@npowerhelp npower bully boy tactics and the right procedures for gas meter changes

[tallorder]

Dear CAGers

 

This for a friends relative who is 76 and lives in a flat.

 

Following the death of her husband this lady has gone into arrears to a moderate amount (I think around £1,000).

 

As she only receives a state pension and housing benefits she has limited means.

 

A gas meter reader visited the property on the previous Friday and merely read the meter with no other comment or documentation.

 

A man has previously visited the property (around Feb/Mar) and for want of a better description 'bullied and intimidated' a small payment from the lady in question, in addition to her regular amounts. He intimidated her to speak to an unknown person to make a payment using his mobile phone.

 

This action really distressed this old lady and has made her more than a little scared.

 

Last Monday, 3 men turned up at her flat. The first the lady was aware of it was when she heard her front door open and saw a man standing there. She told him to get out and he did so - after some fuss.

 

He did not ring the door bell nor make any attempt to alert the resident he was there before he entered.

 

There has been no warning letter, nor personal visit as I believe is required in this instance.

 

Whilst they were there my friend had a pre-arranged call on her mobile to gather family tree information where they record the call and use this lady's knowledge to progress their family tree. A recording of a lot of the events exists and is actually quite distressing even for a non-interested third party.

 

The main man (same as Feb/Mar) claimed to have a warrant, but the piece of paper flashed in front of the lady did not look like a warrant (she has seen some before). He also did not give her a copy, nor allow her any time to gather reading glasses, let alone actually read it.

 

• It appears they claimed to be there to change the GAS meter to a pre-payment type.

 

Whilst the call was on, the lady so terrified by this man that she said she was going to call the Police.

 

Almost immediately following this (and hearing the lady was speaking to someone on the phone) the ELECTRICAL power to the property was turned off, the mains supply switch being located outside the front door. One can only assume that the man in question believed the lady was on a cordless phone and wanted to stop her from communicating with the Police.

 

I received a call from my friend and jumped to the CAG board and discovered the Police will consider this a civil matter, but procedures must be followed to have the right to enter a property.

 

The call continued and it appears three men were there, considerably taller and bigger than this 76 year old lady. The main man then tried to claim they had the right to enter and HE would call the Police. A stand off ensued lasting a few hours.

 

During this stand off, various attempts were made by (what sounded like) the main man to poke metal devices through the letter box, fiddling with the door lock and loud voices. As another method of intimidation what sounded like a power drill was brought up and whirred near the door.

 

The lady in question was getting really distressed and does keep her correspondence and payments fairly well organised. She had no advance notice of these people CLAIMING to be from npower GAS turning up.

 

The mains electricity switch was returned to the ON position before they eventually departed.

 

The police did not attend.

 

No documentation was left identifying who was there or why.

 

This has left the lady quite shaken and does not know what to do about this.

 

On Wednesday a letter arrived from (I think United Utilities) stating they would be visiting the property on the PREVIOUS Monday.

 

• What exactly would be the procedures they have not followed?
   
  
• As this three-man team claimed to be there for gas, did they behave correctly in switching off the electricity supply?
   
  
• If they have not followed procedures, would the man's entry into the property be considered burglary?
   
  
• What legal avenues are available?
   
  
• What documentation should be present and left to read and refer to?
   
  
• How can this lady prevent that particular man from turning up again as he frightens her?

 

As always, any help on these matters is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Edited July 20, 2011 by tallorder

[dx100uk]

i do not like the sound of this at all.

 

they HAVE to send a letter giving the occupier a chance to ATTEND court IF a WARRANT of entry is being sought.

 

there MUST be a prior letter

 

me thinks this very bogus.

 

pers i'd would DEMAND the police get involved and interviews the lady.

this sounds like bogus traders which they are always warning the old about.

 

dx

[tallorder]

Apparently this has progressed and the lady in question has been unable to use either the gas or electricity because she cannot access the key meters which seemed to have been fitted without proper paperwork in question.

 

Reading some other threads here it seems nPower are as much of a shambles as they sound.

 

Today, I spoke with the lady's daughter who discovered the reason she hasn't been able to sort this out. No one lives close enough to help directly and her local CAB is not up to much.

 

She only has a mobile phone and cannot call nPower, which is what they have stated in an (unseen by me) letter.

 

This means this frail member of society has been without access to heating, hot water or lighting for over a year

 

nPower are now threatening again, by her not using the meters - which are inaccessible to her due to restricted movement that age brings.

