Npower illicit key?

zoe_webster

I am in a protracted dispute to obtain a ombudsmen resolution refund from npower for credit shown on numerous statements for my prepaid meter.I received this letter today " I can also confirm that no refund will be issued to you. It is very unusual for credits, particularly substantial amounts to build up on prepayment meters. At present your account is under investigation for possible use of an illicit key. Can anyone recommend an independent expert who can come to my home & examine said key and meter and issue a report?

footyguy

zoe_webster wrote: »

I am in a protracted dispute to obtain a ombudsmen resolution refund from npower for credit shown on numerous statements for my prepaid meter.I received this letter today " I can also confirm that no refund will be issued to you. It is very unusual for credits, particularly substantial amounts to build up on prepayment meters. At present your account is under investigation for possible use of an illicit key. Can anyone recommend an independent expert who can come to my home & examine said key and meter and issue a report?

Hello zoe, and welcome to MSE :hello:

I'm not sure I follow you entirely. You indicate you have gone to the ombudsman service, yet the response you have received today I would expect to come from your supplier if anyone.
In fact, I'm surprised they have let you into the fact you are being investigated at all at this stage.

However, it will be up to them to prove you have done something wrong, not for you to prove you have not.

If/when they obtain such evidence, then I suggest you then seek independent legal advice as soon as possible, as you would be being accused of having committed a serious criminal offence. Such legal advisers will be able to assist you in obtaining an appropriate independent expert witness of your own if that is deemed the suitable defence process by them.

As discussion of illegal activities is not permitted on this site, I think it best to stop there.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

how did you build up this 'substantial amount', sound like £100s.

Were you pumping money in each week or month and not using it, as a kinda savings bank hoping for a refund when needed?

You must know how much you have put in, and be able to work out how much you have used from your meter readings, and thus, how much in credit you are.

spiro

What they are implying is that the balance on your meter does not match the credit you have purchased via legal outlets.

EachPenny

Hopefully you'll have receipts or bank statements showing the purchases of the credit which is in dispute?

As footyguy says, if their 'investigation' results in a formal allegation then you should seek independent legal advice.

In the meantime, rather than worrying, use your time to get your paperwork together - ideally create a list of the dates, times and locations where you purchased the credit and how you paid for it. It doesn't matter if you don't have details of every single transaction, so long as you get the information you do have together.

nPower

zoe_webster wrote: »

I am in a protracted dispute to obtain a ombudsmen resolution refund from npower for credit shown on numerous statements for my prepaid meter.I received this letter today " I can also confirm that no refund will be issued to you. It is very unusual for credits, particularly substantial amounts to build up on prepayment meters. At present your account is under investigation for possible use of an illicit key. Can anyone recommend an independent expert who can come to my home & examine said key and meter and issue a report?

Hi Zoe,


Thanks for your message. Please contact us using the details on our profile page so we can help with your refund query.

Thanks

Jen

zoe_webster

Hi Jen,
I am advised by an earlier post not to discuss legal matters on this forum-I suggest you contact Ombudsmen Services Investigations Dept

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

all of whom have the full details of my refund dispute.

I am also advised to gather papers etc and this i will be doing as i am not taking this outlandish insulting unfounded accusation lying down!

Zoe

lstar337

Zoe, was you key allocated to you personally, or did you inherit it when you moved in?

When taking over a meter in a property, you are meant to apply for a new key (though nobody seems to tell anybody this, so it hardly ever gets done), which will be sent to you from the supplier.

I only ask because if you inherited it (like my partner did, along with the previous tenants substantial debt) then it may have been the previous owner who had a hookey key.

Sorry for any wrong assumptions in my post, but your post is lacking a few details.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

zoe_webster wrote: »

Hi Jen,
I am advised by an earlier post not to discuss legal matters on this forum-I suggest you contact Ombudsmen Services Investigations Dept

(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

all of whom have the full details of my refund dispute.

I am also advised to gather papers etc and this i will be doing as i am not taking this outlandish insulting unfounded accusation lying down!

Zoe

Cheerio lass, I suggest you get legal advice.

zoe_webster

In a nutshell- I was allocated my key and have topped it up in the same shop for years so they and i will have records.The npower statements has shown a credit balance since before Nov 16 in excess of a £1000 .Despite this credit i still top up my key as and when necessary.I applied for a refund and got the usual npower runaround so i went to the ombudsmen and they found in my favour instructing npower to apologise for poor customer service and for them to offer £40 goodwill gesture and for the meter to be re-read and a refund issued for that amount.As refund over £500 a cheque will have to be authorised by someone etc and now no refund and illicit key accusation, that's like guilty until proven innocent!

Wolf3

There are no independent experts to inspect the meter as such, there are a number of ways that suppliers can suspect use of an illicit key. This is all recorded on the key when you insert the key into the meter and sent to the supplier when you next go to the shop.

An illicit key tends to be when scammers come round on your doorstep offering a promotion giving a key with £50 credit and you only have to pay £20 for it. This resets the meter settings and is easily picked up on.
If you have been using an incorrect suppliers key which has the wrong pricing structure on it. In essence overpaying for your energy usage on the meter and that could be why your balance is so high, especially over a number of years.

I would suspect its an automated letter if the credit balance is so high, the reason for that balance could be down to a number of things, or NPower's billing gremlins are playing the silly games again. If the ombudsman have already ruled on this issue in your favor i wouldn't expect there to be anything to worry about.
The ombudsman are supposed to request a detailed file of your billing account when ruling.