Npower No Bill For Over A Year!

[dingwalldemon]

Hi thanks for looking in.

I run a business which has just received a bill for over £3600, apparently someone switched my supplier to npower (not myself or anyone else employed by me)

Obviously they are now looking for payment, i have asked them for the name of the person on the contract whom agreed to transfer our supply to them.

After many weeks gone by they gave us a name, but they were never employed by myself and npower have no record of them.

I suspect it was a canvesser trying to switch energy suppliers for commision, whatever.

I received a letter saying i could report them to the energy ombudsman because they have failed to resolve the matter in the 8 week timescale, however 7 days later i now have a letter threatening disconnection.

I am not in the position to pay £3600 outright due to the nature of my small business.

Any suggestions on my next steps, this is urgent!, im happy to agree a payment plan with them, obviously we have used electricity!, i should also say no utilty bills were sent out prior to the £3600 one!

Is it worth trying to gain a discount on the figure?, do the energy companies get fined if the ombudsman has to investagate, is this a bargaining chip?

ALL HELP/ADVICE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED

[scanipoos]

My daughter moved into a house 3 years ago and for over a year she could figure out who her electricity supplier was npower eventually came forward as shes all electric her bill was over £3000.00 so shes had the same problem

[vusys1]

Hi thanks for looking in.

I run a business which has just received a bill for over £3600, apparently someone switched my supplier to npower (not myself or anyone else employed by me)

Obviously they are now looking for payment, i have asked them for the name of the person on the contract whom agreed to transfer our supply to them.

After many weeks gone by they gave us a name, but they were never employed by myself and npower have no record of them.

I suspect it was a canvesser trying to switch energy suppliers for commision, whatever.

I received a letter saying i could report them to the energy ombudsman because they have failed to resolve the matter in the 8 week timescale, however 7 days later i now have a letter threatening disconnection.

I am not in the position to pay £3600 outright due to the nature of my small business.

Any suggestions on my next steps, this is urgent!, im happy to agree a payment plan with them, obviously we have used electricity!, i should also say no utilty bills were sent out prior to the £3600 one!

Is it worth trying to gain a discount on the figure?, do the energy companies get fined if the ombudsman has to investagate, is this a bargaining chip?

ALL HELP/ADVICE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED

 

Id check your previous tariff charges etc before agreeing anything. You might end up paying more than your old supplier.

[Aviva]

Take a look at the erroneous transfer customer charter. It was set up to help people who have had their energy supplier switched by mistake or without their permission.

[indebtstudent]

First thing I notice is this is a business account (I assume) so there may be some differences between that and residential (which I am familiar with) but it seems to me some basic principles would apply.

 

It appears somebody has changed the supply over fraudulantly. There simply MUST be a complaints procedure for this. In residential it would be logged as an agent complaint, and if upheld the supply cut be transferred back to the original supplier as if it never left.

 

"do the energy companies get fined if the ombudsman has to investagate, is this a bargaining chip"

 

Yes and no, its not a fine as such but I suppose it could be seen that way (given thier sheer incompetance). Energy companies get charged a flat fee for each complaint which goes to the Ombudsmen. I don't know the figure I believe it is around £350.

 

I would not recommend using the Ombudsmen as a bargaining chip, I would simply tell them if it is not resolved to your satisfaction you are going to the Ombudsmen.

 

If there is a complaint ongoing then they should have put a hold on any follow up. I think the Ombudsmen will take a dim view of the way this has been handled, and to be fair you have given NPower ample opportunity to sort it out.

 

State the facts to the Ombudsmen and see what they make of it. Whenever I've seen notes on an account from the Ombudsmen they always seem to have taken the customers side.

 

This could be sheer coincidence, or it could be that they know gas & elec suppliers are bloody useless.

[indebtstudent]

Ps I'd definately try to get a reduced amount in light of the poor service, but firstly I'd be checking the validity of what they've done. If there was a contract signed by 'some guy' well I doubt that's going to hold up to any kind of scrutiny.

[flooz]

Firstly, ask for a copy of the contract, until you have that, it would be difficult to comment. Indebtstudent is correct, there is a totally different scenario for business accounts over domestic. If it is proved that the supply has been taken erroneously, then it will simply be transferred back and you will be billed by your previous supplier as if there was no break in their supply.