NPower gas 'sculpting'

colonelhall

From my experience, e-mails have taken ages to get an answer, which was unsatisfactory, to say the least.
Phone calls have eventually been returned, although I am still awaiting a reply to yesterday's inquiry.

I have been preparing a detailed spreadsheet analysis of my bill, but nothing makes sense. Does anyone know if The sculpting figures that I am using are correct and whether they applied at the beginning of 2007?

notbritishgas

Colonel, did you email npower using the contact us facility on the website or did you use the complaints one as detailed on the back of the bill
[EMAIL="complaints@npower.com"]complaints@npower.com[/EMAIL] ?

Terrylw1

Colonel, ask them to dispute your account and make a complaint to them. They have a system called ONCE complaints which means any complaint you have goes to the specialised dept. This seems more appropriate in your case.

Strange though, I only heard seasonal weighting came in late last year with them. When did it come in then? I may be thinking of regional pricing.

I'm wondering if they have just cobbled up your bill? Did you have any bill amendments or replacements bills? If so, I wonder if someone has sent you an incorrect adjustment of some kind?

If they have overcharged this way, then they cannot hold back a refund due to an internal policy change.

nearly_2

I have a similar problem as Colonelhall, however I'm lucky to only have been charged for around 5700 units at the higher rate this year.

I don't have a problem with the concept of gas sculpting (although it is underhand) as long as they stick to the terms of the contract presented to me (4.5k ish per year at the higher rate).

My story is that I queries this a month ago, was told that the bill was wrong and to expect communication from the specialist department. When I received the red reminder bill a fortnight later I called to prompt them to be told 'we restart the count of units at the higher rate every time we change our prices.' When I queried whether the two price changes in the last year meant that they could restart the count twice this was confirmed. I asked for written confirmation of this (thinking energy watch complaint) and was told to expect something shortly. A week later I rang to ask where my confirmation was, only to be told that the previous communication was incorrect and to expect contact within 72 hours from the specialist department.

Today I received a letter from a debt collection agency, and on ringing Npower was told that the previous communication was wrong, the previous previous communication was correct and the bill stands, but the specialist team have me on their backlog and will get to me eventually, but whatever decision is reached I have to pay this bill. Not only this but they're unable to send me a letter confirming this or show me where in their terms and conditions this is stated.

I'm now looking for a supplier with a standing charge contract.

colonelhall

This is outrageous. I have yet to receive my reply from the specialist team, in spite of being assured three times that I would.

If you are receiving gas, have looked up charges and been told that the higher rate is 4752 at the beginning of the year and had that figure confirmed at the end of the year, how can they say that it has changed?

I am sorry to see that they are not inclined to give written confirmation of their policy regarding this, as I was going to ask for just that!

I will certainly be taking this to the complaints procedure and have no intention of letting it drop. However, I need this written confirmation to refer to.

If this is indeed their policy, then it is the same for everyone and we have all been overcharged!

I think that every customer of Npower needs to know what is going on and that they need to do something about it.

colonelhall

'we restart the count of units at the higher rate every time we change our prices.'

If this is the case and this 'restart' took place in May. Were we informed of it? This looks like a price-hike with no announcement, to me. Can anyone tell me of a business that sends you a bill that includes a change of price that was not agreed upon. For instance, if you had a savings account at 5% ni interest and at the end of the year was told, we decided to drop it to 2% but didn't feel the need to tell you, would this be acceptable?

Cardew

nearly wrote: »

'we restart the count of units at the higher rate every time we change our prices.' .

If this is the case and this 'restart' took place in May. Were we informed of it? This looks like a price-hike with no announcement, to me. Can anyone tell me of a business that sends you a bill that includes a change of price that was not agreed upon. For instance, if you had a savings account at 5% ni interest and at the end of the year was told, we decided to drop it to 2% but didn't feel the need to tell you, would this be acceptable?

Totally agree it is outrageous; I suppose they call it 'creative accounting'!!

This might be a semantic point, but I would not use the term "a change of price that was not agreed upon." in any formal complaint.

There is no requirement for you to 'agree' a price rise; but must you must be notified of any change in price or conditions and their 'sculpting' is very clearly a De facto price rise.

Surely Enerywatch are going to take up this scam with NPower?

burnsguitarman

Is this 'sculpting' still being applied? I am looking to change to N power for gas, but am concerned about this. I can't find any info regarding this on their website!
Also if it is still being applied, would it be worthwhile looking to change suppliers again before next winter, thus taking advantage of the lower amount of higher priced units that are charged during the summer?
What does anyone think?

Terrylw1

Colonel, you are right to await something in writing on this.

I can definately tell you that Npower have never restarted the annual allocation on elec. Every price rise they introduced (and any amendment to previous bills) was calculated using a full years period in date terms. They were then working out bills through various price rises over this period when reproducing any bills for customers.

So, I would find it hard to believe they do it on gas. It's such an easy scam to expose.

They actually bill both in the same systems thesedays despite what companies they used to be prior to migrations.

Since the letter never arrived it makes me believe Nearly was told porkies by their call centre.

I know their current billing system is garbage (they are awaiting going into another one now!) so I wonder if the latest system does this so previous billing on gas has always been ok but the new system is scamming us all???

c0113tt3

Right here it is confirmed from an executive level, and what causes myself to pay more tier 1 than 4572 kwh per year as per contract.

Depending on what billing system you are on (there are 2), the sculpting is put on and then off, then might be changed and put back on again. For example on the billing system I am on the gas sculpting went like, Nov 06 stopped, Dec 06 started, April 07 stopped, and then Dec 07 started.

EVERYTIME the sculpting changes IT RESETS the amount of tier 1 paid to ZERO !!
This is what causes myself to pay more tier 1 than 4572 kwh a year as per contract, and in fact this worked out to be 800 kwh more at tier 1, others have been less fortunate as per other gas sculpting thread, some have paid 2500 kwh tier 1 more than they should. The billing system is not at fault in any way, the bills are correct as per their sculpting. When asked, why have they not informed myself of the impact on tier 1 units paid or about previous gas sculpting periods, the reply was they only have to inform me of price changes / rises, the gas sculpt on / off and the higher number of tier 1 paid does not constitute a price change / rise. Obviously for myself it does constitute more money paid unjustly, as I am contracted to 4572 kwh tier 1, but to them it does not constitute anything.

So thats the explanation I recieved, and in my view its the biggest scam i have ever known and I can pay any amount above 4572 kwh tier 1 anytime they wish to change the gas sculpt without even notifying me. They did say they have no plans over the next 12 months to change the sculpting, so hopefully it may result in being just 4572 tier 1 paid, but, if they change their mind, they dont inform me about it anyway, and will result in more tier 1 paid than I should.