npower billed me as business instead of customer

[zzzgomot]

Hello all,

 

I have a bit of a complicated one here…

 

3 years ago I moved into a property as a tenant..tried to contact npower numerous times without any success of them admiting they are my supplier.

After 3 years they came up with this huge bill charged for a business account (and meter registered at the wrong address). I do not have any idea how and why they opened a business account. It is not in my name but in the name of the property owners.

They have agreed to recalculate all the bills using domestic rates and VAT, but it still comes out big. I have asked them to apply the back billing policy, but they said that because the account was opened (not by me) as business they can only apply back billing for 2 years and not for 1 year as for domestic accounts.

 

Is there any reasonable solution to this and any way I can be back billed for 1 year back?

 

I do not want to wash my hands clean of this and let the property owners pay it, but I do not want to pay the unfair huge bill.

 

Thanks!

[rebel11]

Hi zzzomot

 

Welcome to CAG

 

I don't think their argument holds any justification. You have never been a Business Customer. You should only correspond with them via letters and e-mails.

 

Tell them you are only prepared to pay 1 years worth of bills at their lowest tariffs, tell them you deem the account in dispute.

 

Here is the Backbilling Code:-

 

http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/publication/finish/43-code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills/412-the-code-of-practice-for-accurate-bills-back-billing-for-domestic-customers.html

 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/domestic-consumers/making-enquiry-or-complaint

 

Update the thread with their response.

[zzzgomot]

Hello,

 

Thank you so much for you reply. I have been communicating only by phone with the advisor.

I have made it clear to them that I am not willing to pay more than one year as the policy states (thankor the links, I checked them out before).

The problem is that because the account is not in my name, but the property owners, if I do not agree to pay what they ask, npower will chase them up in order to get the payment.

What i do not understand is why they refuse to treat my account as domestic once they redo all the calculations.

 

Thanks! I will update once I have news.

[rebel11]

Hi zzzgomot

 

You've been dealing with Customer Services, you can lodge a Formal Letter of Complaint marked as such, to the CEO of NPower explaining the situation, he will get his team to look into the matter.