Npower, faulty (slow) meter, charged new usage figures for many past years - now on prepay with huge debt? is this fair?

[unclebulgaria67]

Make sure they apply the back  billing rules.  See link below.

 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-backbilling-guide-your-rights

 

Put simply, a supplier can’t seek additional payment for unbilled energy used more than 12 months prior to the error being detected and a corrected bill being issued. 

The protection may not apply if you have behaved obstructively or unreasonably which prevents your supplier from accurately billing you. For example, by physically blocking more than one reasonable attempt by the supplier to take a meter reading at your property or if you have stolen gas or electricity.

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Send a complaint in writing to NPower head office reminding them of the 12 month back billing rule which you believe applies, as the meter which was their responsibility was faulty.  Therefore they should not be applying any estimated usage bills beyond 12 months from the date the faulty meter problem was first recorded.

 

Suggest you send the letter by recorded delivery.

[unclebulgaria67]

"when the corrected bill was issued."

 

 

That does make sense and that was when NPower made their billing decision, which is what you are challenging.

[unclebulgaria67]

Looking at the document you attached

 

4. The electricity usage in March/April 2018 seems to be an error.

 

This is when they added over £2k.

 

This is all very confusing !

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

You gave NPower an electricity reading on 24th April 2018 which was a lot more than estimated reading that were used to calculate bills previously.   

 

So what was the history of this account before 24th April 2018. 

 

Where is your electricity meter ?   If the meter is inside your property did NPower contact you to try to obtain your meter readings previously ?  

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

So when you moved into the property in October 2017 what electricity meter reading did you give them ?

 

It appears what has happened here, is that a wrong meter reading has been given to NPower sometime before April 2018.  So when you gave an actual meter reading in April 2018, this is why the huge bill was generated.

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Electricity meter reading October 2017 67386

 

Electricity 24 April 2018 Your reading 84366

 

Not sure how you managed to consume so many units of Electric over a 6 month period. You gave NPower both of these readings !

 

During that period, what electrical appliances were you using ?

 

Did you have an immersion hot water tank permanently switched on to provide hot water ?  Or did you have other ways of heating hot water for washing etc ?

 

How did you heat the house ?  Gas boiler or electric heating. ?

 

Before you write to NPower we need to understand why your usage is so high for period and exactly what happened at the time.

[unclebulgaria67]

Sounds like you gave NPower a wrong meter reading in October 2017. Or there was a serious problem with the wiring to the meter. People who live in flats, converted houses or mixed private/commercial units, sometimes have problems with their meters being charged for their neighbours energy usage.

 

There is no way that you would have used over £2000 worth of electricity over 6 months.

 

I can only suggest you start to put together a letter explaining everything to NPower is date order.  So from when you moved in, what type of home, how many occupants, what electrical appliances were in use typically ( mention that heating and water is via Gas Bolier).  I think you should question accuracy of meter reading you first gave NPower back in October 2017 or query the accuracy/working condition of the meter. 

 

It is up to you Sophie to spend the time to construct a letter using all of the information you have available. Only you have the information which is needed to take this forward.

 

Pointless just arguing 12 month backbilling, as between yourself and NPower you have ended up in a messy situation. 

 

 

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Does not make any sense. 

 

Your numbers seem wrong.

 

Can you explain why you used so much between 1/10/17 TO 24/4/18  ?   Did you give them a wrong meter reading ?  Have you asked NPower to find out what meter reading the previous occupier of the property registered.  They can find out, if it was reported.

 

There is a gap between 24/4/18  and  27/11/18.  Ask for meter readings and bills for between these dates, if you don't have them.

 

There is also a gap between 12/3/19 and  13/7/19.  Again you need meter readings and bills.

[unclebulgaria67]

Ask for a copy of the report and ask whether the old meter is still available for independent inspection,  as you may want to arrange for this.

 

It is possible that the previous occupiers had tempered with the meter ?  

[unclebulgaria67]

May have a look later.

 

Still think you gave them a wrong meter reading when you moved in and this is why you have such a high debt.  

 

If you gave them wrong reading at the start and then provided the correct meter reading later, you suddenly have the massive jump in bill. And this has been added to, ever since. 

 

You have given no other reasons for using over £2000 in electricity in the year after you moved in.   

 

Did you ask NPower to check the final meter reading provider by previous occupiers ?  NPower can check this, to see if you gave a wrong meter reading.

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Here is what I think

 

When the previous occupier left, they either did not provide meter readings or gave wrong readings.  If the meter reading given or recorded at the time was a lot lower than it was really showing, when you eventually provided a meter reading months later, there is a sudden large bill created.

 

It is not unknown for some people to deliberately give false readings when they leave properties, hoping they are not caught doing so or the energy company will never find them to try to collect any debt.  

 

When you moved in, did you ever check the meter to see whether the reading was similar to what the inventory company provided ?

 

If you did not, you would never know that a lower meter reading had been recorded, than was actually showing at the time.

 

It could be the case that NPowers bill includes electricity use the previous occupiers are responsible for, due to the reasons above.  

 

Did the inventory company actually read the meter themselves or did they get the meter reading from the previous occupiers or their letting agent ?  

 

Does this theory appear possible ?

 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

How do you know it was correct ?

 

Sounds like you do not know this ?

[unclebulgaria67]

Sophie, as you did not bother to check the meter yourself and trusted the inventory company, i think you will have to accept the NPower bills.

 

Of course you can ask NPower to register a complaint and ask them for details of their complaints process. And just follow it through. 

 

Your problem is that you have not been thorough enough with checking the meter yourself and it has led you to the current position.

 

If you are a disabled person and have problems with meter reading, as well as managing utility billing issues, you should make NPower aware of this. And ask them for details of any help they can provide to disabled customers.