Disputing Npower final statement

DD265

The short version is Npower have sent us an incorrect electricity bill - both in terms of the dates it covers and the usage (estimated readings). I'm looking for any tips to dispute this so we end up paying the correct amount.

We moved in to our rented apartment in late May 2015. The previous tenant left in January 2015 and the apartment was vacant, but the landlord did have the heating on to keep the property in good condition. The property is entirely electric, we don't have a gas supply.

When we moved in, the electricity supplier was Npower. They had been notified (by the landlord) that the previous tenant had moved out but there was an ongoing dispute with the landlord over the meter. Npower had decided that the property had a pre-payment meter (it didn't and doesn't) and because of this dispute, the account was effectively on hold. Npower wouldn't register us but because we didn't hold an account with them, they wouldn't talk to us either.

By September, no progress had been made between the landlord and Npower so we switched to e.On. I don't know the date that kicked in I believe 1st October - they're closed and I can't find where it specifies exactly on the website. At this point we still weren't able to speak to Npower and even last month we were receiving post from them for the previous tenant.

Fast forward to today, and we receive a bill from Npower addressed to the current occupier.

1) they have billed us from January to September - i.e. including the period where the flat was vacant. Thinking back I'm sure the landlord said they'd settled the bill for the vacant period. I think the dates should be fairly easy to sort out as we have our contract etc with the dates on.

2) they estimated both the January and September readings. For a start, they began approximately 20000 kWh too low. Secondly, they decided we used approximately 9000 kWh in this period but I've checked through our reading history and it's 1260 thanks very much. The night readings is also too high but only by about 400.

The bill value? £1876.20 and they'd like it next week thanks. :rotfl: I have to confess I did panic that we really owed that much, but actually the figure is more like £325 all in which we're happy enough to pay.

One of the issues we have is that as part of an apartment block, we don't have access to our meter and rely on the landlord. However that does mean that we have emails from them with readings. Will these be enough to dispute the readings/usage?

Unfortunately our landlord is away until the 15th. Should I ignore Npower until we've spoken to the landlord, or acknowledge that we received a bill but it's wrong and we'll be in touch with the corrections?

molerat

You can see your E.On bill on line, that will have the start date and meter read used.

NPower's billing system is still a shambles even though they seem to have convinced OFGEM otherwise. You need to start a formal complaint in writing so that you have a paper trail. You can use the e-mails from the LL as your evidence, the LL will obviously have to pay for the vacant period using the readings they provided you with. You don't really need to speak to the LL if you have all the readings.

spiro

The day you moved in you have phoned NPOWER and provided meter readings. Regardless of any dispute they should have set you up an account even if they required you to provide a copy of your tenancy agreement to prove you have moved in.
When you changed supplier to Eon you should provided them with meter readings. If you did this the only element of the NPOWER bill you can dispute is the opening read/date which hopefully you or the landlord should have recorded.

SammenForLivet2

I would recommend you call E.ON to confirm your start readings, as they appear on there side. E.ON will then be able to confirm the SSD with them,provide details of your opening readings and as well dispute the closing readings with Npower, if they were too high.

E.ON are exceptionally good from my experience with raising D300's (Electricity Dispute Reads) and a biscuit file, for your gas reading - so I wouldn't worry too much.

Npower should bill you from when you called them and provided your move-in readings up-to the readings that E.ON have to start your account.

Hope this helps. Also, kindly remember that your meter readings don't always colerate to your gas KWH usage, there is a complex conversion factor that energy companies use.