Jump to content


  • Tweets

  • Posts

    • Well done. Are you able to tell us more about how it went on the day please? HB
    • when mediation call they will ask the same 3 questions that are in their email you had to accept it going forward. simply state 'i do not have enough information from the claimant to make an informed decision upon mediation so i refuse. end of problem.  
    • Food prices, including a $40 chicken, has stoked fury and calls for big foreign supermarket chains to come to Canada.View the full article
    • Which Court have you received the claim from ? Civil National Business CEntre Name of the Claimant ? Lowell Portfolio i Ltd How many defendant's  joint or self ? Self   Date of issue –  15 Feb 2024 Particulars of Claim What is the claim for – the reason they have issued the claim?  The claim is for the sum of £922 due by the Defendant under and agreement regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for a Capital One account with an account reference of [number with 16 digits] The Defendant failed to maintain contractual payments required by the agreement and a Default Notice was served under s.87(1) of the Consumer Credit ACt 1974 which has not been complied with. The debt was legally assigned to the claimant on 16-06-23, notice of which has been given to the defendant. The claim includes statutory interest under S.69 of the County Courts Act 1984 at a rate of 8% per annum from the date of assignment to the date of the issue of these proceedings in the sum of £49.15 The Claimant claims the sum of £972 What is the total value of the claim? £1112 Have you received prior notice of a claim being issued pursuant to paragraph 3 of the PAPDC (Pre Action Protocol) ? I dont know the details of the PAPDC to know if it was pursuant to paragraph 3, but I did receive a Letter of Claim with a questionaire/form to fill. Have you changed your address since the time at which the debt referred to in the claim was allegedly incurred? No Is the claim for - a Bank Account (Overdraft) or credit card or loan or catalogue or mobile phone account? Credit Card When did you enter into the original agreement before or after April 2007 ? no Do you recall how you entered into the agreement...On line /In branch/By post ? Online Is the debt showing on your credit reference files (Experian/Equifax /Etc...) ? Yes Has the claim been issued by the original creditor or was the account assigned and it is the Debt purchaser who has issued the claim. Assigned/purchaser Were you aware the account had been assigned – did you receive a Notice of Assignment? I was aware, I'm not certain I received a 'Notice of Assignment' from Capital One but may have been informed the account had been sold without such a title on the letter? Did you receive a Default Notice from the original creditor? Yes Have you been receiving statutory notices headed “Notice of Sums in Arrears”  or " Notice of Arrears "– at least once a year ? Not since the debt purchase, and not from Capital One. Why did you cease payments? I can't remember - it was the tail end of the pandemic and I may not have had enough income to keep up payments - I am self-employed and work in the event industry - at that time. I also had a bank account that didn't allow direct debits and may have just forgotten payments and became annoyed at fines for late payments. What was the date of your last payment? Appears to be 20/4/2022 Was there a dispute with the original creditor that remains unresolved? No Did you communicate any financial problems to the original creditor and make any attempt to enter into a debt management plan? No Here is my Defence: Defence - 1. The Defendant contends that the particulars of claim are vague and generic in nature. The Defendant accordingly sets out its case below and relies on CPR r 16.5 (3) in relation to any particular allegation to which a specific response has not been made. 2. Paragraph 1 is noted. I have in the past had an agreement with Capital One but do not recognise this specific account number or recollect any outstanding debt and have therefore requested clarification by way of a CPR 31.14 and section 78 request.. 3. Paragraph 2 is denied. I am unaware of having been served with a Default Notice pursuant to the Consumer Credit Act 1974. 4. Paragraph 3 is denied. I am unaware of any legal assignment or Notice of Assignment pursuant to the Law and Property Act 1925 Section 136(1) 5. The Defendant has sent a request by way of a section 78 pursuant to the Consumer Credit Act 1974, for a copy of the agreement, the Claimant has yet to comply and remains in default of said request. 6. A further request has been made via CPR 31.14 to the Claimants solicitor, requesting disclosure of documents on which the Claimant is basing their claim. The Claimant has not complied and to date nothing has been received. 7. It is therefore not accepted with regards to the Defendant owing any monies to the Claimant and the Claimant is put to strict proof to: a) show how the Defendant has entered into an agreement and; b) show how the Claimant has reached the amount claimed for and; c) show the nature of the breach and evidence by way of a Default Notice pursuant to sec 88 CCA1974 d) show how the Claimant has the legal right, either under statute or equity to issue a claim 8. As per Civil Procedure 16.5 it is expected that the claimants prove the allegation that the money is owed 9. On the alternative, as the Claimant is an assignee of a debt, it is denied that the Claimant has the right to lay a claim due to contraventions of section 136 of the Law of Property Act and section 82A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 10. By reasons of the facts and matters set out above, it is denied that the Claimant is entitled to the relief claimed or any relief. .................. Please note that I had to write a defence quite quickly as I hit the deadline. At the time of writing the defence, I hadn't been able to find correspondence from Capital One, but had since found default letter etc. I submitted CCA request and CPR 31.14. However, I didn't get any proof of postage or use registered post for the CPR (an oversight) but did with the CCA request. I received a pack which included a letter from Overdales, going over the defence I'd filed, as well as letters of Lowells and reprints of letters from Capital One. But I have no idea if this pack is in response to the CCA request or the CPR ! I would have expected two separate responses ... although I do know they are both the same company. Looking over the pack today, and looking through old emails .. I find some discrepancies in the Capital One default letters (notice of default and Claim of default). They are both dated *before* an email I have stating that a default can be avoided. The one single page of agreement sent (so not the full agreement) has a 16 digit number at the top in small print, next to 'Capital One' which corresponds to a number called 'PURN' printed at the top of each of the 10 pages of ins and outs of the account (they're not official statements, but a list of monthly goings) yet no mention anywhere on either of the account number. I cant really scan them at the moment - I can later tomorrow, but that will be after the mediation call I'm sure. I guess I may be on my own for this mediation ... I am not certain the CCA request has been satisfied .. or if the CPR has been . And then I appear to have evidence that the Default notices provided are fabricated ? Yet, I do have (elsewhere ... not at home) Default letters from Capital One I can check ..
  • Recommended Topics

