Can electricity supplier be changed?

NWOIHTS · 2 December 2005 at 12:48PM

Hi all

Long time listener first time caller. I have a strange username at the moment, which is default but will be changing it soon.

Does anyone know if some suppliers can't be changed? I rent a room from someone in a house that is all electric. They got a whopping quarterly bill in and I said they should try to change supplier. The response was that the supplier can't be changed in this area. Does anyone know if this is rubbish?

It is an out of town area so I don't know? I'm quite new to these things but my parents and brother both changed their utility suppliers and saved, not out of town areas though.

Thanks for any advice....

Andrew

BoltonMinx · 2 December 2005 at 2:29PM

Hi and welcome to MSE, maybe you could post the general area, might help with getting you an answer

Fran · 2 December 2005 at 2:52PM

This is the right area for a post about Utilities. I have never heard of anyone having no choice of supplier, however that's not to say an area doesn't exist like that. If your landlord refuses to look into it there's not a lot you can do about it, but are they taking an amount in the rent for it?

Regarding your username, I don't think there is such a thing as a default username, you had best email the webmaster (see top of page) regarding it.

Xbigman · 2 December 2005 at 4:47PM

Unless you live in a very remote part of britain IE up a mountain, you can change suppliers.

First thought. Your landlord is in arrears and can't move for that reason.
Second thought. Your landlord is lying to you to get more electricity money out of you.
Third thought. Your landlord is an idiot/lazy and can't be bothered (only an issue if it means you pay more).
Regards

X

ffym · 2 December 2005 at 5:12PM

I don't think living up a mountain will stop you changing supplier!

From the "Energywatch" site:

Question
Can everybody change their gas or electricity supplier?

Answer

Most people will be able to change their suppliers. But there are times when changing may not be possible, for example:

*You have not paid all the money you owe. Any money you have not paid becomes a 'debt' after a month. Suppliers are allowed to stop you changing to another company if you owe them a 'debt'

*You rent your home and are supplied gas and electricity though a meter owned by your landlord. You pay the landlord directly for energy and he then pays the supplier.

*Your lease specifies that you cannot change the suppliers.

*and a few kinds kinds of meters may be a problem (for example, 3 rate meters, or meters that work by 'dynamic teleswitching').

It basically depends on your Landlord.

NWOIHTS · 2 December 2005 at 5:35PM

QUOTE: First thought. Your landlord is in arrears and can't move for that reason.

Second thought. Your landlord is lying to you to get more electricity money out of you.

Third thought. Your landlord is an idiot/lazy and can't be bothered (only an issue if it means you pay more). END QUOTE

I think 1 is definetly true and 3 has an element of truth to it. 1st thought does cancel out three I suppose.

Regarding 2nd thought: I don't pay any leccy bills directly. I pay an amount to cover all bills on top of rent.

Regards

Andrew

Can electricity supplier be changed?

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