pre contract termination penalty

welshblackhorse

hello, my electricity supply is up for renewal from 1/04/12 I have found a good deal via an internet comparison site.
the company I am leaving would not agree the contract termination because the new supplier put the wrong date in...doh ! But I had to speak to my present supplier to sort things out, this of course has caused them to try and keep my business by offering a better deal (although I dont know what this deal will be yet ) What I wanted to check out was
if the current supplier did come up with a better deal than the one I was going with and I decided to stay with my current supplier would I have breached any contracts with either the internet comparison web site( who read a long list of legal stuff to me over the phone ) or the new supplier.?
thanks

jalexa

welshblackhorse wrote: »

Is this a domestic or small business contract?

dogshome

The entire Business Supply industry is so full of smoke, mirrors and outright lies, that Ofgem the regulator are at last bringing in rules to control it, but in the meantime never agree to anything on the phone and keep in mind that there have been cases of Agents/Suppliers doctoring telephone recordings to make seem you had agreed.
You have done well by giving your current supplier the proper notice at the proper time, that you wish to change suppliers at the end of your present contract

The fact that the new supplier has c*cked up the paperwork doesn't change the fact you gave proper notice, there are 3 months remaining for the error to be corrected and by the way, have you seen this alleged incorrect dating in writing?

"who read a long list of legal stuff to me over the phone" is typical of the industry and one of the things Ofgem are trying to stamp out
Get back to the Comparision Site, find what Terms & Conditions are published on the site and read them to see what you are committed to, if there are none WRITE to them asking for a hard copy and send the letter recorded delivery. - Include in the letter a request for a hard copy of the contract with the new supplier

So far as your current suppliers offer is concerned - GET IT IN WRITING together with a copy of that contract

welshblackhorse

hi, its a small business supply.
Thanks for your useful insights into the workings of these companies. I will check back and see what the terms and conditions are. Presumably if a supplier change didnt take place the internet comparison lot would lose some commision.

welshblackhorse

ok, replying to my own message here, Ive taken a look at the terms and conditions, I was going to add a link to Utility-Exchange but was prevented.
It does mention in the T&Cs that there may be a charge to cover costs in the event of a contract not being taken up after it has been arranged.

There is enough hastle involved in changing suppliers, do I really want to have to take on the comparison sites too ?
I think not.
thanks for all your input.

dogshome

...... may be a charge to cover costs in the event of the contract not being taken up.... ? !
This is the same sort of meaningless legal waffle for which suppliers to the Domestic Market were hung drawn & quartered, when they tried to use this phrase to charge exit fee's when year long contracted customers changed suppliers because of a Price Rise.
For this to have legal weight, the contract must state exactly in what circumstances any charges will be applied, and what basis the the amount charged will be calculated