NPower compensation Claim Advice

J_Spence

This is a long one but to sum it up i have not had a working electricity meter in my house for 11 months and i am looking for advice on the compensation i should seek. Full description below:

Background
I tried to read my electice meter on the 6th September 2015 and found the led display on the meter was dead i phone Npower straight away and they arranged a visit by one of there engineers to replace the meter.

Npower Engineer Visit 1
The engineer came to my house a week later and said he could not touch the meter due to it not being attached to the wall. (Aside a number of years earlier i had a kitchen fitted and to get a cupboard in the electrician had relocated the meter from the wall). Because of this is said he was not qualified to touch the meter but said he would log it in the system and Npower would get back in touch shortly

Waited 2 weeks no reppnse from Npower so i contacted them to arrange another visit.

Npower Engineer Visit 2
This was a no show by Npower engineer

Called Npower again to inform them that the engineer did not show up and to arrange another visit and explained what the first engineer said.

Npower Engineer Visit 3
Engineer could not touch the meter for exactly the same reason as engineer site visit 1. This is inspite Npower informing informing me that the engineer would be fully briefed before he visited.

Called Npower again and i wasn't happy we are now in January 2016 and explained what had happened and they informed me that they would get another engineer to my house who would be able to fit the meter

Npower Engineer Visit 4
Engineer said the same thing as Engineers 1 & 3 so could not fit the meter (although Npower support said the engineer would be able to) but the engineer informed me it is a job for Northern National power grid and he would log it and Npower would get in contact with Northern power grid( apparently Npower should have been contacted after engineer visit 1) and i would hear from Northern power grid shortly.

I waited 6 weeks but i haven't heard from Npower or Northern Power Grid so I phoned Npower and it transpired that Npower had not contacted Northern Power grid. So Npower sent another Engineer to my house. I informed Npower that i wanted to me a formal complaint they would not let me make a formal complaint as they deemed they had not been given sufficient time to deal the issue of fitting my meter and when i asked for the Ombudsman contact details they refused to give them to me, when i asked why they stated it is not company policy.

Npower Engineer visit 5
Engineer said exactly the same as Engineer 4 but he did actually contact Northern Power Grid. Now we are in May 2016

Northern Power grid visit 1 - June 2016
They assessed the property and devised a plan of action although they informed me it would be a morning apointment but they did not arrive until the afternoon

Northern Power grid Visit 2
After there civils team had dug up my drive and left it open for an engineer to make a connection they found out the services drawings they were using for the street were the wrong one so they had to put back my drive and another visit was arranged

Northern Power Grid Visit 3
Was informed that they dont fit the meter as Npower informed me but do the "jointing". this was done and they informed me after they had done this in the visit to call Npower to fit the meter

Npower Engineer visit 6 -Today
They are booked in today the fit the meter

So i have been left without a functional electricity meter for approximately 11 months.

The detriment this fiasco has cost me is as follows:

Time taken off work. I am self employed so when i do not work i do not get paid. the days taken off for engineers visits alone and the time taken in phone calls having to repeat the saga to Npower customer services again and again has left me seriously out of pocket.

Question
Due to not having a electric meter for 11 months due to Npower incompetency are they obliged to write off the electricity bill for the 11 months In September at the start of the saga i have had 2 grown children leave my house so my electricity bill usage would have gone down plus i have been away from home for a considerable amount of time.

Genrally compensation i am looking for:

1. I am self employed so i was unavailable to work during these visits. I can understand and was willing to accept that 3 visits might be required to do the job so i was willing to taking it on the chin but 9 visits where i have lost money is unacceptable (also Npower policy is £30 per visit which is less than minimum wage for a start and i cannot accept that they can constantly arrange visit based on an attitude of oh well it is only £30 per visit. I earn considerable more than the minimum wage and two of my working weeks have been consumed dealing with this meter.
2. How are they going to reimburse me for the fall in electricity usage while my payments have remained the same. ( this links into the question above).
3. I was not able to change tarrif on my electricity or gas during this period ( i have duel fuel) because i was not able to provide a meter reading.
4. Compensation for not being able to make a complaint, not being given when requested the ombudsman details and general poor service.

Thanks for reading i would appreciate your advice or comments

Buy the way i have contacted Radio 4 You and Yours and spoken to one of there researchers so who knows i might be on radio.

J_Spence

Has anyone got any advice