My npower journey

EnergyUser

Just my journey with npower.
I joined npower on a fixed dual fuel tariff in February last year and knowing that my tariff was coming to an end I started on the comparison web sites to make a decision about the next 12 months. Because I record my meter reads weekly and monthly I know exactly what my consumption has been for the last 12 months and so those are the values that I used to find my tariff. Most of the comparison web sites that I used gave me a best expected annual bill of £496 (£41.33 per month) and the best rate that was found on an npower tariff was £582 (£48.50 per month). But I thought that I would try directly on the npower web site to see what rate it would offer to an existing customer. The web site makes things easy for an existing customer as it doesn't need you to enter your consumption but checks the meter readings. Fantastic - the best rate that it comes up with on a 12 month fix which is the same fix as the comparison sites is annually £501.63 (£41.80 per month)!! But how is that possible? A little investigation and it becomes obvious.....
I had taken the usage figures from my records and from the recently received annual summaries from npower. These records show 'last years estimated usage' as electricity 2247Kwh and gas 2903Kwh. However the npower web site has a link on its quotation page 'How have we calculated your quote?' and clicking that discloses that my quote is based on an 'Estimated usage' of Gas 2738Kwh and Electricity 1754Kwh. So they are estimating/predicting that next year I will use 165Kwh less gas and 493Kwh less electricity and thus my quotation is reduced - simples.
I have no idea I am unique in my experience but its good to know!
I did phone the customer helpline and spoke to an agent you was adamant that the system was correctly calculating my estimated usage as it was predicting that I would use less energy in the next year. That assumption is based on an assumption that I can't understand. It really wasn't worthwhile pursuing the conversation.
Needless to say that my business has now been transferred to an alternate supplier for the next year. Its not one of the big six of course but with my usage its the best price fixed for 12 months and no penalty to leave. I know that my usage is low by comparison with many and my energy bill for this year will be higher than for the last. But had I believed the validity of the npower web site calculation it would soon have transpired that my actual usage would have seen npower asking/requiring me to increase my monthly direct debit as the costs would have been greater than the quotation had stated.
Perhaps npower is correct and perhaps my usage next year will fall but I'm not holding my breath.

CashStrapped

I am not sure what you are complaining about.

The clue is in the word estimate.

A comparison site compares based on the figures you input ......these are your estimates. The results are based on this (assuming you have ensured the comparison site is not assuming you go onto a standard rate after your tariff ends).

Npower will use their estimated figures as their prediction. Depending on the meter readings you have given them over the years they may be making an estimate based on two different points over a year. It is all automated by computer using algorithms, weather data, past use etc.

If you want to check the results of the comparison site, do the calculation yourself. The result will be the same as the tariff on the comparison site should be the same as that on the npower website (if you used the same figures for all).

The quote won't be any different.

Don't forget, even the figures you have used in the comparison site are estimates. They are only based on what you used over the last year. So even these are a guess as to what you will use next year.

We could have a terribly cold year on average, and you will use far more gas and electric and your overall bill will be much higher. If we have a warm year your bill could be much lower. We have enjoyed two very mild winters. This one is much colder and my bills are therefore higher.

These are not quotes set in stone. These are all rough estimates.

jerrysimon

I am currently with Npower fixed till 1/4/17. I had been with them about 3-4 years before that paying over £100/month my fault as was too busy to try and cut bills. Anyway I had more time and will do in future (about to retire) and by fixing that reduced to £68. Recently they have put it up to £78.

I assume I have to wait till 1/4/17 before I switch and take the hit on a March increase ?

Edit make that 30/4/17.

Jerry

CashStrapped

jerrysimon wrote: »

I am currently with Npower fixed till 1/4/17. I had been with them about 3-4 years before that paying over £100/month my fault as was too busy to try and cut bills. Anyway I had more time and will do in future (about to retire) and by fixing that reduced to £68. Recently they have put it up to £78.

I assume I have to wait till 1/4/17 before I switch and take the hit on a March increase ?

Jerry

Fixed does not always mean you are tied to them. Is there an actual penalty for leaving early? Are you saying your current fix ends on 1/4/17?

Also, do not get too hung up on the DD amount. This is meaningless as a way to monitor your energy costs. What you should be looking at is how much you are using in kwh and the tariff you are on.

The DD amount is just an estimate of what the energy company thinks you will use. Only when you submit an accurate meter reading and produce an actual bill will you know the total amount of what you have been using.

jerrysimon

It ends on 30/4/17 yes. I have been entering meter readings and after I entered the last one they confirmed that my updated payment of £78 was correct.