  • Our picks

    • If you are buying a used car – you need to read this survival guide.
      • 1 reply
    • Hello,

      On 15/1/24 booked appointment with Big Motoring World (BMW) to view a mini on 17/1/24 at 8pm at their Enfield dealership.  

      Car was dirty and test drive was two circuits of roundabout on entry to the showroom.  Was p/x my car and rushed by sales exec and a manager into buying the mini and a 3yr warranty that night, sale all wrapped up by 10pm.  They strongly advised me taking warranty out on car that age (2017) and confirmed it was honoured at over 500 UK registered garages.

      The next day, 18/1/24 noticed amber engine warning light on dashboard , immediately phoned BMW aftercare team to ask for it to be investigated asap at nearest garage to me. After 15 mins on hold was told only their 5 service centres across the UK can deal with car issues with earliest date for inspection in March ! Said I’m not happy with that given what sales team advised or driving car. Told an amber warning light only advisory so to drive with caution and call back when light goes red.

      I’m not happy to do this, drive the car or with the after care experience (a sign of further stresses to come) so want a refund and to return the car asap.

      Please can you advise what I need to do today to get this done. 
       

      Many thanks 
      • 81 replies
    • Housing Association property flooding. https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/topic/438641-housing-association-property-flooding/&do=findComment&comment=5124299
      • 161 replies
    • We have finally managed to obtain the transcript of this case.

      The judge's reasoning is very useful and will certainly be helpful in any other cases relating to third-party rights where the customer has contracted with the courier company by using a broker.
      This is generally speaking the problem with using PackLink who are domiciled in Spain and very conveniently out of reach of the British justice system.

      Frankly I don't think that is any accident.

      One of the points that the judge made was that the customers contract with the broker specifically refers to the courier – and it is clear that the courier knows that they are acting for a third party. There is no need to name the third party. They just have to be recognisably part of a class of person – such as a sender or a recipient of the parcel.

      Please note that a recent case against UPS failed on exactly the same issue with the judge held that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 did not apply.

      We will be getting that transcript very soon. We will look at it and we will understand how the judge made such catastrophic mistakes. It was a very poor judgement.
      We will be recommending that people do include this adverse judgement in their bundle so that when they go to county court the judge will see both sides and see the arguments against this adverse judgement.
      Also, we will be to demonstrate to the judge that we are fair-minded and that we don't mind bringing everything to the attention of the judge even if it is against our own interests.
      This is good ethical practice.

