 12 months.

But one of them shows my name, one shows my neighbour's name and one shows my name but then refers to the name of the (defunct) company that built the houses, which I have zero connection with! (And since they went bankrupt, I really don't want any association with them! :eek:)

No idea what to make of that, or what to do about it! It says not to contact them as it's all been resolved and the payout cheque(s?) is/are on route. But by the sounds of things I could well receive a cheque for my neighbour (who I'm sure would be quite pleased, but this isn't her dispute or her account number!) and for a company that doesn't exist anymore, as well as (hopefully) something to compensate my time/effort/stress in this whole mess.

Do NPower actually have any idea what they're doing at all??

undaunted

I'm not sure that they do anymore - and I don't mean that facetiously - their billing system has been in chaos for an eternity & I don't think their Executive complaints or legal teams are anything like as big as people might imagine them to be. They probably can't see the wood for the trees by now.

Spirael

Received another two letters yesterday... My address, my name, same account number. However this time they referred to the supply at my neighbour's address! The letters were identical aside from a one number increase in the letter reference number.

So, that makes five letters in the past 48 hours promising me a compensation cheque. I wonder how many I'll actually receive... (I'm betting zero. :P)

Spirael

Ah, just got an email from Ovo. NPower have blocked my transfer, again. It's hard to express just how amazingly shocked I am.

I've messaged them on Twitter (can't call ATM) but I guess I'm going to be escalating. Just got to decide where!

Spirael

Another letter yesterday about theoretical compensation, with the same account number/name/address again. That's six so far! I have a suspicion that they are about as true as the letter they sent me promising I could leave.

NPower also finally responded on Twitter and, after a day of investigation, have discovered to their huge surprise that it seems I have two meters attached to my address following the erroneous transfer. Which is the same problem I raised years ago, that they reputedly fixed years ago, last year, last month, two weeks ago... :mad:

If anyone could RT me on Twitter to keep the pressure on NPower, I'd be eternally grateful! Will follow you in response and happily return the favour if you need me to at any point. You can find me at @keepingitrael.