Overview; We took over the supply at a property after evicting a tenant. We needed gas and electric in order to complete repair and refurbishment works. NPower sent out or sent us to collect FIVE cards over the period of one month. NONE of which reset the meter. Looks like they were trying to get us to pay off the tenant's debt. For every £1 we put in the meter we got approximately 30p in gas. £46.00 for 5 units of gas at the coldest time of the year. They REFUSED to send anyone out to the property to check or reset the meter. We eventually signed up with a new supplier after we lost a proposed tenant for the property. Absolutely USELESS ! Dealing with Npower's telephone team - when you can get through! Background 14 December 2017 Rang and registered with Npower. The customer services contact advised me to pick up a gas prepayment card [note: Card#1] from the local NISA shop, give them a code, get the shopkeeper to remove the card from the machine, then to purchase at least ₤1.00 credit [note: I put ₤5.00], then go to the property and put the card in the meter. This would reset the meter ready for us to use whilst working on the property. I followed the above instructions to the letter. The meter did not reset. I returned to my office and called Npower again. They said they would send out a card with the reset information on it and to put it in to the meter and leave it for a few minutes to transfer the information and reset the meter. 19 December 2017 Card arrives [note: Card#2]. I go to the property and put the card in the meter, nothing happens. Debt remains. I ring Npower again. Another card will be sent. The letter which arrived with Card#2 has a prepaid envelope and the letter says to return any old cards, so I return Card#1. 20 December 2017 Another card arrives. [note: Card#3]. I go to the property and put the card in the meter, nothing happens. Debt remains. I have other jobs to deal with and the contractor is not starting until 01 January, so I don't follow it up again until the beginning of the new year. 04 January 2018 I put ₤20.00 on the card. I put it in the meter. It said ₤6.00 for gas, ₤14.00 for debt. 09 January 2018 I put another ₤20.00 on the card. I put it in the meter. It said ₤6.00 for gas, ₤14.00 for debt. I speak to Npower customer services. They send me to NISA shop with a code to pick up a new card [note: Card#4]. Same routine, new card, input code, remove card, reinsert card, put on ₤1.00 credit, go to property, insert card in meter. Lo and behold the meter credits with the ₤1.00..... debt remains. Meter gives me ₤0.30 for gas and takes ₤0.70 for debt. .... over to Npower's social media team.... 11 January 18:38 Me Hi. I am currently having a big problem with Npower and seem to be wasting my time running around in circles due to your incompetent staff. In December [note: 14th] I contacted Npower to take over the gas and electricity at one of the properties we manage. It had become vacant and it needs work before it can be relet. I was advised to go to a local shop, pick up a gas card, give the shopkeeper a reference number for them to put it to set the card, get the shopkeeper to remove the card, then request at least ₤1.00 credit, I put ₤5.00 on it. I did everything in the order I was advised. I then drove back to the property, put the card in to the meter and left it for about 5 minutes. I was told it would reset the meter so that I was not paying the previous users debt. Fine, or so I thought. I then put ₤20.00 on the card at the beginning of the month. I put it in the meter. It said ₤6.00 for gas, ₤14.00 for debt. The same a couple of days later. ₤45.00 so far and only been able to use a couple of units of gas! I rang Npower again late on Tuesday afternoon. I was advised to return to the shop again, in at least two hours time. I said that I would probably return to the shop the following day as it was late now and I finish work before the two hours is up. This morning I went to the shop. I did exactly as I was asked. I put ₤1.00 on the card. I then took the card to the property and put it in the meter. ₤0.70 debt. ₤0.30 gas. It didn’t reset the meter. So now I have paid out ₤46.00 and spent three or four hours either on the phone or running between various shops and the property. The contractors have been delayed in starting their work as the property is too cold for the paint to dry. I want this matter sorting out. Npower service is dire. How much gas have I got for ₤46.00? Less than 5 units! Npower We're sorry to hear of your experience, Symon :-( Please send us the address details in a private message and we'll