N Power Review

Overall Rating

The only good points about having N Power supply my electricity and gas was that they never actually cut it off (even though they threatened it on more than one occasion, read on and all will be explained).

This was not a difficult question to address. A few bullet points should help here:
1) N Power billed me for approximately £700 for 3 months gas supply based on a reading they had taken from my neighbours meter (they calculated the difference between the last estimated reading from my meter and compared it to the current actual reading from my neighbours meter). They did not seem to accept they had made a mistake, wrote me a letter saying they were instigating legal proceedings to recover the "outstanding debt" and would be cutting-off my gas supply. It was down to me to provide them with the actual reading from my meter to (eventually) rectify the situation. No apologies from them, much unduly wasted time from me. They were generally difficult to communicate with.
2) I went on holiday for 5 weeks. Before I went, I called them to ask if there were any outstanding bills for payment, as I would be away. They said not. I returned from my holiday to find a strongly worded letter on my doorstep stating in no uncertain terms that "the account remains unpaid, we have therefore handed the matter over to our collections department. Bemused, I opened another letter, sure enough, as they had promised, N Power had employed a debt collection agency to handle the "unpaid account". This letter stated I would be entered on a register of bad debtors, that I would need to attend court, and that my gas supply would be terminated. This all after 5 weeks away!
3) I decided to change my utilities supplier to one of the many cheaper and more highly regarded competition, N Power kept phoning me, writing "begging" letters worded "please reconsider changing your energy supplier" from the "don't leave us team". I received at least five letters worded thus. Pathetic.

N Power really need to improve their service if they are to maintain a prolific and contented customer base. My experience of dealing with them was very poor. After being kept on hold whenever I phoned, I only succeeded in having conversations with customer service agents who had little respect, little knowledge and an attitude of "the ball's in our court, you had better pay-up or else".

In summary, my experience with N Power was a very frustrating one. They evidently have poor internal communications, make elementary mistakes with billing, do not investigate customer complaints adequately, have a heavy handed approach to the management of billings. Conversely, when you decide to change to an alternative supplier, N Power suddenly spring into action to secure your "valued custom" with incessant telephone calls and letters pleading you to stay.

If you are in the market for an energy supplier, I cannot recommend N Power at all.

Members' Comments onBikeGuy01's Review

• Clair on 24th Jul 2007

  Really enjoyed your review it has made me think that most utility suppliers are the same as this echoes similarity's that I had with Scottish Power. Tell me, did you change your supplier and if so who was it and were they any better.