Not for the first time, I have had complaints about the well-known electricity supplier NPower. Tushar Patel’s complaint dates back to the beginning of March. He runs Heathfield General Stores at Pound Hill in Crawley, West Sussex and he says: “A rep approached with a view to reducing my shop’s electricity bill. He asked for my current electricity supplier’s invoices and, after inspecting them, claimed he could reduce my electricity bill considerably. He quoted 10.55p per day standing charge, 4.40p day unit, 1.94p night unit and an additional 4% discount each month for paying by direct debit. The prices would be fixed for five years.”

Tushar found this quote a good deal and agreed to transfer to NPower. He was told he would receive an official letter with prices confirmed. Hence he signed the form without the prices being quoted officially. Seven days later, no confirmation, so he rang the rep’s mobile. Since then he tried to contact the guy on 12 different days. Then he rang NPower on five occasions to find out what was happening with his transfer of supply.

Eventually, on April 25 he got a letter from NPower asking him to phone through his meter readings. He agreed to do this but again asked the company to confirm its prices.

He subsequently received a photocopy of the original form the rep had filled in. This had inflated prices, none of which he had been quoted at the time.He has written to the company to tell them he is shocked to find that he is bound to them and their inflated prices for the next five years. Tushar told me: “My bills have gone up dramatically. I was so annoyed I threatened to sue and they told me to do what I liked. This is not a third world country and they are a multinational company. They should be ashamed.”

I can’t add anything to that except hear, hear. And report it to the specialist business team at Energy Watch on 0845 906 0708 (a very busy line too).

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