Brit Gas Unfair Practices Comparisons

Bushey

I have been checking my Current British Gas tarriff for the last few weeks found Brit Gas websaver 12 was in the top ten.
Its shortly due for renewal, and Its likely I would have remained with them (BG) just for convenience.
Yesterday I checked the energy shop comparison site and had NO hits whatsoever indicating B.G was cheaper.?? I wondered what was wrong??
I emailed The Energy Shop asking why no hits from Brit Gas, here is their reply Below,

Dear Mr .....................

Thank you for using our website, and for taking the time to get in touch.

As of yesterday, British Gas have asked all comparison sites and internet brokers to stop selling their products to existing customers. They have stated that from now on we can only switch customers who are with another supplier. This makes it incredibly hard for their current customers to find out the cheapest deals, but is something that is out of our control................

............, as this new development came into effect yesterday, and should have been actioned by all comparison sites. We update and check our website constantly to give customers the most up to date prices, and that is probably why we were ahead of the other sites in making this change..........................

Surely this is against all Codes of Practice?? this smacks of Unfair competition, and put me at a disadvantge if I wish to use a price comparison site, it also means that B.g. are actively discriminationg against their own customer base, which is again totally wrong. Having since been on to the B.G.website I find yes you can do a comparison but for their own products only.
This practice Cant be Open Fair and Honest when BG prevent (instruct) other price comparison sites Not to Show Britsh Gas tarriffs to existing British Gas Customers.
The Office of Fair trading might want ot look into this??
Bushey
Now Looking for a Completely New Provider

ihateyes

perhaps the price increase is about to be announced

TIMMY85

I have noticed that comparison sites can take a while to inform a supplier of a change in tariff as there is no commission involved - I have always found it easier to change tariff directly with the supplier! If you want to use the comparison site to compare a BG tariff with other BG tariffs you can say you are with another supplier to get the info or use the BG website.

Gerrard_8_lfc

Still shows all BG products on energyhelpline aswell as other suppliers, imo your are throwing a tantrum for the sake of it.

backfoot

I have sympathy for the OP.

The problem lies more in the way that the Comparison Sites try to steer you away from the 'all offers' comparison. The Energy Shop, like some others, use a filter, asking you whether you want to search for 'offers you can switch to today'. There is a yes or no option.

It's not initially clear which is the best option. The yes option (listed first) will only give you products for which you can apply for via the comparison site. The no option gives access to all offers.

The Comparison Sites will gain commission on the yes option.

In my opinion, this is misleading unless you realise what that filter is doing. To the uninformed the 'yes ' option will be the default option for most customers.

There should only be one option listing all products. The Comparison site can then still show some products as only being available directly.

Those Comparison sites accredited to the Confidence Code should be doing better.

The OP may wish to take this matter forward with Jenni Lucas who is the Consumer Focus Confidence Code Manager.

Cardew

If you want to find the cheapest - including from the company you are currently using - just pretend you are with another company.

It doesn't matter to me how much extra I will be paying over my current tariff - I just want to see the cheapest available in a pecking order

backfoot

Interestingly,the reply from the Energy Shop has now been removed.

Either Mr.Malinowski has taken it off or MSE have removed it as he isn't registered and authorised as a Company Representative.

I was so hoping he would respond to my point about improving the Comparison Service by showing all products under one table.