NPower gas 'sculpting'

Sterling

Sterling wrote: »

Who is an affected customer? Any npower domestic gas customer who was on a two tier tariff in any continuous period of 12 months or more that includes at least one of the following dates, namely 1st May 2007 and 1st November 2007.

That is a quote from my recent post #1327, and gives a basic definition of npower customers who were adversely affected by npower’s gas sculpting changes in 2007.

I derived it by simply looking at npower’s own printed statements and literature that said that the maximum number of high tier units (“the Primary Block”) would not exceed 4572 kWh on customers’ bills over “any continuous period of twelve months”. My above definition probably covers the majority of npower customers who were overcharged.

However, in addition to the above there is a slightly less obvious group of customers who though not having stayed as customers of Npower’s for as long as twelve continuous months, were nevertheless charged in excess of the maximum of 4572 kWh of high tier units in their shorter time with Npower, by virtue of one of both of the sculpting changes May and November 2007.

Clearly, if customers were not to be charged more than 4572 units at the high tier rate over twelve months, it stands to reason that if such an excess above 4572 high tier units was billed over a lesser period than twelve months then those customers too have been overcharged.

For example, a customer taking gas from npower on a two tier tariff for say only eleven months starting on 1st April 2007 and ending on 29th February 2008, would nevertheless have been charged for 6263 high tier units, an excess of 1691 units over 4572 at the high tier rate, despite not having been with npower for twelve months.

Prices of course depend on the area of the country and the tariff concerned as well as the dates in question. On the prices on my own tariff and in my own area at the time, an excess of 1691 units would give rise to a claim for a refund from npower of £82.49 including VAT (after only eleven months), plus a claim for any time spent by the customer working it all out and writing letters etc to claim the money back.

Had that customer only been with Npower even as little as seven months, beginning on 1st August 2007 and ending on 29th February 2008, he/she would still have been charged for an excess of 100 units at the high tier rate which on the prices at the time in my area on my tariff equates to £4.93; plus any time claimed by the customer working it all out and writing letters etc to claim the money back.

The above examples relate to periods of less than twelve months that include 1st November 2007; but this can also apply to periods of less than twelve months that include 1st May 2007 (or indeed both).

For example, a customer of npower’s for only eleven months from way back on 1st November 2006 to 30th September 2007 would have been billed for an excess of 642 units above the maximum 4572 at the high tier rate. Again, using my own tariff prices for the time, this equates to £16.83 plus time claimed for recovering it from npower.

Now you might think that it’s not worth the effort of claiming for overpayments if the sum is on the small side; but why should npower get away with your money?

I charged npower £20 per hour for every hour I spent on my own claim, which included doing all the calculations and writing letters right up to when I received the cheque from npower by when my time came in at £1,255.07. In other words the more npower attempted to fend me off with bogus excuses, the more time I spent, and I charged for my time. So I got my money and was compensated for my trouble. I think £20 per hour is a reasonable minimum hourly figure for anyone handling this sort of claim. Indeed you may well think your time is worth much more than that; and you may well be right.

I’m not sure if this additional group of npower customers has been mentioned previously on this thread; but even so, they deserve to be reminded that they too have a right to claim if they have been charged for more than 4572 high tier units in any continuous period of twelve months or less.

If you feel you might be in this second group, firstly remember the period that you were with npower must include either 1st May 2007 or 1st November 2007 (or both) for the excess charging to have occurred.

Then you need to refer to your old npower bills and simply tot up all the high tier units. Remember in your case the bills will cover a period of less than twelve months. If the total high tier units exceed 4572 you have a claim.

Upwind

Congratulations and well done on your success Sterling. It sort of makes me wish I had held out for my full claim or had increased my 'hourly rate' a little. Although the £500 I received was more than I originally expected.