be happy to help. ^Vicky 11 January 18:38 Me Hi Vicky. Account number #account number# address #address# (I think its ###) Account name #account name# (my business name as I am employed to oversee the works) Npower Hi Simon, thanks for your message. For security, please confirm the email address, which fuels are supplied by Npower and if your authorised to discuss the account? ^Vicky Me Hmm not sure I gave you an email address, if I did it was either #@#.com or #@#.com. You supply both gas and electric. We haven't had any problems with the electric so far. I am the sole person with authorisation. Npower Thanks, Symon First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to you for the shortfalls in customer service you've experienced from Npower. Would you like me to arrange for a new command to be sent to your local shop or for a new card to be sent through the post? Also, please confirm the total amount of debt remaining on the meter and the amount of credit lost in the meter? ^Vicky Me is that the "27 GD Remaining" setting? If so it says ₤#debt amount# ! Other settings on the meter include "24 GD Rec Rate 70%" "23 GAR 30%" "7 Standing chg 0.2750" "10 tariff cost 3.335" I wrote all these down when I was at the property earlier Please send me a card. I'm getting nowhere with returning to the shop over and over. Although I've already picked one card up and been sent two others, so I remain sceptical that this is going to work! I believe I gave you my office address for correspondence when I spoke to the woman on Tuesday Npower I'll call our Prepayment Team tomorrow to arrange for a new card to be sent to you and let you know when this has been completed. ^Vicky Me thank you Npower You're very welcome, Symon and I'll speak to you again tomorrow. ^Vicky 12 January 10:37 Npower Morning Symon, hope you're well. I've called our Prepayment Team who have arranged for a new Gas card to be sent to you by special delivery to #address## and this will arrive by 1pm tomorrow. [note: Card#X] I can confirm the new card will clear the previous occupier's debt from the meter, however this will not will give you the credit back which you have paid. Please send me a message when the new card arrives and I'll be happy to work out of the extra you've paid and arrange for this amount to be sent to the meter. ^Vicky Me Ok. Thank you. I worked out that with standing charge from inception to now and the use of 5 (five) units of gas it should have cost about ₤7-₤8. Does that sound about right? Npower I'll arrange for your bill to be produced to show your actual usage once the new card has cleared the balance. ^Vicky 15 January 10:09 Npower Morning Symon, hope you've had a good weekend. Please confirm if you've received the new Gas card and if this has cleared the balance on the meter? ^Vicky 15 January 12:43 Me I went the office at #office address# on Saturday. I also popped to the property. No card. Also been to both this morning. Still no card. So much for the special delivery by 1pm! 15 January 14:42 Npower I'm sorry to hear the card has not arrived, Symon I've contacted our Prepayment Team who have advised the card has been sent, however there has been a delay and this will arrive by Wednesday. [note: Is she saying Card#X was never sent or are Npower sending out another card? Card#Y] Please send me a message when the key arrives to let me know the meter has been reset. ^Vicky 17 January 12:11 Npower Hi Symon, hope you're well. Please confirm if you've received the new Gas card? ^Vicky Me No card..... running out of patience here. Lost over a week with contractor already. Npower I'm sorry to hear this, Symon Please confirm if the post has arrived today? ^Vicky Me My post arrived at 9.15am as normal. Nothing from Npower. I think you need to send someone out pretty sharpish 17 January 14:06 Npower I'm sorry I'm unable to send an engineer to the property I've called our Prepayment Team who has advised there is still a delay in sending the Npower Gas cards. You can wait for the new card to arrive through the post or you can pick up a new card after 2 hours at: Nisa, 306 Broad Lane, LS13 2NN using reference number: ######. Which option is best for you? ^Vicky Me The card at the Nisa shop is preferred but the last two you have sent me to collect havent worked so i have no confidence that this will. If this card does not work i will be terminating with Npower and registering with a reliable supplier 18 January 10:01 Npower Morning Symon, did you manage to pick up the new card at the shop and is this working ok? ^Vicky Me Got card [Note: Card#5]. Gave the shopkeeper. RTI