Someone keeps switching my GAS account - Help!

steveconrad

Cheers, I will. Just for clarification, what does a meter reference number look like?

Joyful

This will give you all the information http://www.energylinx.co.uk/mprn.htm


Just in case your MPRN start with 74 or 75 this will not be able to be found on the above database. These cause lots of problems!

steveconrad

I've just had a look through the estimate bill from BG that I got a couple of days ago. That shows my meter serial number exactly (it's missing the last S which appears on my meter) and it has a MPRN that matches the number shown on an older EON bill. It's not that spooky I guess, as BG will have had this info on their systems before we moved away (the meter hasn't changed since then).

sigh.

Joyful

I would still get BG to check Xoserve just in case another address has similar info.

SwanJon

steveconrad wrote: »

Mmm, nothing like that - the house isn't split in any way and has been here for many years. Indeed, we were a customer of BG for gas only up to about 5 years ago when we finally switched away.

OK, that sounds a bit odd. That leaves another street with a similar/same name, or someone typing/writing the wrong details. Definitely get back onto BG and see if they can find out what's happening - maybe they have your supply number wrongly linked to another address, and when that other address tries to change, you do instead.

BAA1 wrote: »

SwanJon - what you have said is very interesting, but there must be some criteria that the suppliers use to ensure that the person requesting the switch is actually authorised i.e. is the account holder.

Nope. If I am with company A, and choose to go to company B, company B don't know (and have no right to know) which company I am with, nor what name that contract is under. They can't ask company A (if they knew it was company A, as company A can't release my detaisl to a third party)

BAA1 wrote: »

What minimum information does someone have to give to the new supplier to get the switch process started ?

Name of person who will pay the bill.
Supply number of the bill to be paid (can be worked out from the address, but this introduces problems as above)

BAA1 wrote: »

P.S.
There could be a catch in my question

If the British Gas online switching form does not ask the correct questions to validate that the person requesting the switch is actually the account holder at the property and is therefore authorised to request a switch, then it would be the case that the British Gas online form is difficient and actually enables any mischievous person to start the switching process for anyone elses address.

Having looked at the online form, in my opinion, British Gas do not ask for sufficient information because everything they ask for is available to anyone - all you need is the property address :eek:

You assume that 'the account holder' with the old supplier will be 'the account holder' with the new supplier, which isn't always the case. People move house, and often choose to use the supplier they are used to at their new property. In this case they agree a new contract before informing the 'current' supplier that they are the account holder. Indeed many people never inform the 'current' supplier.

BAA1 wrote: »

P.P.S. - A further thought :think:
Lots of people have started using the comparison sites to get an idea of how much they would have to pay under different conditions, they put in a false name etc. but many of these comparison sites force you to put in a Post Code too. So, if someone in the OPs area is doing this, they may have used the OPs Post Code and house number not realising that when they then clicked the button to start the switching process to British Gas, they would actually be doing it for real at the OPs address. What do others think - could this be what has been happening to the OP ?
If it is the case, then the comparison sites and/or the energy suppliers need to change their processes so that these false / example requests are not possible.

It's unlikely that 3 different people have all used the OP's address in this manner, and al forgotten to change the details to their own before progressing.
I don't think there's a way to stop it without making the comparison sites too much effort, in which case they lose their funding and disapear

System

SwanJon wrote: »

Name of person who will pay the bill.
Supply number of the bill to be paid (can be worked out from the address, but this introduces problems as above)

You assume that 'the account holder' with the old supplier will be 'the account holder' with the new supplier, which isn't always the case. People move house, and often choose to use the supplier they are used to at their new property. In this case they agree a new contract before informing the 'current' supplier that they are the account holder. Indeed many people never inform the 'current' supplier.

It's unlikely that 3 different people have all used the OP's address in this manner, and all forgotten to change the details to their own before progressing.
I don't think there's a way to stop it without making the comparison sites too much effort, in which case they lose their funding and disapear

Unfortunately, after looking at the switching form on the British Gas website, your conclusions are the same as those I made. i.e. Anyone can mischievously start the switching process for any address they wish.