Even so, I was extremely grateful of your (and DD's) advice at the time and if nothing else my case was hopefully a good insight in to how to approach your own claim. Well done again sir.

janequeenie

hi, i realise this thread is in relation to gas sculpting with a capped limit of 4572 if i recall.is their a similar capped rate for their electricty as i appear to be on a two tier system for the electricity also.
i would be grateful if somebody could inform me what this figure is as the more i dig into their bills the more errors i am finding ie forgetting to credit for dual fuel , price increases being put on two months early are just a couple of issues i have found.
also in relation to the gas did anyone have any difficulty in getting n power to supply copy bills for the period in question ie 2007 as they seem very reluctant to provide me with them.

Sterling

Hi Mick

Thank you very much indeed for your post; and may I say what a real pleasure it was to assist you with your claim against npower back in the summer. You asked DD and myself all the right questions at the right times; and the matter happily rolled along to a successful conclusion. Most enjoyable. I’m very glad to see that you are still following and contributing to the thread.

Sterling

Sterling

Hi Janequeenie

As you have painfully discovered, it is always best to keep your old utility bills for a number of years. If nothing else, it helps you to keep a record of past consumption (and cost).

I am, however, surprised that you are having difficulties getting copies of your old bills from npower. Have you tried writing a formal letter setting out what you actually require? If so what was the reply?

Your first post (#1329) above indicates that you are a duel fuel customer of npower’s; and your second post (#1339) indicates that you have been with npower on two tier tariffs since sometime in 2007.

The first requirement for you to have a gas sculpting claim against npower (the subject of this thread) is that you need to have commenced taking your gas from npower prior to November 2007. Can you remember if this is the case? If it was prior to November 2007, can you remember roughly when? If you pay by monthly direct debit your bank statements may help to jog your memory.

Upwind

Sterling wrote: »

Hi Mick

Thank you very much indeed for your post; and may I say what a real pleasure it was to assist you with your claim against npower back in the summer. You asked DD and myself all the right questions at the right times; and the matter happily rolled along to a successful conclusion. Most enjoyable. I’m very glad to see that you are still following and contributing to the thread.

Sterling

I certainly continue to follow this thread, if not quite so readily as I did during the summer. Furthermore, I am waiting with earnest to see how your (and DD's) pursuit of Ofgem develops………….!!!!

I am hopeful that a ‘fresh’ government may address the issue of Quango’s and get rid of this toothless ‘Gentleman’s Club’ once and for all. Good luck with your endeavours.

donnajunkie

we get dual fuel from npower and our meters were recently read. today we got our statement. it says we are £91 in credit and yet they have put our fortnightly payment up from £38 to £45. is there anything we can do?

Sterling

donnajunkie wrote: »

we get dual fuel from npower and our meters were recently read. today we got our statement. it says we are £91 in credit and yet they have put our fortnightly payment up from £38 to £45. is there anything we can do?

You might try asking npower to let you have written details of how they calculated your new payment(s). If that doesn’t resolve things, I suggest you search for threads with answers concerning calculation of direct debits, as this is a question that keeps popping up; otherwise I would post your question on a new thread.

As a matter of interest, have you posted on this thread because you think you may also have a sculpting claim?

DirectDebacle

I had a useful and interesting meeting with the reporter from The Times last week. He is preparing another article on npower/Ofgem which he hopes to have published on 31st. He also met with Simon Hughes MP the Lib. Dem. spokesperson on energy. He expressed a willingnesss to help in anyway he could, eg. questions to Ofgem, npower, Energy Select Commitee etc. The fight for justice for consumers goes on and not just on this one front. Other powers are at work and hopefully soon, this gross mis-treatment of customers will be fully exposed.

meggsy

DirectDebacle wrote: »

I had a useful and interesting meeting with the reporter from The Times last week. He is preparing another article on npower/Ofgem which he hopes to have published on 31st. He also met with Simon Hughes MP the Lib. Dem. spokesperson on energy. He expressed a willingnesss to help in anyway he could, eg. questions to Ofgem, npower, Energy Select Commitee etc. The fight for justice for consumers goes on and not just on this one front. Other powers are at work and hopefully soon, this gross mis-treatment of customers will be fully exposed.

Excellent news DD :T