Want to change supplier but owe Swalec £99

MinkyMoon

Hello there.
Just wondered if anyone could give me some advice. I received my electricity statement from Swalec this morning. They say that I owe a balance of £99.00 that they will carry forward to my next statement. I pay £71.00 a month and I think thats expensive. I want to switch but will I be able to if I am in arrears?
Or must I pay the balance to Swalec (which I can ill afford at the moment) before I'm able to switch?

spiro

You obviosuly pay by monthly DD. Being in debt at the start of the winter is not the best position to be in. Was the bill based on an actual reading? If not check the reading and call your supplier if its not.

When you change suppliers you old supplier will send you a final bill which you have 28 days to pay otherwise you could be looking at debt collection company chasing you.

Premier_2

MinkyMoon wrote: »

Hello there.
Just wondered if anyone could give me some advice. I received my electricity statement from Swalec this morning. They say that I owe a balance of £99.00 that they will carry forward to my next statement. I pay £71.00 a month and I think thats expensive. I want to switch but will I be able to if I am in arrears?
Or must I pay the balance to Swalec (which I can ill afford at the moment) before I'm able to switch?

You should have no difficulty if you wish to switch.

Debts are not debts until 28 days after they are formally demanded. Whilst you have received a statement showing you currently owe £99, they have not formally demanded it from you yet.

But as spiro rightly says, if you do switch, expect a final bill for the balance of what you owe sometime after the switch occurs, and you will be expected to pay that promptly (some suppliers expect it within as little as 7 days from date of invoice, else they get stroppy)
You may be able to delay/spread the payments a little if you contact them asap after gettinmg the bill. But don't expect too much goodwill bearing in mind you've just dumped them as your supplier.