Npower - help please !

rachaelsmith82

Hi,

I am having issues with Npower and their awful billing system and desperately need help!

I lived in rented flat for three years and moved out in may. I am currently with Npower at my new flat. I am pretty bad with metre readings so thought when I input my metre readings online I would have something to pay when I moved out for my final bill there.

I went online and put In my final gas and electric and the next day it had calculated a credit which I thought odd as I was sure I would owe them but it said on my account :

Your latest account of £230.00 was issued on the 10/3/2016
This account is now closed so you won't get any more bills "

I thought again this was odd as I would definitely owe money from March until may but I thought in next week or two perhaps it would update and I would get bill.

In June I did get final bill and online it states

" you're final bill summary from November until 19th may ( date I closed account and gave final readings) and stated the final amount I owed them for gas and electricity which was approx £180.00

I figured this was the recalculation and paid it thinking this is certainly final bill as it states it!

This morning got a letter stating amended final bill of £1000.00!!!?????


The readings are the same as I put in on the 19th may - I really do find it confusing working it out but even if that is correct why have they said previously final bill when it wasn't?! Is this fair?! I had some savings for when I moved to cover power etc but as thought this was paid do not have this money anymore. I really am concerned - does anyone have any advice?

Also if I am able to pay this over an arranged time does this mark my credit rating? As I am hoping to buy a house in next couple of years.


Thanks so much in advance - this is such a worry and any advice is much appreciated

stevegrass777

The first thing I would do is move your current energy account away from npower to stop the same awful billing system getting you for a second time,try not to let on the other debt problem otherwise they might stop you from leaving.
Then once successfully moved ring them to do a payment plan,It took them 12 months or more and they threatened my farther with debt collection companies every step of the way to collect the full amount even when the ombudsman told them they had to do a payment plan they wouldn't for a long time they preferred to threaten my retired farther daily with collection agents even though it was there fault he was in debt and even though he was paying a monthly amount to reduce it.
So good luck with dealing with them I found them the worst company in the world,and the ombudsman is very very soft with them.
The biggest problem I found was trying leave them,they blocked my farther for 12 months even when the ombudsman told them to let him go and do a payment plan,they also lie to the ombudsman.

teddysmum

Email Executive Complaints and don't bother with call centre staff.


The email will generate a complaint code and someone will call you within a couple of days. This department is more informed than call centre general staff.


My recent complaint about a second late online quarterly bill, resulted in an instant bill and £25 credit, the details appearing on line the next working day (though they quote 3-5 days).

Robin9

Rachael - you will probably get a third (different!) invoice next week.

In the mean time why dont you do some of your own sums to find out what the bill should really be. You know what your final readings are - and you know how long you've were there - do you know what the initial readings were and how much you've paid in DD's ? Not forgetting VAT

It may all be a bit approximate but more accurate than nPower.

[Deleted User]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/energy-bills/11174004/Npower-how-to-make-customer-services-listen-to-your-complaint.html

rachaelsmith82

Thanks for replies!

Does anyone know if I pay this back in instalments if I am given the chance does this go on my credit file?

Thanks so much for advice

GingerBob_3

rachaelsmith82 wrote: »

Thanks for replies!

Does anyone know if I pay this back in instalments if I am given the chance does this go on my credit file?

Thanks so much for advice

Yes, they will maliciously report your account to the CRAs as being an "arrangement to pay". This is, in effect, a blacklist if you then attempt to obtain credit of some sort; a loan or whatever.


As others have said; work out what you owe them. Submit your calculations to Executive Complaints and require them to justify any reason why they won't accept your calculations.


When all is done and dusted, and you've got it in writing that your complaint has been upheld, get onto them again to make sure they haven't blacklisted you. If they have, or they won't answer your question, you'll need to report them to the ICO.