declined. Card does not reset meter. I will ring #alt supplier1# or #alt supplier2# when i get back to the office as your company does not wish to sort it out. Over one month now and you wont send anyone out. Npower I'm sorry to hear you feel this way, Symon Please be advised that an engineer can not attend the property as there is no fault on the meter. I've raised a complaint for you under reference number: 101654673 and the Social Media Team will deal with your account until this matter is fully resolved. Would you like me to arrange for a new card to be sent through the post or try again with another reference number? ^Vicky Me We have had FIVE cards now. I am not prepared to waste anymore time with Npower. There obviously is a fault somewhere. I am on hold to energy ombudsman now Npower I can confirm the Energy Ombudsman will allow us 56 days to resolve this matter. ^Vicky [note: according to ombudsman the 56 days would start from my initial call regarding the first non-working card on 14th December] 19 January 12:02 Npower Hi Symon, please confirm if you would like a new card to be sent through the post or to be picked up at your local shop? ^Vicky 19 January 15:42 Me We are going to work on a different property while we move the gas and electric for this property to #supplier#. I will be taking electric and gas readings, for transfer and account end, in the morning when i am back in leeds 20 January 09:07 Npower Morning Symon, please be advised that the change of supplier process takes around 19 days which means that your new supplier will contact you to request the meter readings when the supply is due to transfer over to them. Would you like me to help to have your meter reset or are you happy to wait until your supply leaves Npower? ^Vicky Me You blatantly refused to send someone to reset the meter. We have had FIVE gas cards which have not reset the meter like you said they would. How are you proposing to reset the meter? Magic? Npower Please confirm if the 5 cards where picked up from the shop sent through the post or both? ^Vicky 20 January 10:46 Me Two in post in December. Two from shop in January. One from shop 14 December December shop pick up was first. Didnt reset so cards posted to me. They didnt work. Then the two you told me to pick up. This doesnt include the ones you said you were posting that never arrived 20 January 12:56 Npower I'll contact our Prepayment Team on Monday to ask for the best way to resolve this matter for you and let you know the outcome. ^Vicky 22 January 14:49 Npower Hi Symon, sorry for the delay. I've called our Prepayment Team who have advised that a new card is required to reset the meter and an appointment can not be booked for an engineer to visit the property. They have arranged for a new card to be sent to you and this will arrive within the next 1 to 2 days. Please send me a message when the new card has arrived and confirm if the meter has been reset. ^Vicky 24 January 09:35 Npower Morning Symon, please confirm if you've received the new Gas card? ^Vicky Me Nothing in post from Npower again Npower Has your post arrived today? ^Vicky MeYes. Mail from TSB, Makro, Toolstation, Leeds City Council.... nothing from Npower NpowerI'm sorry about this, Symon I'll call our Prepayment Team again and come back to you soon. ^Vicky NpowerI've called our Prepayment Team who have advised the new card will arrive by 1pm tomorrow. Please be advised that you need to register your new card in the meter and then go to Nisa, 306 Broad Lane, Leeds, LS13 2NW, top up the card with ₤1.00 and then put this back in the meter to clear the balance. Could you please send me a message tomorrow to confirm if the new card has arrived. ^Vicky 25 January 09:43 Me No card again. Am I surprised? No. You work for a company that does not do as they say and blatantly LIES to their customers. [note: registered both gas and electricity with OVO/Boost who advise me that the supply should be transferred within a couple of weeks. Until then Npower will get nothing more. Once the property is changed to OVO the next tenants are more likely to remain with OVO rather than return to Npower The Cards Card#1 - picked up from NISA 14th December, Broad Lane, LS13 - did not reset meter Card#2 - sent from Npower - did not reset meter Card#3 - sent from Npower - did not reset meter Card#4 - picked up from NISA 9th January - did not reset meter Card#X - card never arrived, may never have been sent Card#Y - may be Card#X or a replacement for Card#X but either way it never arrived either Card#5 - picked up from NISA 18th January - did not reset meter