Will I be able to switch?

gerturdeanna

Hi,
Have an outstanding bill with my gas and electric - N Power. I swapped banks and changed my DD's but for some reason the DD didn't change over for N Power and then they sent a bill for 398 for Electric and 190 for Gas. Some of this is outstanding from what I owed last year and I was on a repayment plan, paying electric at 60 and gas at 28. I called to set DD's back up and explained what had happened. They now tell me I HAVE to pay 100 at least on both to clear the debt. Obviouxly I can't afford this. CAB are helping us with our debts and this repayment was agreed with NPower and the CAB. I told NPower that I can't afford this and basically they said a meter person would be round to fit a meter in to pay on pre-pay meter thing. I don't want this and NPower basically said tough!! Their person is coming on the 2nd January to discuss the options they say!!Could I not change and treat NPower as a non-priority debt as I can't accept paying back 200 pounds when previously I was paying 88!!
Thanks

Cardew

Almost certainly NPower will block any change to a new supplier - and of course they have the power to do so.

The reason would be exactly for the reason you have stated; they would be "non-priority" and have no leverage the recover the money you owe them. One can hardly blame them IMO!!

With the pre-payment meters they will be set at a level to 'claw back' the money you owe them; and of course you will pay a higher tariff as well. Thus you would save yourself money if you treated them as a 'high-priority' debt.

Did you not notice that your DDs were not being paid when you changed banks?

gerturdeanna

Yes but I also changed jobs in the meantime and was promised my 1st wage would be in the bank by the 15th of December...not coming in now until the 15th of January!! Most of my bills etc have been understanding , just NPower that don't want to know!!

bengal-stripe

gerturdeanna wrote: »

Most of my bills etc have been understanding , just NPower that don't want to know!!

They’re fixing you up with a pre-payment meter. You can negotiate how much the meter claws back of the outstanding sum (in addition to the electricity/gas you use currently).

It’s the best deal you can get. After all, that money has been outstanding for quite some time.