Ridiculous npower bill

Shugo_13

Has anyone had experience of resolving a ridiculous bill from npower?

We have lived in our 2 bed flat for 2yrs 1m . The energy rating is C. We are 2 working adults (out 7.30-5.30 weekdays and 12-5 Saturdays) and a toddler. We have electricity only.

To date, we have paid npower a ridiculous £1670. We have just received another bill for £1107!!! This is on top of our account supposedly being £3300+ IN CREDIT when it was opened. (I don't know where this supposed credit came from).

How are we supposed to have used £6000+ in electricity?! I'm pretty sure that's impossible. Npower have said that the readings are correct and we owe the money, and maybe the amount we are showed to be credited at the start of the account. We simply can't afford £4.5k.

The heating is used 2-3hrs a day December-february only. We do 4 loads of washing a week, NOT tumble dried. Given we are out the house 10+ hrs a day, can someone give any suggestions as to how we are supposed to have used all this energy?!

Also, does anyone have experience of resolving this? Every time I ring npower they just say that we have to pay it and the readings are correct. No one will explain the dozens of invoices/invoice reversals/re invoices on our account.

Any advice gratefully received.
Thank you

TheBanker

I can't really help but I agree somthing is wrong. If you gave Npower meter readings when you moved in, there is no way you can have been £3,000 in credit. You would have started from zero.

Have you been taking regular meter readings? I am with Npower and for me they tend to over estimate usage if I forget to submit a reading for a while.

teddysmum

You can't have a credit, especially a huge one, if you haven't paid any money, so perhaps that was the last occupier's apparent credit before their final bill was sorted. (People often mention credits on here, where actually it's the last few DDs paid, without the charge for energy used being applied.)


If you are out during the day, the only saving would be on heating in winter, as you would cook, do washing etc, bath/shower just like anyone staying home; just at different times.


Have you calculated your own bill using the opening readings, any taken at tariff change and the ones used in the last bill ? Also, being on the standard tariff, instead of a fix, will mean much higher bills.

daveyjp

It may well be another npower mess, it may well be right.

If you have the readings check them against the bills you have received.

Gueld

The £3K in credit when you moved it doesn't make sense. It sounds like perhaps an incorrect meter reading was submitted?

Do you have photos of the meters when you moved in?

System

Electric dial meters will be read completely wrong all the time and will generate bills like this, so if you have one of these meters double check it

dogshome

This is all about Meter Readings, or the lack of.
Are the bills based on ESTIMATED readings - Denoted by an E against the read.

Check that the meter number listed on the bills matches that on the actual meter

What does the meter read now against that when you moved in?

Has the meter been changed, and if so do you have a card left by the change crew that shows the old meters reading and that of the new, at the point of change?

Is you meter housed in Service Room along with all the other meters? - If so do a check it's the right one by turning off everything in the flat, then whilst you watch the meter which should be still, have your partner on a mobile phone switch the kettle on & off to your order - If the meter does not react in synch to the kettle switching, it's the wrong meter

Examine every bill you have and check that End meter read on a bill, is the same as the Start read on the next one

somethingcorporate

Have you made an official complaint?

Do the calcs yourself, do they make sense?

zaax

When you shopping for baked bean you look at the price, so do the same with energy. Take monthly meter readings and note them on a spreadsheet. Google provides one for free it only take a few minutes and will shop something like this happening

teddysmum

Perhaps the OP would like to post their start up readings , any at billing time and the tariff (tariffs with dates if more than one).

kmjamal

That is why it is important to write the reading all the time.