@npowerhelp Npower - 2 year nightmare - Please help

[David2Prit]

Hello all,

 

I just wanted to gather some advice regarding this, as I am currently thinking of taking it down the route of small claims court.

 

Around about 2 years ago (23 months to be exact) we had to have a new meter installed at our flat due to the monitor on the then existing one breaking.

No worries, that is absolutely fine, crack on.

 

Slowly but surely we started to see a dramatic increase of the price of our bills.

From when we were paying on average £40/50ish (one bed flat), started to become £100, sometimes £200 plus.

Obviously to any rational human being that would flag as something being rather wrong, you would think, but not to N-power, oooohhh no, that seemed around about what we should be paying.

 

After around 6 months of arguing with N-power I got rather bored and went to the ombudsman, this wasn't being we now had a bill in excess of £1000 (If not more, can find that later if important but at work at moment).

 

Now we sit and twiddle our thumbs expecting Ombudsman to come back with some fantastic news that it was all incorrect.... Na, not a chance!

They ruled with N-power and stated that we were using the amount of electric they said.

 

At this point me and my partner were rather deflated, but knew in our heart of hearts that this could not be right, it just couldn't be!

We accepted a deal with them in which we were then paying £120 a month to clear the debt in order to take some of the strain off ourselves, and frankly get some breathing space as they started threatening legal action.

 

Whilst still arguing and debating with N-power we were not getting anywhere (Why should we, we were in debt to them and the Ombudsman agreed with them),

then one morning we got an email stating that our direct debit was going up and we would have to pay £350 a month

 

Well, that was it, I ordered my partner to make a cup of tea whilst I sat in bed and started typing a review on N-power Facebook.

I had the added advantage that I saw the head office (Or a N-power office) was based in Solihull, I thought this is brilliant, I'm going to be working near that for the next few months, I shall tell them I will pay them a visit.

 

Surely enough they took notice of this, and arranged for someone to test our meter.

This gentleman who came to test our meter was nice, one of a kind, told me at that even though he wouldn't have the results right away, the meter was fast.

 

Two weeks passed and we got a call from N-power, yes they confirmed, your meter is clocking up too fast!

HOW FAST?!?! I asked barely able to contain my excitment..... 58.8% fast!!!?! WOOOOOOW.

 

Now the gentleman from N-power was nice and said don't worry, give him a few weeks as he has to adjust every bill we've had since installation of this meter.

No problem, that is absolutely fine thinking this is the end.

 

Took our meter reading for that month, that'll be £52 please, yes that seems about correct!

 

Was it the end??? No.

They only went and messed up the figures and we were still left with £1200 to pay.

A little confused, I emailed back my figures based on 58.8% deduction, plus the excess we would have paid.

Nothing.

 

I have now gone back to Ombudsman but they are not sure they can take the case as it relates to a previously ruled on case.

I asked them even with the knowledge that we were correct and N-power were wrong???

They said they would have to check with the powers that be.

They are currently doing that (To be fair they said it would take a few weeks due to Xmas and New Year).

 

Now, that is a very light hearted post I have written whilst killing some time at work.

I really cannot stress how stressful the whole process has been.

Me and the partner have argued, tears, stress, literally wanting to kill N-power, sitting in the freezing cold not wanting to waste any energy and a magnitued of other things.

 

My question is,

if ombudsman rule they can't look into it again, would be have a claim for small claims court?

More out of curiosity than anything, because I am not going to let this go without a fight.

 

Also, this is on another forum also,

but I had never heard of this forum until around an hour ago and having looked through stuff you guys seem to know your stuff!

 

Hoping to get all the information I need to absolutely hammer these clowns.

Edited December 29, 2018 by dx100uk
merge

[David2Prit]

I would say its a new complaint as its now a proved faulty meter.

 

You would have thought it was that simple as I pointed out to them haha, apparently not.

[David2Prit]

Your route now is to go to to go to the county court go and sue them.

 

Npower are renowned for being stupid and having poor customer service.

 

I'm away at the moment and so I am mainly doing this on the telephone but let me have a look at your story and ask questions so I can get a better picture in my mind.

 

Please monitor this thread and respond quickly to any questions

 

However, please send npower an sar immediately.