I will work out the actual ammount used to date.

It says £20 early exit fee for each Gas and Leccy as I am with them for both. Its currently a good rate with a saving of over £400 comapred what I paid before I fixed it

Looks like that is all about to change and by the time I fix again (41 days before it ends) they will have all put their rates up.

Just read again and it says this for each Gas and Leccy

Early exit fees: £20 (unless you're 50 days from the end)

Jerry

System

jerrysimon wrote: »

It ends on 30/4/17 yes. I have been entering meter readings and after I entered the last one they confirmed that my updated payment of £78 was correct.

I will work out the actual ammount used to date.

It says £20 early exit fee for each Gas and Leccy as I am with them for both. Its currently a good rate with a saving of over £400 comapred what I paid before I fixed it

Looks like that is all about to change and by the time I fix again (41 days before it ends) they will have all put their rates up.

Just read again and it says this for each Gas and Leccy

Early exit fees: £20 (unless you're 50 days from the end)

Jerry

You need to work out your annual cost based on kWhs/year not £s and carry out a full market comparison. I would be surprised if any deals on the market today will save you very much. There is little point jumping out of one fixed contract into another just because you will face an increase in a year's time.

jerrysimon

Hengus wrote: »

You need top work out your annual cost based on kWhs/year not £s and carry out a full market comparison. I would be surprised if any deals on the market today will save you very much. There is little point jumping out of one fixed contract into another just because you will face an increase in a year's time.

Yes I have done that. The cheapest one at the moment works out at about £15/month more than I am curently paying. I will wait till I get a renewal notice. I currently have all my C/E maintenance with BG so may now try them to get extra discount on that.

Jerry

nPower

EnergyUser wrote: »

Just my journey with npower.
I joined npower on a fixed dual fuel tariff in February last year and knowing that my tariff was coming to an end I started on the comparison web sites to make a decision about the next 12 months. Because I record my meter reads weekly and monthly I know exactly what my consumption has been for the last 12 months and so those are the values that I used to find my tariff. Most of the comparison web sites that I used gave me a best expected annual bill of £496 (£41.33 per month) and the best rate that was found on an npower tariff was £582 (£48.50 per month). But I thought that I would try directly on the npower web site to see what rate it would offer to an existing customer. The web site makes things easy for an existing customer as it doesn't need you to enter your consumption but checks the meter readings. Fantastic - the best rate that it comes up with on a 12 month fix which is the same fix as the comparison sites is annually £501.63 (£41.80 per month)!! But how is that possible? A little investigation and it becomes obvious.....
I had taken the usage figures from my records and from the recently received annual summaries from npower. These records show 'last years estimated usage' as electricity 2247Kwh and gas 2903Kwh. However the npower web site has a link on its quotation page 'How have we calculated your quote?' and clicking that discloses that my quote is based on an 'Estimated usage' of Gas 2738Kwh and Electricity 1754Kwh. So they are estimating/predicting that next year I will use 165Kwh less gas and 493Kwh less electricity and thus my quotation is reduced - simples.
I have no idea I am unique in my experience but its good to know!
I did phone the customer helpline and spoke to an agent you was adamant that the system was correctly calculating my estimated usage as it was predicting that I would use less energy in the next year. That assumption is based on an assumption that I can't understand. It really wasn't worthwhile pursuing the conversation.
Needless to say that my business has now been transferred to an alternate supplier for the next year. Its not one of the big six of course but with my usage its the best price fixed for 12 months and no penalty to leave. I know that my usage is low by comparison with many and my energy bill for this year will be higher than for the last. But had I believed the validity of the npower web site calculation it would soon have transpired that my actual usage would have seen npower asking/requiring me to increase my monthly direct debit as the costs would have been greater than the quotation had stated.
Perhaps npower is correct and perhaps my usage next year will fall but I'm not holding my breath.

Hi EnergyUser,

Please contact us using the details on our profile page so we can check this.

Thanks

Jen

zaax

Thats a nice little con (and possiable illegal). You give them your yearly usage, and they estimate your usage will be lower therefore their quote is lower.

EnergyUser

I have sent you a basic message and hope to hear from you.
If you need more info just let me know

teddysmum

Just look up the standing charges and unit rates , then add the totals of 365 x standing charge and your used number of units x cost per unit. Use the same figures for all suppliers you are interested in and you'll get a fair comparison.


The savings on comparison sites are meaningless as they assume you will revert to standard rates ; something people who have had fixes are very unlikely to do.


I change my direct debit amount a couple of times a year. If I feel there is too large a credit building up or that future payments will leave a deficit, I call and agree a new payment.