open letter Npower and its Directors.


I have written this letter so publicly because it seems contacting your company gets no results. You will quickly see from my complaint that much needs to be done with your company to improve it. And unfortunately many may decide after reading my letter that Npower is not for them. It may encourage some to switch supplier, and others to use another supplier if in the process of switching supplier. This is in my mind very unfortunate given that if you handled customers complains in a decent way this letter would not have been written.


I started to use Npower after coming across your company on Uswitch in April last year. What was on offer seemed a good deal. The prices seemed good - and your company promised me a discount if I had duel fuel - and a further discount if I paid by direct debit. I wish that had of been true - because although I paid by direct debit - and had duel fuel - I received no discount at all at any time during my time as a customer with Npower. Maybe this is a promise that future customers may wish to discount - discount of course being the optic word as the discount does not materalise. I did complain about this to your billing department - but could receive no explanation or promise to rectify this. So it seems your promise of a discount to duel fuel customers is pie in the sky. How different to my now current supplier that gives a larger discount - and pays it every month. What do your future customers think of this? I bet they would prefer to be with the power company I am with now - don't you?.


During January of 2008 you raised your prices by a massive 25% for electricity - a bit less for gas. This made your company the most expensive supplier in the United Kingdom and I decided to exercise my right as a consumer to move to a more competitive supplier. I received a letter from Npower informing me of the increase - and a promise that if I was moving supplier the price I pay would be held at the old prices until the move was completed. This turned out to be yet another promise from Npower that could be discounted - oh dear - another unfortunate word as once again your promise was broken.


When I received my final bill after moving to my new power supplier, EON, I found you had charged the new prices. This added £19.58 less vat to my bill - and that is not counting the discount you should have paid for about ten months of being with your company as a duel fuel customer, and paying with direct debit. This means in practice I were overcharged much more of course.


I complained - when I could get through to your company on the telephone of course. Have you ever tried to telephone your company to be put on hold for up to an hour? The recorded message says ‘ your custom is important to us’. Do you really mean what you say? Don’t forget all the other broken promises before you answer. I think the message ‘Your custom is important to us’ is also a lie. Don’t you? Do you realise this can add a lot of expense on a telephone bill? A nice lady that took sympathy to my plight supplied me with two freefone number. They are 0800 551 555 and 0800 553 322. Of course when the free numbers are used it cost your company instead of your customers so you do not advertise the free numbers - do you. Maybe any of your customers reading this open letter will be pleased to take a not of these numbers.


When I complained about being charged the new prices instead of the old - I was informed this was an error that had affected many customers leaving Npower, and that my account would be put on hold while a new bill were issued with the correct amount. A new bill did not arrive and I telephoned many times to see what was happening. Using your freefone number of course. Sometimes I were kept on hold for over an hour listening to the tape saying how important my custom was to Npower. I received a kind of telegram from Npower to say if I did not pay my account would be given to your collection department. Alarmed I telephoned your company and was informed this was an error and it was sent out by a computer. I should at this point after so many promises have realised this was yet another lie. Yet another promise broken.


Another week and still no corrected bill from your billing department. But I did receive a letter. From your collections department. Telling me that I was going to be taken to court if I did not pay. I telephoned your company, using the freefone number, and after just under two hours the call was answered. I was told this was an error and the account would be put on hold - and promised nothing would happen.

The moral of the story here is that I do not believe in fairies - nor do I believe in promises from Npower. To save my good name being destroyed by your company I have paid this bill - even though I have been overcharged. And assume the many other previous customers in dispute with Npower have done the same. In affect your company has overcharged me and given many broken promises.


My hope is that anybody thinking of going over to Npower take note of these comments and decide to take their custom elsewhere - else they may suffer the same as I.


You can Mr director contact me - my account were 06552708139 for gas - and 06555323066 for electricity. I will then gladly enter your account of matters to this blog. And unlike Npower I keep to my promises.

Yours

Derek Cummings.