So, how do I do this?

iviv

Its coming up to the new term in the student house I'm living in, and I've been given charge of the gas/electricity for the 5 of us. The contract is from 1st September-31st august, so we should have a couple of months. However, the person who had been doing the gas/electricity for this year has apparently run off and cancelled the payment for the rest of the year, as the people still living in the house received a letter to 'The occupier' asking for payment details.
So, I'm certainly considering what this site says about switching and getting a capped rate so we aren't hit by the large price rises, and I've put this to everyone else who's staying there next year, but while I wait for the answer, I'm just wondering what I'm going to have to do. I'm assuming that I'd have to give the current supplier my details to settle the bill, then would I just find the cheaper supplier, tell them my address and they do the rest? Would I need to contact my current supplier and tell them I'm leaving?

Thanks in advance.

Premier_2

No.

You are not responsible for settling others bills; the supllier will pursue the debtors themselves.. You need to contact the supplier when your TA commences and they will open a new account with a zero balance for you. You will only be billed for what you consume.

No need to change suppliers, but you could if you want and the TA doesn't specifically prevent this. Switching will take 4-6 weeks minimum and you won't be able to start that process until you already have an account with the current supplier.

If you are leaving somewhere where you are currently named on the bill, you will need to advise the supplier you are leaving and your forwarding address so that they can prepare and send you the final bill for that address.

iviv

Ah, I should have clarified. I was living there this year as well. Person A (As I'll call her) was in charge of paying the gas/electrics, then we paid her 1/5 of the value. But since she'd moved out now, it looks like she may have cancelled the payment with them (I assume it was a direct debit). So we'll have to see what we work out in the house as to who pays for the rest of 'this' year up to the 31st, as there is only one person living there, I think, so I guess he'll have to pay it, as he's the only one using it, or should we still split it, as its always been split when someone goes away, as that averages out. I dunno.
So, ask the person who's still living there to pay up to the 31st, then when we all start the year again. I'll check with the landlord regarding who we can go with (For some reason, now I'm thinking about it, I remember seeing Npower mentioned in the TA). If thats the case, then I assume that switching would be impossible, and I'd just have to call them, ask for a capped rate, and give them my details.