4 months to switch supplier and still not completed

Tiggergirl

4 months ago I decided to switch my gas supply from EDF to Southern Electric. I believe this should be a relatively simple process taking around 6 weeks or so, but as yet this has still not been completed.

My gas supply goes through an independent gas supply network. I understand that they have to be informed of the change by the new supplier etc, but I cannot see how this process is taking so long.

So far both the old and new supplier have been less than helpful when I contact them, and have made no effort to keep me informed. The last thing I was told was that the estimated date of switch was to be 24th February. I know this hasn't happened as nobody has contacted me for a meter reading or bothered to note it down when I offered.

This is obviously becoming increasingly frustrating. We all have the right to change suppliers, but what can I do when it just doesn't appear to be happening? Is there any maximum amount of time this is supposed to take and is there any regulator I can complain to about this?

Tiggergirl

Bump - just to see if anyone can help.

spiro

The key point in your post is "independent gas supply network". For the major transporter all of the infoamtion that is passed between the various parties in the industry is done electronically using a uniformly agreed standard. Lots of the IGTs dont use this and they rely of faxes etc which are then incompatible with the receipients IT system and therefore has to be typed in manually as if it had come from the IGT. This makes the process long and prone to mistakes/delays etc. Not much help to you but may help to explain why.

pathfinder85

spiro wrote: »

The key point in your post is "independent gas supply network". For the major transporter all of the infoamtion that is passed between the various parties in the industry is done electronically using a uniformly agreed standard. Lots of the IGTs dont use this and they rely of faxes etc which are then incompatible with the receipients IT system and therefore has to be typed in manually as if it had come from the IGT. This makes the process long and prone to mistakes/delays etc. Not much help to you but may help to explain why.

Agreed! There can be all sorts of problems if your with an IGT and changing your supplier.

I'd advise contacting Southern Electric and maybe ask them to call the IGT and chase up the Data Flows. The flows are basically the information regarding your meter and meter readings. This is usually where the problem occurs. Hope this helps.