      It would be very nice if the parcel delivery companies – including EVRi – practised this kind of thing as well.

       

      OT APPROVED, 365MC637, FAROOQ, EVRi, 12.07.23 (BRENT) - J v4.pdf
        • Like
  • Recommended Topics

Powergen + Prepay Electricity Meters


style="text-align: center;">  

Thread Locked

because no one has posted on it for the last 5464 days.

If you need to add something to this thread then

 

Please click the "Report " link

 

at the bottom of one of the posts.

 

If you want to post a new story then

Please

Start your own new thread

That way you will attract more attention to your story and get more visitors and more help 

 

Thanks

Recommended Posts

Hi...

 

Having just had a prepay electricity meter installed at my property, I'm looking for some further information on the way they operate.

In my case, the consumption appears to fluctuate fairly drastically with no apparent cause (ie extra equipment being operated etc). If I'm to believe my meter my bill for a year will, at the present rate, be in excess of £1000, which is ridiculous in view of the nature of electricity usage at this property.

To further complicate matters, it appears that this increase in consumption goes hand in hand with an investigation into the whereabouts of former tenants, who have left substantial bills outstanding.

I'm awaiting a response from Powergen regarding this problem, but I'm interested to know if the tariff on a prepay meter can be altered without manual intervention, or if I should be looking closer to home for faulty equipment etc?

Debt free, partially thanks to CAG forums.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh dear - a prepay meter is a complex device, and it's programming owes more than just charging for the electricity that flows through it. For example, it can be programmed to deduct cash amounts from each power card inserted, that goes into a seperate fund - say for reducing a previous balance owed. The remainder is then decremented from the power actually consumed, so it is not possible to correlate the money paid in with the consumption used.

 

However, to check your consuption, all you need do is take a reading every seven days, and jot down all the digits, including those after the decimal point, and write them on a calendar. (I always do mine on Sundays, gas too!). The second week, do the same, then take the first figure from the second to get the consumption that week, note this on the calendar also. You will have been given the cost of the tariff you are on (or find it on the PG website). You can then work out the cost of all electricity used that week, and how much you should have paid. Do this every week, and if you are putting in more money than the consumption shows, you ask for the meter to be checked. Keep your figures safe (I keep mine online with a Google Spreadsheet).

 

With the recent clock change, costs can increase dramatically because of the loss of light - but after this major changes in consumption can be easily spotted, and if you didn't have 7 baths that week, there is a possibility someone is stealing your power.

 

Start by keeping the figures I mentioned, as a barganing exercise, it's well worth the 2-3 minutes it takes to keep you money where it belongs. In YOUR pocket! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi...

 

Having just had a prepay electricity meter installed at my property, I'm looking for some further information on the way they operate.

In my case, the consumption appears to fluctuate fairly drastically with no apparent cause (ie extra equipment being operated etc). If I'm to believe my meter my bill for a year will, at the present rate, be in excess of £1000, which is ridiculous in view of the nature of electricity usage at this property.

To further complicate matters, it appears that this increase in consumption goes hand in hand with an investigation into the whereabouts of former tenants, who have left substantial bills outstanding.

I'm awaiting a response from Powergen regarding this problem, but I'm interested to know if the tariff on a prepay meter can be altered without manual intervention, or if I should be looking closer to home for faulty equipment etc?

 

Each time you "top up" your prepayment card with credit, the server that issues the credit can store extra information on your card, including the instruction to change the charge per unit. However, the information about current charge per unit can be obtained by cycling through the options using the two buttons on the meter. I think it would be worth while making a note of these values, and if Powergen change them dramatically you can query the reason for the change with them. On occasion I've had a situation where they raise the unit cost to defer a debt on the property, and they don't always notify the current billpayer; this could well be what's happened here.

 

If in doubt, get a new owners card from them which will reset the meter.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The new owners card will only work if it is a powercard meter, depending what area you are in it will probably be a key meter that has been fitted.

 

As previously advised Powergen can change the tarrif, standing charge and debt at any time that is collected through the meter. They do not need to attend your property to do this as messages are passed on when you top up.

 

If their is as you say a dispute on debt from previous tennant etc then they cannot take this debt or set this debt on the meter untill dispute is resolved, however check as they might do just that.

 

Let us know if key or powercard and we will give you more info.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for your responses, sound advice.

