Bizz Energy are sending us bills and we're not even with them!

snoopster_3

My wife and I started our own business 3 months ago (well, really it's the wifes').

When we first opened we got a call from Bizz Energy to supply our electricity. The wife was keen to sort out a supplier (although a little naive) and said we were interested and gave them our details for payment etc. although they had not supplied any terms and conditions or any documents for us to sign.

A few days later we got a call from E-ON also hoping to become our supplier. When we informed them of Bizz Energy they told us to avoid them and that they were con-merchants. So we said - ok and decided to go with E-ON instead and E-ON said they would sort out the necessaries.

So, we then got a letter from E-ON confirming they were our supplier etc.
Then a DD consent form from Bizz Energy arrived which I returned explaining we were with E-ON, but they still seem to be sending us bills and letters from Financial Service Companies demanding we pay in excess of £400 so far.

We have spoken with them on the phone, by letter and email to expalin the situation but they won't go away.

Surely only one of them can be our supplier and the other just has to lump it?

We've never signed anything from Bizz Energy.

What should we do and where do we stand?

fatlad1971

snoopster wrote: »

My wife and I started our own business 3 months ago (well, really it's the wifes').

When we first opened we got a call from Bizz Energy to supply our electricity. The wife was keen to sort out a supplier (although a little naive) and said we were interested and gave them our details for payment etc. although they had not supplied any terms and conditions or any documents for us to sign.

A few days later we got a call from E-ON also hoping to become our supplier. When we informed them of Bizz Energy they told us to avoid them and that they were con-merchants. So we said - ok and decided to go with E-ON instead and E-ON said they would sort out the necessaries.

So, we then got a letter from E-ON confirming they were our supplier etc.
Then a DD consent form from Bizz Energy arrived which I returned explaining we were with E-ON, but they still seem to be sending us bills and letters from Financial Service Companies demanding we pay in excess of £400 so far.

We have spoken with them on the phone, by letter and email to expalin the situation but they won't go away.

Surely only one of them can be our supplier and the other just has to lump it?

We've never signed anything from Bizz Energy.

What should we do and where do we stand?

Your wife may have agreed a verbal contract with Bizz energy , you don't need to sign any paperwork to be in a contract

only one of them can be your supplier , but Bizz may be able to charge you cancellation fees as you have agreed a contract for supply and they have not been able to take supply.

spiro

As said you can only have one registered supplier and you can't be double billed for consumption. If the provide your 13 digit MPAN (bottom line of S number on bill) either in thread or PM I can check on the central register who is registered as your supplier.

snoopster_3

Thanks Spiro - I will see if I can find out the latest bill.

In terms of cancellation - can Bizz really charge us for cancelling a verbal contract when at the time the agreement was made they had not provided any terms and conditions or explained what our right were? E-ON have told us that what Bizz (or their broker) did was illegal as the contract cannot apply as we weren't made aware of the facts at the time.

Also, it was less than a week after the call from Bizz Energy that we agreed to go with E-ON, so surely our rights as a consumer must stand for something?

spiro

The rules are different between business and domestic customers. As a domestic customer you get a cooling off period during which time you can cancel with no penalty, this may not be the case with a business.

fatlad1971

snoopster wrote: »

Thanks Spiro - I will see if I can find out the latest bill.

In terms of cancellation - can Bizz really charge us for cancelling a verbal contract when at the time the agreement was made they had not provided any terms and conditions or explained what our right were? E-ON have told us that what Bizz (or their broker) did was illegal as the contract cannot apply as we weren't made aware of the facts at the time.

Also, it was less than a week after the call from Bizz Energy that we agreed to go with E-ON, so surely our rights as a consumer must stand for something?

You have very few rights as a business consumer,
distance selling regulations do state that you must be sent the terms and conditions within 7 days , if they don't then your cooling off period is extended from 7 days till i believe (3-6 months) BUT and its a big but , commodities that change in price on a day to day basis are exempt from the cooling off period.

Premier_2

snoopster wrote: »

..., so surely our rights as a consumer must stand for something?

You're not a consumer, a customer perhaps but not a consumer.

“consumer” means any natural person who, in contracts to which these Regulations apply, is acting for purposes which are outside his business;

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2000/uksi_20002334_en.pdf