The scenario you describe for people moving house is even more worrying in my opinion. In my opinion, it should not be possible to change the account holder name on an account until the existing account holder has informed their energy supplier that they have moved out. That is how the telephone industry work AFAIK (i.e. In my experience, BT have refused to create a new account and change the account holder name for the telephone line at a property, until the existing bill payer has informed BT that they have moved out, this has caused delays when the old occupier have dragged their heels, but it is a more secure process.)

steveconrad

Joyful wrote: »

I would still get BG to check Xoserve just in case another address has similar info.

I spoke to BG Fraud this morning - they told me pretty much what customer services had said about not being able to 'flag' addresses and there being no check until 'someone calls us to complain'. They confirmed the meter reference number was unique on their system. They are now going to get in touch with the person that initiated the switch to see what's what. Hopefully, they'll find out something so I can get further. One question re. motive, she did say that some switching sites get commission whenever anyone gets switched. However, if it's a site employee doing this then there's only so much BG will be able to do.

System

BAA1 wrote: »

P.P.S. - A further thought :think:
Lots of people have started using the comparison sites to get an idea of how much they would have to pay under different conditions, they put in a false name etc. but many of these comparison sites force you to put in a Post Code too. So, if someone in the OPs area is doing this, they may have used the OPs Post Code and house number not realising that when they then clicked the button to start the switching process to British Gas, they would actually be doing it for real at the OPs address.

I have brought the above possibility to the attention of Consumer focus (previously energy watch).
They were not aware of this potential issue so have said "... will pass on to our policy team for further consideration."

Therefore, the Consumer Focus Knowledge Base may have further info on this topic in the near future.

SwanJon

BAA1 wrote: »

Unfortunately, after looking at the switching form on the British Gas website, your conclusions are the same as those I made. i.e. Anyone can mischievously start the switching process for any address they wish.

The scenario you describe for people moving house is even more worrying in my opinion. In my opinion, it should not be possible to change the account holder name on an account until the existing account holder has informed their energy supplier that they have moved out. That is how the telephone industry work AFAIK (i.e. In my experience, BT have refused to create a new account and change the account holder name for the telephone line at a property, until the existing bill payer has informed BT that they have moved out, this has caused delays when the old occupier have dragged their heels, but it is a more secure process.)

There are many things people can mischievously do. There becomes a point when the solution is more trouble than the problem.

As you can see I work for British Gas. I was doing a piece of work a few years ago and discovered that 5 times as many people called up to say that they had moved in than called to say they had moved out.
If they attempted to implement your solution, I could call up say I've moved in but not be able to set up an account. I would be using the gas and electricity, but be unable to pay for it. What next?
What if the previous tenant has died, or emigrated?

The telecoms industry is similar to gas/electricity, but has one huge advantage - they can remotely disconnect customers, so when you call to say you are moving out, they cancel the service and can reopen it at a moment's notice. This may become an option with Smart meters, although I doubt it, as remotely turning on the gas could cause a gas escape or explosion.

Ultimately, no supplier has any right to my details, and cannot request or provide them to other companies in the way you suggest.

System

SwanJon wrote: »

There are many things people can mischievously do. There becomes a point when the solution is more trouble than the problem.

.......

Ultimately, no supplier has any right to my details, and cannot request or provide them to other companies in the way you suggest.

It is in everyones interest to plug this potential hole in the transfer process, since energy companies want to be paid by the appropriate person who is using energy at a property, and customers don't deserve to be given the hassle of erroneous transfer requests on their supply due to a failing of the process, whether exploited mischievously or accidentally. There must be a simple check that could be made to validate the transfer application without breaking any DPA rules.

However, I'm not sure I follow your logic with regard to DPA preventing an energy company providing your details to other companies ?

During a legitimate application to transfer your energy supply to another company your existing supplier already knows your details and your chosen new supplier already knows your details because you divulged that information when completing the transfer request.

Under the scenario where you have requested to transfer the supply at the same time as moving into a new property, the existing supplier has a "deemed contract" with the new occupier so are entitled to be informed who has taken over responsibility for paying the bills when the property is sold or a new tenant moves in, so the details of the new occupier must be given to the "deemed contract" supplier prior to the transfer and an account will be setup (however temporary that may be), otherwise, how does the "deemed contract" supplier get paid for the energy used by the new occupier during the several weeks that it takes for the transfer to complete ?

Thus, both energy companies must have your details, by definition, so no DPA rules have been broken

This guide from which? explains the process more fully than I could :
Which Guide to moving house and switching energy supplier