Moving house and changing supplier at the same time

tyler80

Picked up the keys this morning and the current gas and electricity is with Scottish Power who I don't wish to stay with.

I've spoken to the provider I'm going to use and set up my direct debit with them but they have told me that I need to register with Scottish Power as well.

After four different phone numbers I managed to get through to Scottish power who then insist that I need to set up a direct debit with them or pay up front. As we won't actually be moving into the house until the end of the month our usage will be minimal and we're changing providers asap I'm not quite sure why they're insisting I have to pay 80 pounds up front or set up a direct debit.

Is there really no way round this?

jalexa

tyler80 wrote: »

I'm not quite sure why they're insisting I have to pay 80 pounds up front or set up a direct debit.

Is there really no way round this?

Easy way round paying £80 up front? Yes, set up a Direct Debit. You can solve this the easy or your way.

A little background. The moment you become the owner or tenant of a property, a "deemed contract" is created with the current (i.e. previous) supplier. That is not Scottish Power's doing, that is the supply regulations. The tariff will be a standard tariff cancellable on 28 days notice.

Simultaneously you can contact your chosen supplier. After an approximately 7 day cooling-off period the new supplier will inform the previous supplier. In due course you will receive a start date and on the start date you should provide a customer reading to the new supplier. The new supplier will transfers (the same) reading to the old supplier, which will be used to generate a closing bill.

The whole process should take between 4 and 6 weeks.

The DD is no big deal. There will hardly be time to take any payments. And you will have avoided the £80 up-front payment.

*I* would call that a result.

Oh, BTW, make sure you have provided Scottish Power with opening readings. I recommend you take a photo of the meters.

tyler80

They want me to set up a direct debit which would then take a monthly payment of 78 pounds which is based on average usage. I'd have no problem setting up a direct debit which would pay the actual bill each month. I'd just prefer to avoid the hassle of overpaying and trying to claim it back.