 

Amazing you should mention a SAR. I saw a thread in which you were advising and I’ve literally just sent one off.

[David2Prit]

Thank you, shall keep you updated

[David2Prit]

do you happen to know the name/identity of the gentleman who came to read the meter?

 

Do you still have the same meter in place? If so then you should make sure at least that you take it's serial number down. also, if somebody tries to remove it and change it I think you should object until the matter is settled.

 

Yeah I do actually, he was outsourced by Npower, and gave me his card if I ever needed anything. He was a decent bloke to be fair.

 

I don't actually have the same meter, but I do have the serial number of my old meter, and photos/video recordings.

[David2Prit]

And does the new meter now produce a correct assessment of your energy usage?

 

It does appear so, when we submitted our readings it came out at £52 for the month, which is around what I would expect. Only had it for the one bill though.

 

Day

0 Our estimate

31 October 2018

303 Our reading

30 November 2018

303 kWh at 14.790p £44.81

 

Night

0 Our estimate

31 October 2018

63 Our reading

30 November 2018

63 kWh at 7.550p £4.76

[David2Prit]

Here is the email I got from Npower regarding the accuracy results.

 

 

Further to my previous email, I would now like to provide you with an update around the result of your recent Meter Accuracy Test.

Our analysis shows that your previous meter has recorded high usage since it was installed on 28.02.2017 therefore, your account will be amended for the full period the meter was installed.

 

Start Date: 28.02.2017

Start Read Day: 24353

Start Read Night: 4275

 

Meter Removed: 29.10.2018

Removed Read Day: 38692

Removed Read Night: 13555

 

Based on the meter recording 58.82% Fast the removal readings have been amended to:

 

Amended Read Day:33381 – Removing 5311 Day Units

Amended Read Night: 10118 – Removing 3437 Night units

The billing on your account has been reversed and the incorrect final meter readings have now been removed. The removal readings have now been amended as outlined above and we have billed the account to the installation readings from your new meter.

The balance on your account detailed within your last bill dated 14.09.2018 was £1,926.72 debit, which was billed to estimated meter readings from 13.09.2018. The new balance on your account after adding the new amended removal readings is now £1,151.90 debit. Please allow 3-5 working days to receive your new statement within your online account facility.

Based on these revised figures, I have calculated that moving forward, you will use approximately 5,400 kWh Day units and approximately 3,504 kWh Night units over the next 12 months. On your current tariff Online Fixed energy March 2019, this works out at approximately £1,452.20 per annum or around £121.00 per month.

Please note that this figure is based on the usage on your current tariff over the next 12 months however, your tariff actually expires at the end of March 2019 and at that point this will naturally revert to our Standard tariff, should a new tariff not be chosen by that point.

The next time we are due to complete a review of your monthly payment is on 3 December 2018 and this will be shown on your new statement at the time. If you would like a repayment plan for your outstanding balance, please contact me and I will review this for you.

[David2Prit]

Here is the response we initially got from the Ombudsman. We rejected resolution as we were not interested in an apology letter at that point, but simply wanted it sorting out.

Understand it was my fault for not sending the readings, and when I pointed out that the meter was taking readings, it was just the display that was broken, I got no reply.

Your complaint about npower.pdf

[David2Prit]

I wonder if there is any way to give the energy ombudsman a slap as well.

 

I think that you should be thinking about recovering your excess payments + compensation for the difficulties that you have suffered because I think that there is an action here for breach of the data protection act because they have a statutory duty to keep accurate recordsand you should be able to claim for the distress which has been caused to you and your family.

 

It's up to you. For an easy life you can simply go for recovering the excess payment.

 

When getting back to Ombudsman the second time round by way of new complaint (But linking original complaint in) said that the Ombudsman had failed us, so I want to get retribution from them also.

I'm not bothered about an easy life, I want to absolutely hammer them for the way we have been treated.

[David2Prit]

- Moved to Npower 4th July 2016

- 17th Feb 17 - I went to do a meter reading as I knew I hadn't been doing them. Noticed the display on meter was not working. Called Npower and they replaced on 28th Feb 17

- May 2017 bill for £534, first complaint to Npower made

- To and from with them for a little bit and they sent a deadlock letter, approached Ombudsman in November 17.

