Chez2681,

The issue here is not whether you should go on a prepay meter or not. The issue is that they wrongly billed you for some time.

Although it's your responsibility to ensure that your reads are correct on bills, it's also NPowers responsibility to ensure that the collected, or at least attempted to collect accurate reads over time. Did they do this?

Aside from this, they cannot force you to go onto a prepayment meter unless you are completely unwilling to co-operate.

If i were you, i would write a complaint letter (recorded delivery) to the customer services director (you'll get his/her name from the npower website) explaining the situation. If you explain that you are happy to pay what you owe, but that £389 is a ridiculous amount to pay, and would like to work out an easier payment plan, they're more than likely to help you.

Explain that although you should have provided meter reads, Npower are also at fault for having not collected accurate reads in some time.

Also, explain you do not want to go on a prepayment meter. These meters are expensive to fit, and expensive to maintain, as you get charged higher standing charges.

Lastly, hint to them that if they do not provide a satisfactory compromise within their complaints guideline time limit then you will be contacting Consumer Focus.

i was with npower and had a key meter but did not know about the standing chargers so wvwery time i topped up it took half the money so they change me to a DD tarriff payment meter after 4 months they had put me into debt by £400 i have been fighting this for 9 months and they didn,t want to know so i contacted the ombudsman then they reduced my bill by half but only if i told me to chancel the ombudsman looking into my case when i done this the next wek debt letters started to arrive so i have went back to the ombudsman

When the meter was replaced was it replaced with a KEY METER or CARD METER, while both are "new" one needs manual adjustment the other does not. Adjusted is just another term for recalibrated in this particular instance they mean the same thing for this purpose.

As mentioned before (I think) pre-payment meters can help to avoid and clear arrears if used correctly, that said if they are used incorrectly and not reclibrated correctly (where needed) debts can occur still.

Hi

Can I just say my prepayment meter is not an old meter, it was replaced a few years ago. When I was informed that my account had gone into arrears I was actually told that the meter had not been adjusted - nothing to do with it being recalibrated. As you say the suppliers are only looking for the correct payment. But, that is why people have a pre payment meter, so that they can pay as you go to avoid arrears.

Prepayment meters will be calibrated to take a previously agreed sum towards the debt owed. For example ig you agreed to apy back £5.00 per week, and you topped up by£10.00 , £5.00 would clear the arrears the remainging £5.00 would be allocated for usage and standing charge.

@sue m 1954 Unfortuantely older prepayment meters need to be recalibrated manually, usually in these circumstances letters are sent to arrange appointments. Where these appointments aren't carried out you can be underpaying for the usage, or indeed paying too much. All the supplier's are looking for is the correct payment for the energy you have used, although I can appreciate its highly annoying and inconveiant when it takes them so long to get their act together. Fortunately the newer pre-payment meters can be recalibrated automatically so this shouldn't be a problem anymore.

Hi Cheryl,

I am on a prepayment meter and have been for quite a long time. I have never had any problems until about twelve months ago, I was told my account was in arrears (I'm with E-On btw) I queried this as I had been on a pre payment meter for ever. I was told that unfortunately when the price of Gas had risen, my meter had not been adjusted accordingly. I said that that was hardly my fault. They said that although I owed them over £500 they were not allowed to claim that amount back. I think they said they could only collect the last two years. So I said well I could only afford a pound a week, which they agreed to. They adjust the meter via their computer systems, and it shows up each time you credit your meter how much you are putting in and then each week it shows you on the meter screen how much has been deducting for debt. Its so annoying I know. But I must also say that something happened quite similar to me with British Gas a good few years ago. I think all these companies are the bloody same!!

Good Luck

Sue

i recently had bill saying i was 800 pounds in debit, and afetrworking it out they under estimated my payments and as result this debt has built up and they want to chagne my payments from 85 to 389 a month, this is ridiculous!!
they then said abput going on a pre pay meter and transfered me to arrnage the date for it to be fitted and i'm now thinking when u have the prepay meter how do u pay off the debt aswell?? has anyone been in this situation or know what happens??

thanx

cheryl