Evergreen rolling electric charges

Northernwytch

We have been stuffed by British Gas Business whom we use for our electric. They claimed to have sent us a letter on 3rd March 2009 stating that our prices were due to go up with our new contract in May. If we didn't want to accept this, we should notify them.

As we never received the letter, these charges have been applied and an "Evergreen" contract used.

Can we get out of it. We think this is a disgrace, it is a licence to print money! We have tried our customer service manager who said he had no authority to change the tarrif that they have put us on, but he was no help, and suggested we write to customer services.

Our new charges set for another year and a half are: Day Unit Charge 13.87 p/kWh and our Standing Charge is 45.57 per day.

Please help, we are a small company who can not afford these prices.

Premier_2

You are a business and you are asking if you can get out of a contract?

Read the contract and see what it says about how you can end it.

Northernwytch

Premier wrote: »

You are a business and you are asking if you can get out of a contract?

Read the contract and see what it says about how you can end it.

Well we have, and it doesn't seem to say anything much. We don't have a big technical dept or solicitors to help us.

We can of course end it after it expires in 2 years, but this is going to cost a fortune. but, as we never agreed to it anyway, how can they assume that we did.

Premier_2

Northernwytch wrote: »

Well we have, and it doesn't seem to say anything much. We don't have a big technical dept or solicitors to help us.

We can of course end it after it expires in 2 years, but this is going to cost a fortune. but, as we never agreed to it anyway, how can they assume that we did.

If it doesn't say anything about early cancellation, than you can't cancel it early.

You did agree to it, even if it was a deemed contract, else they would never have supplied you initially.

I'm sure it says somewhere in the contract it will roll over for a further period (1 year, 2 years?) unless it it cancelled prior to the anniversary date. Typically business contracts for energy specify they want 60 or 90 days notice prior to anniversary date to cancel.

Cardew

Northernwytch wrote: »

Well we have, and it doesn't seem to say anything much. We don't have a big technical dept or solicitors to help us.

We can of course end it after it expires in 2 years, but this is going to cost a fortune. but, as we never agreed to it anyway, how can they assume that we did.

The first thing you need to do is to investigate the cost of other business tariffs.

Armed with that information, you can decide the financial impact of the BG contract over the next 18 months, and if it is worth fighting. How much do you feel is a "fortune"?

As said above you were(and are) very probably on a 'rolling contract' and the onus is on you to give notice to end the contract.

Probably your best bet is to try and renegotiate a 2 year deal on more favourable terms.