Just received a letter from 'Collections Direct - Pre Court Division' We switched from NP back to BG, only to have 5 bills from NP saying money owing on our Gas bill but we are in credit on our Electric account, surely they could transfer the money over to the gas account, NO! we pay first. Very sad

Andrew D, Meisgyn, Cymru

Both me and my friend had serious problems with NPower, too. I had moved out of a flat and, despite NPower's assurance they had taken note of this, I have received a huge bill for the 7 months, when I have not lived at the property in question; I had before had to call the company several times about different issues (it seems its nearly impossible to cancel an NPower account) and I have always had to deal with very unpleasant treatment.

I have also had the (un)pleasure to receive several letters from NPower, most of which suggest I am a criminal, even though all the trouble was caused by the company's organizational problems. I have never received any apologies.

To be honest, it is probably the least respectable and worst organized company I have ever dealt in my life. After switching to another supplier in a new flat, I have not had any problems for a year, the service was nicer and prices MUCH lower.

Chris C, Edinburgh,

I have been reading all the comments posted, and i really feel for you and i apoligise on behalf of (a few) our sales representatives/ customer services that has put you through
an unnecessary difficult time.

But in defence on behalf of Npower i personally know that they follow a very strict code of conduct, and any mis-selling will not be tolerated. I have been working for Npower for the last five and ahalf years, we have ongoing trainning and our audited from the regulators on a regular basis, as well as being tested for our individual licence to sale on a semi-annual basis.

I understand some of your frustrations because i get it (abuse) on the door from customers on a daily basis, and NOT just from Npower representatives but from all suppliers mis-selling. Its sad that there are lots of honest and proffessional sales representatives out there that really do have the best interests of the consumer at hand and a few sales people gives it a bad name for the industry.

Stuart Sutton, Hither Green, London

I'm listening to Radio 4 at 12.10 today on Thu 10 04 2008, it's the 'You & Yours' programme. I've just heard Richard Frost/Prost of npower talking up there recent performance improvements! He was responding to mis-selling practise as reported by the Sunday Times/Times.

I bet he doesn't know about my problem and my problem may be just the tip of another iceberg concerning to npower's poor customer service.

Since Dec. 2007 I have been recieving npower bills for the electricity supply to a nearby newly built propery.

I contacted npower on several occassions to let them know they had made a mistake. The bill didn't pertain to my address, npower are not my energy supplier. I was able to identify the correct property for npower.

Despite their assurances that the matter was in hand; in March I received a very intimidating notice from 'Collections Direct - Pre Court Division' threatening me with disconnection/baliffs and all the attendent costs.

No apology from npower yet!

M A Brown, Driffield, England

NPower forged a contract and I hadn't even seen/heard from one of their reps! They had the nerve to insist that I had signed the contract until it emerged that e former owner of my home had signed it. As she had been dead for about 10 years at that time, they could insist no longer.

karen, beaconsfield,

I read the article in the Sunday Times of 6th April regarding Npower with interest as, only the day before, my son of 21 opened the door to a caller who said he was there to read the electricity meter. I intervened as I noticed the chap was wearing a jacket with an Npower logo (our electricity is via edf). When I refused him entry saying my power was not via Npower, he told me that Npower were merging with edf and taking over my electricity supply, thus he needed access to my meter. Despite his very forceful verbal attempt to persuade me this was right, I told him quite specifically that unless I first received written notication from edf informing me of this, there was no way he was gaining entry to my home. I am a woman of 58 with her wits about her, but I can certainly see how these underhand selling practices could allow Npower operatives to gain the confidence of the old and vulnerable. I feel very strongly that this practice should be outlawed!

Lin Hawkins, London,

Bit of a witch hunt some might say.

Don't get me wrong, shocking behaviour, but put undercover reporters with most sales people who earn such a ridiculous minimum wage but have lucrative commission, and I bet you'll see the greed in their eyes. Yes it;s terrible, yes I'm appalled that the needy have been victimised, but not all Npower sales people behave this way. It's not like the Times have proved that it was the training courses which taught the staff to behave so despicably - in fact that was stated to be the exact opposite. I've met some very professional, courteous sales staff from both npower and other companies, but today I must admit i'm feeling for the honest Npower ones.

I thought the Sunday Times were a bit fairer than this, it's like reading the script for an episode of Watchdog...

Penny Watson, Birmingham, uk

I am afraid it is not just npower. I had a similar experience with an EDF rep approached ime in Sainsbury's recently and told me that I would save a considerable amount of money by transferring from npower to EDF. She too filled in a 'contract' whilst I provided her with some (but not all) ofthe information that she needed. She wanted to sign me up there and then and advised that if I didn't do so I would not benefit from all of the discounts/points etc. I told her that I needed to check the prices and that she could follow up with me later -which she did. By then I had found that transferring to the most recent npower tariff woul give me the best saving. I would have been worse off if I had transferred to EDF. She did not know her facts and was only interested in getting my signature on the contract.

Veronica Carlton, Ashley Market Harborough, England