- Letter from Ombudsman (attached above) sent to us on 14th December 17.

 

 

What is all this business about an original meter showing transposed readings and about npower having overestimated your usage in that case?

Npower thought that the readings were the wrong way round a few times, and switched them around 5 times. This was talking to general complaints whilst trying to get a resolution, even though we told them several times they had been switched etc, but I honestly don't think they were reading notes on file.

(I hope that is what you meant)

 

Apologies, the original story only really went into things this year, didn't really think of last year. My bad:-(

[David2Prit]

Also Bankfodder - Can I just say how much I appreciate you taking time out to help with this!

 

I'm not the best when it comes to electric, never have been, just know roughly what I should pay.

I know you don't have to do it, but just wanted to say thank you.

[David2Prit]

One more thing, my Npower account is showing that I may owe them £3332.59

[David2Prit]

Okay, may not know exact dates until I go proper digging into old emails (On work comp and don't allow access to own email), but here goes.

 

- April 16 - Move into property, prepayment meter

- July 16 - Join Npower, remove prepayment meter, install new E7 meter.

17th Feb 17 - I went to do a meter reading as I knew I hadn't been doing them. Noticed the display on meter was not working. Called Npower and they replaced on 28th Feb 17

- May 2017 bill for £534, first complaint to Npower made

- To and from with them for a little bit and they sent a deadlock lettericon, approached Ombudsmanicon in November 17.

- Letter from Ombudsman (attached above) sent to us on 14th December 17.

- Late December 17 Npower contacted and payment plan of £157 per month set up. £100 for usage, £57 for outstanding debt. Not the £120 I stated, I got that figure wrong.

- That is all fine apart from general calls to Npower still arguing that I believe the meter to be broken, but get absolutely nowhere with that.

- October 18 (early) get an email stating that direct debit will be changing from £157 to £344 per month. This is when I complain on social media and threaten to go to office. I get a call that morning stating something will be sorted.

- October 18 (mid) - meter is tested and shows 58.82% fast

- October 18 (31st) new meter is installed

- November 18 (6th) - email from Npower with adjusted figures for period old meter was installed.

- November 18 (20th) - I had emailed asking for compensation and Npower replied that they are willing to wipe the exit fee (£35)

- December 18 (19th) - Email from Npower asking if we had given any thought to a payment plan

-December 18 (20th) - Contacted Ombudsman requesting new complaint, whilst advising of old case that went against us and that I think it should be opened on new evidence.

- December 18 (29th) - SAR requested.

 

That is how it has been left. I can't face calling him/emailing him back as it just frustrates me.

 

£3000 figure, I don't know, I logged into my online account and that is what it says.

All old bills appear to have been removed, and replaced with new amended ones.

[David2Prit]

Original bills that Ombudsman believe were underestimated were 4 July 2016 to 28 February 2017, that was when we had the original meter with the broken display, before the new (Faulty) meter was installed end of Feb 2017.

 

Would have to try and find the original complaint to ombudsman when I get home and onto normal comp (Work PC won't let me log into emails).

 

It was an online account, no paper copies, I always went through the website to get my bill.

 

Last meter reading I gave was the one I posted earlier for 31st November 2018. Haven't touched the readings since then.

[David2Prit]

This was last meter reading - 30th November

 

Day

0 Our estimate

31 October 2018

303 Our reading

30 November 2018

303 kWh at 14.790p £44.81

 

Night

0 Our estimate

31 October 2018

63 Our reading

30 November 2018

63 kWh at 7.550p £4.76

[David2Prit]

This was last meter reading - 30th November

 

Day

0 Our estimate

31 October 2018

303 Our reading

30 November 2018

303 kWh at 14.790p £44.81

 

Night

0 Our estimate

31 October 2018

63 Our reading

30 November 2018

63 kWh at 7.550p £4.76

 

When the new meter was installed, it was set at 0

 

Regarding it being underestimated, no, I thought it was about right. It was always between 40-60 (went over winter months), so yeah, that seemed about right.

[David2Prit]

Send an SAR to the Ombudsman

 

Alright, shall do that tonight!

[David2Prit]

Okay shall do that. I'll download the APP tonight and then call tomorrow afternoon (if they are open).

