NPower gas 'sculpting'

shoopshoop

Thanks DD. The spreadsheet is on it's way.

anilsec

I find their method of billing ridiculous and don't know how they get away with it and have just sent in a complaint to say exactly that. They state their prices are monthly. For ex: If someone is home Nov and usage is say 2000kwh, goes away in Dec so uses 1000kwh, not at home Dec. surely if figures are calculated monthly as stated, the primary 882kwh applies to only two months = 1764kwh rest at lower but no they charge 2646kwh - the whole quarter!! Does anyone else understand what I mean, when I rang them the sales person said I should write to my MP and complain not Npower! Am I making sense to anyone out there. I rang energyhelpline to run it by them and they knew what I meant - the words 'Watchdog programme' was mentioned!! I intend to pursue this. We are being robbed.

anilsec

Anne333 I could nlot agree more. Just been stung with my winter bill and learned more about their 'seasonally varied primary unit tariffs'. They do not charge on a monthly basis, they actually charge quarterly, this works in their favour of course. When I rang to complain the sales person said they had moved me to another tariff but when I checked (i realised he had not asked me for readings) the girl told me nothing had been done. One person told me even though I joined them in July my increment date for the £100 cashback was Sep. When I rang again another person told me it should be July, one thing I am sure about is that any mistakes will not be beneficial to me. Now I will watching them like a hawk. How do they keep getting away with all this.

KimYeovil

(never mind)

DirectDebacle

After months of diligent investigation and deliberations go here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article5727366.ece to see what Ofgem came up with.

I am absolutely disgusted with Ofgem and they should be bundled up with the FSA and put through a shredder.

Former_MSE_Archna

Hi all,

Here's the official statement from Ofgem.

[FONT=&quot]13 February 2009[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]OFGEM COMPLETES INVESTIGATION INTO NPOWER TARIFF CHANGES[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ofgem has today (Friday) completed its investigation into Npower’s changes to its gas tariffs in 2007. Following the investigation, the company has agreed to put things right and will be making payments totalling £1.2 million to some 200,000 customers affected. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The regulator was concerned about Npower’s approach to notifying its customers of the changes which resulted in financial loss to some households whose consumption was low. A large number of consumers did benefit from the changes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Npower has now pledged to write to existing and past customers adversely affected by the changes in the tariff, so no action by customers should be necessary. If customers still have queries in due course, they should call Npower on [/FONT][FONT=&quot]0845 6026363[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Following its energy probe last year Ofgem is considering a package of measures which are focused on improving the quality of information available to consumers.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]-ends-[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Note to editors[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]The investigation was in relation to so-called two-tier tariffs which have two payment levels. The amount of gas consumed during the tariff year that is subject to the higher charge varies according to season. Every time Npower altered its charges it started a new tariff year on which charges are based. So some consumers whose consumption had taken them into the lower level charges were placed back on the higher level when new charges were introduced, although the vast majority of customers benefitted from the reduction in prices also made at that time. Npower has now revised the wording of its contract information in order to clarify the period over which the higher tariffs are calculated. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]Today’s announcement is in no way related to the investigation into doorstep mis-selling by Npower. That investigation concluded in December 2008 with Ofgem fining the company £1.8 million.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]3.[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]Ofgem is the Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets, which supports the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, the regulator of the gas and electricity industries in Great Britain. The Authority's powers and duties are largely provided for in statute, principally the Gas Act 1986, the Electricity Act 1989, the Utilities Act 2000, the Competition Act 1998, the Enterprise Act 2002 and the Energy Act 2004. [/FONT]

Anne3333

After months of diligent investigation and deliberations go here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/mon...cle5727366.ece to see what Ofgem came up with.

I am absolutely disgusted with Ofgem and they should be bundled up with the FSA and put through a shredder.

Oooh, I have a shredder, let me do it, let me do it!!!!

Cardew

DirectDebacle wrote: »

After months of diligent investigation and deliberations go here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article5727366.ece to see what Ofgem came up with.

I am absolutely disgusted with Ofgem and they should be bundled up with the FSA and put through a shredder.

Totally agree - it is a joke.

The irony will be if they don't put 'two and two together' about your court case and send you £6!!!!

Given that the vast majority on NPower users paid for an extra 2000 tier 1 units(which is far more than an extra £6) I assume that Ofgem accepted NPower's argument that the lower gas prices offset that extra charge.

Even more worrying(as I understand it - see qupte below) is that NPower will be allowed to reset the 'tariff year' every time there is a price change(up or down) as long as they tell their customers - 99% of whom will not understand the implications.

Every time Npower altered its charges it started a new tariff year on which charges are based. So some consumers whose consumption had taken them into the lower level charges were placed back on the higher level when new charges were introduced, Npower has now revised the wording of its contract information in order to clarify the period over which the higher tariffs are calculated.

So with seasonal weighting(sculpting) NPower will be able to 'legally' charge for far more than 4,572kWh in a 12 month period.

Anne3333

I am with DirectDebacle & Cardew on this, absolutely disgusting, Ofgem should be ashamed of themselves.....unless of course we are getting compensation ON TOP of the money that was fraudulently deducted from our accounts!
I feel an uprising approaching!

Anne3333

Given that the vast majority on NPower users paid for an extra 2000 tier 1 units(which is far more than an extra £6) I assume that Ofgem accepted NPower's argument that the lower gas prices offset that extra charge.

The lower tier charges being reduced would not compensate low users though, would it?