Npower under fire from two licensees after disconnecting power at their pubs

Marion Healy, who runs the 28-strong Healy Group, had to install temporary generators in the Dog & Partridge, Yately, Hants, which she recently acquired on an S&NPC (Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company) lease.

Npower is understood to have rejected an offer by S&NPC to pay the previous tenant’s outstanding electricty bill of £6,324.14 so that Healy could have power at the pub when it opened last week.

However, Npower said it had no record of this offer.

The firm explained that it had been informed that Healey had taken over the pub on 3 July but issued a warrant for disconnection two days later because it hadn’t received a copy of the new tenancy agreement.

Npower eventually reconnected the power supply on Tuesday (10 July).

“We are victims of something that is out of our control,” Healey said. “I don’t understand the mentality. S&NPC were willing to pay the debt but there was no negotiation at all [from npower]. I don’t like their high-handed approach.”

An S&NPC spokesman added: “This is a very disappointing situation for our lessee. The utility industry is a confusing market place and understanding it is difficult and time consuming for any small business.”

Meanwhile, the former licensee of a Sheffield pub is claiming £36,000 from npower for the eight weeks he was left without electricity following a dispute over his tenancy.

Andrew O’Brien, who ran the Sanctuary Bar in 2010, said he didn’t understand why Npower was not liable to cover his economic loss for what he claims are the supplier’s mistakes.

“It cost me the business, simple as that,” said O’Brien. “They [Npower] can say I could have re-established the business but it just wasn’t that easy. It was a late-night venue so costs were high. They are not an easy company to deal with.”

O’Brien is currently in legal proceedings with Npower with a court hearing due on 7 August.

Npower said it was unable to comment until the conclusion of the legal process.