The fact that Powergen are both able and known to alter tarriffs etc electronically doesn't surprise me one bit, and is about as much confirmation as I need of what I already suspected.

We use a stick/key style meter, charged at Paypoint outlets, in answer to Ozzywolf's question.

Its likely then that we're being penalised for the several thousand pounds outstanding in the name of former tenants, until such time as an ongoing investigation into the movements of said tenants is concluded and proper liability apportioned.

Having just had a dispute with my water company regarding their similarly arbitrary behaviour, I'd like to know if anyone has had experience arguing these points with Pgen or similar.

I suspect the justification will be the old "You agreed to us being able to do that by signing up with us and havig a meter installed" verbal/contractual tosh.

Debt free, partially thanks to CAG forums.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Okies so its a key meter, kinda new in most areas. Put your key in the meter then press the blue button. Here near the bottom of all your settings you will see somthnig like WKFXCH This meens weekly fixed charge. Check how much debt it is collecting.

Or just phone them and ask them. I doubt anyone would actually lie and say it is not collecting a debt when it is, if you ask them directly. Only probs you may get is getting through to an advisor that doesnt know how to check.

Displays for a one rate meter are:

  • Available credit
  • Test display
  • Time Date
  • Total credit accepted
  • Total weekly fixed charge
  • Day unit reading
  • Day time pence per unit
  • Value of emergency credit
  • Total debt outstanding
  • Weekly debt repayment amount

Displays for a two rate meter are:

  • Available credit
  • Test display
  • TimeDate
  • Total credit accepted
  • Total weekly fixed charge
  • Day unit reading
  • Day time pence per unit
  • Night unit reading
  • Night time pence per unit
  • Value of emergency credit
  • Total debt outstanding
  • Weekly debt repayment amount

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for that, a valuable chunk of information.

I've pulled all the figures off, calculated the matter and checked all the tariffs etc online, and it would appear that theres nothing out of the ordinary.

My house must just be bloody expensive to run and, as stated earlier in the thread, the loss of light etc must've been the contributing factor.

Just goes to show, I'd probably be bankrupt if it weren't for these energy saving lightbulbs...

Thanks a lot though, I'll remember the advice in future.

Debt free, partially thanks to CAG forums.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not sure if this was mentioned earlier - your consumption should be 'typical' ask a neighbour what they consume a month, and see how you compare. It won;t be for the first time that some flat dweller has discovered some 'creative rewiring' has resulted in another owner not getting any bills! (Espoecially for communal meters! - but that doesn't appear to be an issue in your case!)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I thought this one was over with, but it would appear its not.

Having recently ascertained that our households current consumption of elecricity is 3 and a half times the typical amount in our area, and having ruled out our heating and appliances as the cause of this, we've contacted Powergen and asked them what they propose to do about this.

The first round of calls produced a new 'recalibrated' payment stick, and the promise of quite a large refund.

Said stick turned up, made absolutely no difference to our consumption, and of course no refund arrived either.

We've now been told that our consumption 'must be correct', and that theres nothing further they can do for us.

So here comes the first nasty letter...

Debt free, partially thanks to CAG forums.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Energywatch are a waste of space - as I had to go it aslone without their 'help', all they did was 'watch' whilst I took the company to Court. The consumption may well be correct, but it doesn't mean YOU used it. It has bene known for other residents or flats to have access to your supply. If you go away for a day or so, turn off the power at the meter, and see if anyone complains!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

I am a husband with 3 kids.

We missed one month payment back in november when i lost my job as a bricky and we were forced into having prepay meters installed by swalec, we were told that it would work out cheaper for us monthly but AFTER they were installed we were told that a mistake had been made and infact the amount we were putting into the meters each month was correct...

 

via direct debit....

 

£75 per month for gas

£75 per month for electricity

 

now via prepay meters we are putting in over £200 per month! and this is with me still out of work and us living on my wifes wages.

 

I would like to know that when i move at the end of the month into our new house (rented, lost family home) can swalec force us to have prepay meters installed or can we refuse?

Link to post
Share on other sites

You have responses on your own thread oopa.

The Consumer Action Group is a free help site.

Should you be offered help that requires payment please report it to site team.

Advice & opinions given by Caro are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 Caggers

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Have we helped you ...?


×
×
  • Create New...