Ms Gooner 1

We moved into this house in 2001. When we moved in, there was a pre-payment meter for Electricity - and no gas supply at all.

Anyway - it kinda suited us so we've never changed away from the pre-payment.

Then yesterday I received a letter from n-Power DEMANDING payment for £1532.96!

I obviously telephoned them and politely explained this must be a mistake as i have a pre-payment meter! They have advised me that for the period 14/12/07 to 21/11/08 they were my supplier - but they received NO payment onto the account but supplied electricity?? they have requested I supply them with a receipt - however, as i explained to them, once i have topped my key up and the amount has been accepted by the meter - i discard the receipt! They have told me that my supplier before AND after them was British Gas, however they have only paid up some £300 (which to me shows they were originally seeking the best part of £1900 for ONE year's supply of Electric)

N-Power basically say that unless i can furnish them with said receipt - the bill stands and they will take me to court to collect the sum - which i flatly refuse to pay. My arguement is logical - i put money on my key - top up the meter - get electric - i didn't sit in the dark for 11 months so i OBVIOULSY paid for my electric - but i have no idea which company have gained my credits???

I've told them to take me to court as i feel that no Judge would reasonably say i have to pay for my electric TWICE - but i also think that their ESTIMATION of a £1900 annual bill is a little close to extortion.

How much do you guys pay on an average year??

Any Comments - Advice??

t7srt

iTrader: (2)

Thats ridiculas mate, I pay around £400 a year for electric and around £550 for gas, Thats a 3 bedroom house where i leave everything on and i work shifts so sometimes using leccy and heating till 4 in the morning and the mrs gettiing up at 7 to go to work,

So probabally more than most

spally

iTrader: (1)

when we rented our previous bungalow, that had a pre pay meter. Unknown to us the previous tenants had done a runner owing money to Npower and certain others. We thought we was just topping the card up with electric we were using. Oh no we were paying for our electric and also paying off the previous debt. To be truthful though N Power were excellent when we found this out and reimbursed us with the extra money. 1 thing we did learn though, in future if moving anywhere with a metre ensure the company comes round on day 1 and wipes the metre and any monies owing clear!!!

Ms Gooner 1

I live in a 3 bed house and almost EVERY PLUG is turned off at night - except fridge and alarm clock etc - my TV and PC is switched off by the mains every night - so i just can't fathom A) the amount and B) if they can legally take me to court to pay AGAIN!!???

53

iTrader: (41)

Are your neighbours into Hydroponics ?

Sounds like a nightmare

yellowvanman

Milamber will prob be able to give you a legal reply.

But for what it's worth, I had a battle with EON over the bill for when a property I look after was empty for 7 weeks. they wanted to charge twice the amount as the average when it is tenanted, this was not sorted until they threatened court action and I said "excellent, can we set a date now, then maybe someone with common sense can rule on this" at this point I was put through to someone with authority, and low and behold, they then found they had read the meter 2 weeks before the tenant left and that was higher than the reading given be the tenant, and they accepted it!!!!

Anyway the long and short of it, don't give in to their threats, you clearly cannot have obtained electricity without using the meter, so must have paid for it.
How did you come to change supplier, surely they must have informed you?
And £1900 per annum, madness.

mikef04

iTrader: (7)

hi i have worked this out even with n powers most expensive rate of 15.664pence per kwh(inc VAT), so £1900 is equivalent to 12129.724 units (kwh), so that averages out arond 950.41 Kwh a month which is around £148 a month. don't know what size house you have etc but this in fact could be right, what i could do for you as a favour is pop round one evening and see what you house pulls on maximum demand on a load test and see how accurate there reading is as to me that does sound a bit steep. regards mike

Ms Gooner 1

Mike - for a while I think this was actually on economy7 - not sure what it all meant to be honest - but when we moved in we had storage heaters - anyway - because they were SO expensive - my elec used to cost me almost £5 per day. hence why i now have central heating - but i'm not sure what tariff the leccy is on.
It'd be good if you could do a load test (whatever that is) LOL.

As for hydro-ponics - the only thing my neighbours are "into" is poisoning my dogs LMAO - growing isn't their "thing" - nor mine for that matter

YVM - I have already requested that they DO take me to court - i will not lay down to be bullied into paying for my electricity TWICE - which in theory is what they are asking me to do.

