How do I challenge this energy bill?

Windsorcastle · 15 January 2019 at 11:30PM

I bought a property last month and took a meter reading on the completion day. The previous owner was with First Utility for gas & electricity. I had already arranged to switch to Npower, and gave Npower plenty of notice of that.

I duly rang Npower to give them the opening meter readings and they told me that the way it worked was that the outgoing provider would provide them with the final meter reading in due course, so they did not need my readings. This week, I have received a 'final' bill from First Utility for a 9 day period, which is for a total of £48.20.

This is completely outrageous because the flat was actually not being lived in for that entire 9 day period, as I had a decorator in painting & wallpapering (ie. not using power tools, no appliances running, he wasn't running the heating) and he was basically just using electricity for lighting and his kettle and radio!

My first query is how First Utility obtained their 'final' readings - they certainly didn't come round to take the elec reading as the meter is inside the flat, so I don't believe they took either, but the bill doesn't say it's an estimate.

And secondly, obviously I had no way of knowing what day the changeover was taking place until after the event so I had no way to take proof of my own reading at that time.

£48 for 9 days sounds outrageous to me in any event, but it's just impossible when only my decorator was here.

So how on earth do I challenge this? It seems like very sharp practice on the part of FU, who I can see put me on their most expensive tariff and also there is a note telling me that I pay more because I'm not paying by DD - but I was only their customer for those 9 days by default!

In my previous property of the same size, I was paying £35 a month for dual fuel and was always in credit so it is crystal clear this is a rip-off.

Any advice please on what I should say when I phone them tomorrow? :mad:

Robin9 · 15 January 2019 at 11:35PM

The previous occupier should have given readings when he left - it is not unknown that they might under read to create a smaller bill. Does the reading on the bill agree with what you took ?

You will always be on the standard (ie expensive) tariff until you switch.

Windsorcastle · 15 January 2019 at 11:59PM

The previous owner and I took the meter readings together on completion day so the 'opening' reading for me is correct. However, I have no way of checking what the meter reading was on the day First Utility switched me to Npower, because the final billing day was 13th December but this bill is dated 7th January, so that was the first I knew of it this week, and I have no way of knowing what the actual reading was on that date.

I think it's really underhand of the utility companies to automatically put the 'new' customer on the most expensive tariff until they switch, but I accept they probably all do this. However, I never received any other communication from First Utility until the bill this week, so I had no knowledge of an account number, or any opportunity to change my tariff.

MrLightBulb · 16 January 2019 at 3:34AM

Hi Windsorcastle,

Outrageous indeed!

In regards to you're first query Npower would need you're start reading as you're new supplier - seems like you was miss-advised as its actually the reverse.

Npower have a responsibility to send the start reading to you're old supplier (First Utilita) so they can produce an accurate bill within a certain "time frame"

In regards to how they obtained the reading did you give Npower your start readings? As advised above Npower may have sent across you're start readings hence why
first utilita produced an accurate final bill.

I agree - I highly doubt first utilita obtained this themselves as it's Npowers responsibility - not theirs.

Most importantly did you provide first Utilita with a start reading when you took ownership of the property? If you haven't they may have "fabricated" or estimated you're start reading so this is why start readings are important as they wouldn't have this if the previous owner didn't provide it and could of estimated it to something ridiculous hence why you have such a high bill.

If you didn't take a reading when you first moved in then it may be worth contacting the estate agent/previous owner for this. If its rented the landlord's estate agent or themselves usually take this.

The previous owner/occupant of the property would of called First Utilita to provide a "final" reading of there own so there should be a record of this as an account would of been created for you're property by first utilita depending if the new owner gave all you're details it would
be addressed to you're self or as Owner/Occupier.

I'd advise if you did provide Npower with a start reading check to see if this is the final reading on you're utilita bill - also check if the start reading is what you provided first utilita when you first moved in!!!

If its estimated then this may explain the high charges - remember an accurate bill from first utilita would require an accurate start reading and accurate final reading.

If you didn't give them there start reading then it will be estimated so i'd speak to them and explain the situation - if you didn't take a read when you first moved in check to see if it can be obtained from Landlord/Previous owner

Unsure why you feel the reading on the date of switch is so significant as Npower use the start reading provided to themselves to send to first Utilita!

If you haven't provided a reading to Npower maybe it could of been an Npower engineer that read the meter and gave this to first utilita as it;s there responsibility - This is doubtful though!

Good luck in contacting first Utilita as I've heard the waits are ridiculous! Npower are probably no better!

Regards

Mr Lightbulb

matelodave · 16 January 2019 at 10:01AM

The sequence is - when you completed you shoiuld have signed up with First Utility got an account and given them the meter readings.