[David2Prit]

Have you worked the figures out yourself - according to my calculation they are still wrong?

 

Figures they knocked of the overall units?

 

Day rate: The total unit consumptions used during this period was - 14339 units. When doing my calculations 58.82% of that is - 8434.19 units.

Remove that from 38692 is 30257 (rounding down to nearest unit)

 

Night rate: Total unit consumption used during this period was 9280 units. When calculations 58.82% of that is - 5458.49 units.

Remove that from 13555 is 8100 (again rounded down to nearest unit)

 

That's my calculation.

[David2Prit]

Called them, followed advice and was recorded.

They’ve stated that because of previous bills it’s an estimate which will come down as new readings go in.

Sounds fair enough I guess.

 

This led me onto looking at readings and what not on my online account.

I then discovered that 2018 has been amended to reflect new amounts etc, but 2017 has not been touched in the slightest.

 

Waiting for SAR to come through now.

Think they’ve got around 14 days now.

Edited January 9, 2019 by dx100uk
spacing

[David2Prit]

Got your message, will try and reply in full at some point today. You’re pretty much on the money though!

[David2Prit]

Thank you! Really sorry I haven’t come back, literally been swamped. A little disheartened as Npower have sent me a form to fill out regarding the SAR. I thought they couldn’t do that? 10 days wasted and then 28 when they get the form back :mad2:

[David2Prit]

Sorry, as said, swamped the past few days. Just finishing off one more thing and will reply tonight!

 

I actually saw they couldn’t do that when I had a quick look and sent them this back.

 

Hello,

 

I have today received a letter stating that you need to verify my details in order to comply with a standard Subject Access Request.

 

Please note that I have provided you with the required information, sent from the email address held on the account, account numbers, and home address the accounts are registered.

 

As per ICO you are not permitted to make someone fill out a specifically designed form for a standard SAR. Please see follow extract from ICO website:

 

Should we provide a specially designed form for individuals to make a subject access request?

 

Standard forms can make it easier both for you to recognise a subject access request and for the individual to include all the details you might need to locate the information they want.

 

Recital 59 of the GDPR recommends that organisations ‘provide means for requests to be made electronically, especially where personal data are processed by electronic means’. You should therefore consider designing a subject access form that individuals can complete and submit to you electronically.

 

However, even if you have a form, you should note that a subject access request is valid if it is submitted by any means, so you will still need to comply with any requests you receive in a letter, a standard email or verbally.

 

Therefore, although you may invite individuals to use a form, you must make it clear that it is not compulsory and do not try to use this as a way of extending the one month time limit for responding.

 

I feel at the present moment you are obfuscating the process. I will not be filling out your form, and as initial request was made on the 29th December, you have 14 days remaining in which to comply with the Subject Access Request as is my right under GDPR law, or a complaint shall be raised to ICO.

 

Many thanks,

 

You can see that I have lost the thread just after October 2018 in respect of Npower's miscalculation. Please can you explain.

 

So October 30th a new meter was installed replacing the old meter. At this point email came through to state that a reply will be given in regards to adjusting the balance and units used since the faulty meter was installed in Feb 2017.

This was the email he sent to us (will make bold so to distinguish from other parts.

 

Our analysis shows that your previous meter has recorded high usage since it was installed on 28.02.2017 therefore, your account will be amended for the full period the meter was installed.

 

Start Date: 28.02.2017

Start Read Day: 24353

Start Read Night: 4275

 

Meter Removed: 29.10.2018

Removed Read Day: 38692

Removed Read Night: 13555

 

Based on the meter recording 58.82% Fast the removal readings have been amended to:

 

Amended Read Day:33381 – Removing 5311 Day Units

Amended Read Night: 10118 – Removing 3437 Night units

 

The billing on your account has been reversed and the incorrect final meter readings have now been removed. The removal readings have now been amended as outlined above and we have billed the account to the installation readings from your new meter.

 

The balance on your account detailed within your last bill dated 14.09.2018 was £1,926.72 debit, which was billed to estimated meter readings from 13.09.2018. The new balance on your account after adding the new amended removal readings is now £1,151.90 debit. Please allow 3-5 working days to receive your new statement within your online account facility.