And now I come to think about it - I think i should ask them to send me a copy of a contract with them - as I don't even recall signing with them - and on many occasions have been "poached" by other suppliers!

mikef04

iTrader: (7)

i can do a load test for you no problem. all a load test is a non intrusive method of measuring current used when items are on and when there not i have a sheet in the van of all the different rate of electricity etc. then using this current reading and supply voltage i can work out the units etc.. and then estimate a bill. i am free most evenings so just let me know when your available.

mike

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

So, you've paid upfront by a pre-payment method and now they say that you still owe them money for the same period

Don't speak to them over the phone it's a waste of time. Write them a letter setting out your query on the bill and keep a copy. Ask for a response within 14 days. Tell them it's disputed because of the fact you have paid them up front by pre-payment.

Wait for their response. If they do reply, see if it has any merit.

What I suspect will happen is that you will be bombarded with letters from their debt recovery department threatening court action. Do not telephone them. Write back, keeping a copy, saying that you have raised a query and it hasn't been answered. Ask them to stop sending you letters until the query has been answered. In all liklehood they won't and will continue with the threatening letters/calls.

Let them take you to Court (provided their resposne if they ever provide one doesn't have any merit) and at that point things get exciting

Writing you threatening letters and not responding to your request for clarification of the debt has recently been held to amount to harassment

Ferguson v British Gas



I would normally reply by PM and never discuss advice with anyone but I thought that this generic advice might be helpful to others.

Tiny

Great advice Chris

( Sure MS gooner will sort you out £500 booner to cover your time )

Oh & btw ,.....

Car looked 5.30pm this eve , slipping onto A12 @ Witham

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

I still walk up to it in the car park and think phwoar

Tiny

Ms Gooner 1

Indeed

Yes, thank you Chris - very much appreciated. I shall be penning a letter to them over the weekend - so far i have two letters from them - one of which is a telegramme?? WTF

But there is no way on this god-for-saken place i shall be paying a penny as the way i see it - i pay in advance, and their bill is an "estimate"???

Tiny - good to see you back online

Budgie

iTrader: (4)

nice one chris, from someone in the know
a decent bloke with sound and professional advice
just what the esc is all about

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

Is that why your an MSOC member???

Nurse Gladys

Ms Gooner - can your year actually get any worse - you seem to have lurched from one thing to the next without time even to draw breathe!

On a purely selfish level, are you planning on taking a holiday this year, and if so where - just we were looking at booking somewhere but wanted to avoid the possible hurricanes, typhoons or earthquakes that may follow you!!

Good luck with your current 'project' and remember, keep a copy of EVERYTHING!

Ms Gooner 1

PMSL - thats funny.

We were very lucky in Mexico as well actually

No hols planned - i daren't!

But in hindsight - this is a particularly crap year!

Still I'll be 30 in June so its all upwards............. isn't it???

LOL

V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

you're 30 before me

mine's in September

Ms Gooner 1

LOL - thanks Matt - you've cheered me up no end

Nurse Gladys

You're mere babes....wait til you hit 40 - that's when life REALLY begins........

Ms Gooner 1

Thought I'd give a quick update on this:
I have received a couple of letter form their debt collection company, the first one asking me to pay the full amount, the 2nd requesting i call them and today they have sent me a letter again to pay the full amount of £1532.96 and to advise that they are proceeding with county court action and to advise me the interst will be calculated at 8% per annum and that i will also be liable for court costs plus a fine of £120.
Gonna write a letter today

scoobyed

Did the supplier make you personally aware that they were now your supplier and give you any instruction to make payment in a different way????? if not then they should be seeking the money from the supplier that took the money from your payment key and taking them to court!!!! I would imagine any court with even the slightest bit of common sense would see this. This sounds like another example of a large company trying to hit the little people where it hurts because they think you will **** yourself when you see a court summons and pay up. This may sound a bit extreme but try contacting watchdog as i am sure you are probably not alone in this. Also CAB would be worth a go for advice.

scoobyed

I didnt realise this forum removes all swearing, cool, i can swear lots now with no fear of upsetting anyone

kevin wrx

iTrader: (1)

id worry about your gas bill what with darrens flamer

gallois

i like it when people type s****horpe

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

Lets you get away with Clitheroe