You then request a transfer to Npower who will arrange for the transfer to take place and who will ask you for reading close to the actual day of transfer (usually around three weeks after the request)

Npower should agree the new reading with First Utility and that will be your start reading with Npower and your final reading with First Utility who should then produce a final bill.

If that's not what you did then you won't get the right bills although you shouldn't pay for the same energy twice - you need to check that both suppliers used the same readings and the same changeover date. If that's the case then you have no complaint.

Windsorcastle · 16 January 2019 at 1:44PM

Thanks for all replies and advice. As people said, the error was with NPower, the new provider, after all. I checked the meter readings this morning, a full month after these fabricated readings, and the Gas reading was, incredibly, only 6 units higher now after a full month of occupancy, than their imaginary reading for 9 days of unoccupied use!! The Electricity reading was similar.

I have just had an almighty row with NPower on the phone, who refused to amend the readings but offered me a £5 goodwill payment. I told them how insulting this was, when I was facing a £50 bill for energy I have not even used with FU, due to a number they had plucked out of the air. Luckily, I am not a vulnerable person or little old lady who is easily fobbed off by this sort of s***. I insisted on escalating a complaint and told them that they, as a multi-billion pound company could absorb the cost for THEIR error, rather than me, as an individual customer. I also told them I would be switching immediately if this wasn't resolved today.

After 15 mins of reasserting this, I was finally transferred to a complaints handler, who eventually agreed to apply a £37 'goodwill' credit to my account for the disputed readings.

Which means I still have to pay FU £13 for 9 days of supply to an uninhabited property, which is annoying but I still feel the victory is mine.

Absolutely livid with NPower though. And I also know that if I wasn't good at arguing and expressing myself, they would have fobbed me off, so that makes me angry at how they probably treat many other customers.

I just despair though because these energy companies are ALL as bad as each other and there is nothing that consumers can do about it :mad:

akw2420 · 16 January 2019 at 1:59PM

You may have got it sorted but it would seem from your last post that you don't listen to the advice you have already been given.
There is a set procedure when you move into a new property.
You ring up the current supplier and open an account and give them your readings.
You then arrange a switch to whoever you want.
Eventually after 3-4 weeks you will be switched to your new choice of supplier.
If you think about it logically you can't switch if you don't have a supplier to switch from.
I'm sorry to say but it is you that has caused this by not following the proper procedure and not npowers fault.

matelodave · 16 January 2019 at 2:09PM

Did you give nPower a reading a day or so before the switchover date or a couple of weeks beforehand. You dont give them a reading when you sign up but just before the actual switchover day - it's usually requested by the gaining supplier or you can do it yourself when you know the exact day that switchover will be effected.

If you did it too early they would have tried to estimate your consumption between the day you gave the reading and the day of switchover.

Have you actually checked what date the switchover occured because that should be the date when the readings were agreed between the two suppliers, not necessarily the date you gave them a reading.

nPower · 17 January 2019 at 11:54AM

Windsorcastle wrote: »

I bought a property last month and took a meter reading on the completion day. The previous owner was with First Utility for gas & electricity. I had already arranged to switch to Npower, and gave Npower plenty of notice of that.

I duly rang Npower to give them the opening meter readings and they told me that the way it worked was that the outgoing provider would provide them with the final meter reading in due course, so they did not need my readings. This week, I have received a 'final' bill from First Utility for a 9 day period, which is for a total of £48.20.

This is completely outrageous because the flat was actually not being lived in for that entire 9 day period, as I had a decorator in painting & wallpapering (ie. not using power tools, no appliances running, he wasn't running the heating) and he was basically just using electricity for lighting and his kettle and radio!

My first query is how First Utility obtained their 'final' readings - they certainly didn't come round to take the elec reading as the meter is inside the flat, so I don't believe they took either, but the bill doesn't say it's an estimate.

And secondly, obviously I had no way of knowing what day the changeover was taking place until after the event so I had no way to take proof of my own reading at that time.

£48 for 9 days sounds outrageous to me in any event, but it's just impossible when only my decorator was here.

So how on earth do I challenge this? It seems like very sharp practice on the part of FU, who I can see put me on their most expensive tariff and also there is a note telling me that I pay more because I'm not paying by DD - but I was only their customer for those 9 days by default!

In my previous property of the same size, I was paying £35 a month for dual fuel and was always in credit so it is crystal clear this is a rip-off.

Any advice please on what I should say when I phone them tomorrow? :mad:

Hi Windsorcastle,

Thanks for your message. Please contact us using the details on our profile page so we can check your opening meter readings to ensure the accuracy of the bill.

Thanks,

Jen

How do I challenge this energy bill?

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