 

To me this sounds inhumane at the very least and might be closer to torture.

 

She suspects that on a subsequent visit where the same overbearing man was accompanied by a PCSO who was actually quite rude to the lady and did not leave any paperwork.

 

I am trying to get specifics, date, times and extra details, but this sounds distressing to anyone, let alone a recent widow who cannot easily get about.

 

• What is the best course of action?
  
• Can a third party request court documents without specific consent?
  
• Is it worthwhile lodging a complaint with the court, who seem to have rubber stamped without reading any documents?
  
• Is it possible to have another supplier install normal meters in the property if someone else is paying that bill?
  

 

All advice welcome.

[Helen2264]

Apparently this has progressed and the lady in question has been unable to use either the gas or electricity because she cannot access the key meters which seemed to have been fitted without proper paperwork in question.

 

Reading some other threads here it seems nPower are as much of a shambles as they sound.

 

Today, I spoke with the lady's daughter who discovered the reason she hasn't been able to sort this out. No one lives close enough to help directly and her local CAB is not up to much.

 

She only has a mobile phone and cannot call nPower, which is what they have stated in an (unseen by me) letter.

 

This means this frail member of society has been without access to heating, hot water or lighting for over a year

 

nPower are now threatening again, by her not using the meters - which are inaccessible to her due to restricted movement that age brings.

 

To me this sounds inhumane at the very least and might be closer to torture.

 

She suspects that on a subsequent visit where the same overbearing man was accompanied by a PCSO who was actually quite rude to the lady and did not leave any paperwork.

 

I am trying to get specifics, date, times and extra details, but this sounds distressing to anyone, let alone a recent widow who cannot easily get about.

 

 

• What is the best course of action?
  
• Can a third party request court documents without specific consent?
  
• Is it worthwhile lodging a complaint with the court, who seem to have rubber stamped without reading any documents?
  
• Is it possible to have another supplier install normal meters in the property if someone else is paying that bill?
  

 

 

All advice welcome.

 

Please tell the lady to get in touch with Age UK as soon as possible they used to be Age Concern they will help her.

 

Age UK Advice

 

Call this number for advice or information.

0800 169 6565

 

They a very good and should help sort out her problems they helped my old neighbour a lot when I got in touch with them for her.

 

I hope this helps

 

 

Helen

[tallorder]

Thanks Helen

 

I'll give this a try and keep CAG updated.

 

All other suggestions and help welcome too

[Dilettante]

I do not think most people would consider £1000 a "moderate" amount.

[Surfer01]

Not sure if this has been sorted as an old thread. Npower and United utilities are two different suppliers. You cannot switch off the electric for gas arrears as that is highly illegal.

[Leakie]

Dilettante

Here on CAG we are here to help not judge

 

What is a moderate amount to some is not to others.

 

Leakie

[Dilettante]

Indeed though if posters post, i feel they should present all the facts without embellishment otherwise how is anyone to give a balanced response ?

[garold01]

This is I am afraid normal procedure for Npower. They sem to 'own' the court and the police. The police are legally wrong that this is a 'civil matter'. It is a criminal offense of aggravated trespass - whatever the reason for doing it. Non payment of a bill is a civil contract. Npower are not civil. I have had exactly the same experience. Forcing my child to near death with anorexia brought on by being told by an offensive man at the door that her father would be 'imprisoned' for non-payment of a bill that was already being paid!

 

I am afraid there is not much you can do. You could go to court - a judge (if you get one who is NOT in the pockets of KRD and Npower - which I did may rule sympathetically).

 

It is probably likely to be a process server from the court directed by Kennth Radley Davies a well known unqualified solicitor who is fond of making up orders in order to rack up his fee for the life style - post Thatcher - that he has become accustomed to..

 

My advice would be to write to OFGEM put your name onto 38 degrees petition- I can give and go see your MP and ask them to send a letter to Paul Massara - the chief executive then calling the police and telling them blankly that it is a criminal matter and you want them to investigate it. Then go to IPCC is they don't.

 

It is like banging your head against a wall but the more people refuse to accept fascism the less chance it will have to survive.

 

Watch your back though. It is likely you will get a tax demand (as I have done) as the former chief executive of Npower is now in charge of the Inland Revenue.

 

You will have to apply the same forceful manner as the criminals that came to your door though. They will ignore you no matter how much you complain. But keep going.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.