NPower - transposed reading with overcharging

[Hozza]

Ah I figured it out. 

Ofgem say: Your supplier can’t ask to be paid for unbilled energy used more than 12 months ago, if you haven’t been accurately charged for this usage before. 

As the bills are more than 12 months old and are not accurately charged, we should not be liable for paying at all, and those bills should be written off completely. 

In my view I would say those bills are inaccurate and therefore doesn't legally exist.

Even if they try to amend it and reduce the refund, I could say they are older than 12 months old and we are not liable. 

[BankFodder]

That's what I've been trying to explain to you over the past few hours

[Hozza]

probably misunderstood you somewhere  sorry

[Hozza]

UPDATE: 

The complaint team from npower has action quickly this time.

Spoke to a representative last Monday and did a load test on Tuesday. He has now flagged the account to the complex meter team for re-billing. 

Hopefully should be resolved soon. 

[BankFodder]

Good but be ready for an argument about their eventual assessment

 

Also there is a question of compensation

[Hozza]

Should be a relatively simple exercise of resetting the whole account, assign the rates to the correct tariff, and run a bill out of that. 

If they decided the tariff was wrong rather than switched round! (Could end up with a higher night rate in that case) 

[BankFodder]

The argument that I am referring to is if they start off by ignoring the back billing code which is very possible.

 

But anyway we need to look at the disruption and inconvenience they have caused to you you and come up with a figure for that as well.

[Hozza]

Will keep an eye out. 

They are going to bill reversal everything since 2018 and re-bill the account.

I hope the team applies the back billing code automatically instead of me disputing and reminding them about it!

[BankFodder]

Believe me, it will be much better if they cause trouble – because this will open the door to causing trouble back and give you a better justification for a level of compensation.

It may sound perverse – the more mistakes they make, the more they give you the upper hand.

[Hozza]

There are just so many areas that it could go wrong...

Even when the billing team solves it and sends us an amended bill, npower is quite famous for screwing everything up and teams not talking to each other.

I can foresee:

• the bill after could be wrong again
• keep reversing bills and not agreeing to a figure themselves 
• Not crediting my account with the right amount
• etc etc!  

[Hozza]

UPDATE again: Got the SAR back today. Not much useful info apart from the complaint handler had send the request to the billing system yesterday.

Based on npower's history on how long they take to produce a bill, it is going to take a while... 

[BankFodder]

Well I suppose that you could push for faster action – but on the other hand don't forget that the longer they leave it, the more the back billing code comes in because they are only entitled to charge you from 12 months up to the date of the eventual accurate bill.

So if they happen to bill you in June then they will only be entitled to bill you from May last year – assuming that the bill they produce accurate.

Maybe it is better to be patient and wait for a little while. It seems to me that they were unusually quick with the SAR so that's a good sign

[BankFodder]

Also, have you checked the statutory disclosure – not only for what it includes – but also for what might be missing. What is missing could be more interesting than what is included. Check it carefully

[Hozza]

15 hours ago, BankFodder said:

Also, have you checked the statutory disclosure – not only for what it includes – but also for what might be missing. What is missing could be more interesting than what is included. Check it carefully

 

Surprisingly, nothing seem to be missing. I got all the past records, screen notes, recordings, meter reader sheets, etc

[BankFodder]

Okay, in that case best wait for the new bill to come and see how it has been calculated and how it compares with what you expect.

However, there is clearly an issue of inaccurate data processing – as well as a breach of contract and if you have the energy for it, I think there is some compensation therefore you. But let's get the bill first

[Hozza]

All the past bills have been reversed so it should be soon

[Hozza]

Got this in my account 

 

(This is before the revised bill is issued so obviously going to reduce)

 

[BankFodder]

Sorry, not quite sure what you mean.

Is this an amount of money which has been put into your bank account or has this been credited to your energy account?

I don't understand when you say that there is still a revised bill to be issued so this is going to reduce – unless you are saying that this is the gross amount and they are going to make a deduction from it.

Might that mean then that they are putting this credit into your account and you are then going to have to try and impress them to pay you out in cash?

How does this all tally with your own figures?

[Hozza]

This is just the bill reversal of all bills since the contract started. 

 

Still awaiting amended bill for the energy used for the past 12 months but should not be more than a few hundred pounds. 

[BankFodder]

Do you not have enough information about the readings to make the calculation yourself? I can't remember – did you send them an SAR?

[Hozza]

Yes I do, but just couldn't be bothered! They already reset all the readings so the bill should arrive tomorrow latest. 

SAR arrived yesterday via email and in my hard drive now

[BankFodder]

Okay, but I assume that you will be comparing their figures with your own figures before you start accepting anything

[Hozza]

2 minutes ago, BankFodder said:

Okay, but I assume that you will be comparing their figures with your own figures before you start accepting anything

Of course. That bill will be scrutinised in its every single detail.