Npower admits it muddled up our meters but we cannot get any answer to the problem
At the end of October npower told us that the electricity meter in our house, which had been fitted near the beginning of 2011, had the night and day rates the wrong way round. Since our main use of electricity is at night (we have storage radiators), this meant that we have been overcharged for electricity for two years.
I was assured this would be rectified quickly, and I would receive a cheque within 28 days but nothing happened. On 1 February I rang npower, emphasised that I was still being overcharged, provided up-to-date gas and meter readings, and I was assured that I would receive a cheque for the overpayment in 10 days.
I waited 20 days but nothing happened. So this time I went online (21 February) and filled in a complaint box that I found on npower's site, explaining the situation. I received an automated email reply which told me I would receive a response the next working day. Needless to say, there has been no response, by email, telephone or post. MB, Cambridge
Npower holds its hands up to this one. It confirms what you have said. It says it requested an amended bill to correct this on the same day but "unfortunately this became cancelled" as your account moved from its old billing system to its new one.
In its initial response to us, it said that the money it owes you was on its way to you and that it would add a gesture of goodwill. Having learnt from many recent experiences where a company tells us one thing, only for it not to be true, we checked with you that it had been in touch to confirm the amounts. It hadn't – so we then put you in touch with npower. In fact, it could not tell you the exact amount you were owed as it had managed to lose your most recent meter readings. You resubmitted these and it said it would be back in touch.
After a week it still hadn't contacted you. We then contacted it again and discovered that it had actually been underestimating your electricity bill, and that you owed it £363.
Luckily, npower saw sense and has decided to wipe the slate clean. You now owe nothing and it is paying you £50 by way of compensation.
We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@guardian.co.uk or write to Bachelor & Brignall, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number
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