Strange offer for Gas/Electric... too good to be true?!

jessiskaskaska

Today a bloke knocked on my door, in a uniform, with an ID badge, I'm always a little wary of door-to-door people, specially as I live in a massivley student area.

He said he was from the local power station (In Selby, apparently) and was offering us our power direct from the station, bypassing the 'middleman' of N-power, meaning we'd save around 40% - which sounded wicked, but I'm always wary.

He then offered to take a meter reading, and we could have a 7 day free trial of the service, and cancel without obligation. I didn't let him in, and asked him for a number to call when my housemates returned (lie), and he told me he couldn't give me a number apart from his (which he never gave in the end), and that he may not be in the area later in the week, basically pressuring me into letting him take this reading (or maybe scope the house for valuables?). I told him where to stick it, in the politest of ways, and got my burly housemate to come out and make sure he left...

Am I just really paranoid or was that a 'Real Hustle' moment? I don't want to have missed out on a legitimate oppertunity because I watch too much TV, it just seemed really dodgy, any clues?

Thanks in advance

jinky67

Nope that was defo dodgy you should report it to the police may try to con others not so savvy

jessiskaskaska

I can't remember what the company name was, that's not going to be much help to the police.

jinky67

give them his description and tell them what he was saying

rockrat

you cant "test" a new electricity provider for 7 days.
Any of the legit door to door switch over salespeople will simply require a signature, and not even a meter reading as that will be provided later during the ensuing paperwork.

you did the right thing there... common sense prevails

jessiskaskaska

Cheers guys, I shall ring the non emergency police department tonight.

Terrylw1

Hi,

This is dodgy and if you had lett him in he would have signed you over, most likely without your knowledge for the commission.

Npower salesmen can only sell contracts for Npower. The Distribution network is allowed to directly sell power which in your case is YEDL or NEDL I believe.

Distributors have been able to bypass Suppliers for years and give you power direct from their network. They then sign you up for business contract based on your expected usage which is cheaper than via a Supplier. However, thats not for domestic customers. You are talking serious users there! I'm not sure on the gas side but this is certainly possible on the electric side.

I'll PM you something of interest...

P.S. you should also report this to Ofgem. Npower also have a dealer sales dept that deal with complaints about the companies & agents they use.

MissG_2

jinky67 wrote: »

Nope that was defo dodgy you should report it to the police may try to con others not so savvy

Defo ring the police as it could be an old persons door he knocks on next!!!

ic

A work colleagues wife had a similar story from an NPower sales rep in Bury - he claimed that they could provide an "example bill" to prove they were cheaper. She accepted that they could send this - next they heard they were being switched! They're now back to Scottish Power (and on a cheaper tariff exclusive to returning customers!) and have a complaint raised with OFGEM.

Terrylw1

ic wrote: »

A work colleagues wife had a similar story from an NPower sales rep in Bury - he claimed that they could provide an "example bill" to prove they were cheaper. She accepted that they could send this - next they heard they were being switched! They're now back to Scottish Power (and on a cheaper tariff exclusive to returning customers!) and have a complaint raised with OFGEM.

Did she by any chance sign something to say she wanted the example bill? If so, I've heard of that sales trick before. I know that agents have been selling in town centres and doing this years ago.

Never sign anything, it will be a contract and once they've got that, you're sigend up. It's an erroneous transfer of course as a duping issue, very underhand but it's an old one.