The 2016 to 2017 bill which energy Ombudsman investigator Lucy Clark has referred to seems to me to be irrelevant. You are not querying that part of the billing – or that metering . Why on earth did she refer to that? Did you raise that issue?

 

At no point was this issue raised, but something that Npower highlighted by saying based on that meter we were being undercharged, and that new billing was more in line with what we should be using.

 

Now we never complained about the old meter and it’s readings, that is roughly what we were expecting to pay. In hindsight we should have just left it and none of this would have happened.

 

I have no idea why she even looked at it.

 

how much do you think you should have paid – in 2017 and then in 2018.

 

I would roughly say between £700 - £800, in or around that.

N-Power had us call the energy efficiency team to get a quote on how much they think we should be paying, and they stated £760, and that was September 2018 just gone (I have a copy of this report).

 

it seems to me that they would only be entitled to back bill from October 2018 to November 2017. I'd like to know what the figures are those two periods please.

 

Regarding this I would have to wait for the SAR to come back to myself for full amounts requested, as I don’t have these, as they have amended 2018 billings.

 

November 2017 - £338.47

December 2017 - £159.54

 

December seems wrong as that is low! I’m wondering if they have amended that one, but couldn’t be sure..

 

I agree in regards to back billing, as the meter was not installed until November 17 (essentially) then everything prior must be discounted as Npower have failed to maintain accurate records, through what is essentially their own doing. Is that what you mean?

 

Not that it is relevant, but since new meter, we have paid £1873 to npower

 

Sorry going back to another point you raised

 

what evidence did they rely upon to say that it was underestimated? Do you agree?

 

So the evidence they have went to Lucy Clark originally.

 

In her final reply she stated the following

“I have reviewed the usage you have been billed for during the period 4 July 2016 to 28 February 2017 as this was estimated by npower.

The usage has been billed as 12 units per day with 30% being charged on the day rate and 70% being charged on the night rate which carries a lower unit rate.

 

I have then looked at the usage on your new meter.

This records 30 units being used per day which is not excessive for an electric only property.

The split on the day and night rates is 75% day and 25% night.

This means the majority of your usage is charged on the higher rate.

 

I understand there was an issue previously with the reads being transposed but this has been resolved and I have based my analysis on the correct readings as per the load tests which were completed with yourself and npower that confirmed which rate is which.“

 

The part in bold I have just seen and had a thought about.

She was basing the fact the original bill was under estimated due to load tests that were done by myself on a meter that was now running fast at 58.82%.

 

she then goes onto say

“I am of the view when npower estimated your usage for the faulty meter it underestimated this.

However this is in your favour as it estimated a lower number of units being used per day and the majority of the usage being on the night rate which carries a lower charge.

So although this is a service shortfall, I do not consider it is detrimental to you.”

 

Obviously I did not agree to that, at the time it got me nowhere though.

Edited January 13, 2019 by BankFodder
arrange quotes for clarity

[David2Prit]

So now I think you need to decide how much of your own personal resource you want to put into this – and that also does mean that you engage with this thread.

 

As said, I want to take them to court, I'm fed up of being pushed around by them and even though it won't change the practices, it would be a small victory and an FU to them. I think it is disgusting the way they treat people.

I will engage with the thread, but as I did say, I do not have that much down time as I work away from home on deployment at moment, and do not have a laptop (might well invest in a Chromebook though, they seem decent), find it difficult to navigate this site without one (Probably similar to you the other week).

 

I go away on holiday 10/02, but due to my job and the way it works, that weeks holiday is actually 3 weeks, so have the whole 10 days before 10/02 completely free. So I was thinking last night to have everything I want to do in regards to this in place by then. Send it off, and hopefully the ball has started moving by the time I get back.

The deadline for SAR will be well over by then, so we could look at starting on that and hitting them with that first? I'm happy following your lead with this though.

 

I personally think N-power do not care anymore about this issue.

[David2Prit]

Deadline for the SAR is 27th Jan.

 

The moment that it is up, if they have not sent through the required information, then even if they provide it within the initial 14 days since Letter of Claim goes in, I would still look at taking it forward, not really got much to lose, and that is pretty much open and shut.

 

Thanks for the above letter, I shall use that.