Stopping energy supplier transfer, Please help

chanz4

get the previous supplier to raise an ET as an unauthorised contract

Dfects

Little Update. It got transfered, so Spark energy now supply my electricity I've already started the transfer over from se to bg. I phoned Spark today and apparently they would currently flat out object to the supply being taken over as apparently my account is currently not "billable". They also couldn't even take my meter readings today as its not billable. Odd.

I spoke to a customer service manager for se and they got a note added to my account to not object or try to stop the transfer back to bg which they insisted was 100% guaranteed to let it go through. I hope thats the case.

I also spoke with BG who said the account is still currently "pending withdrawal" as it only swapped over last night and that it would also be sorted okay. She also told me a few interesting storys she'd encountered with spark energy previously which have done nothing to stop me worrying!

Terrylw1

That's laughable!

Suppliers are directed per SLC14 about customer transfer blocking. It does nit allow a supplier to block you because they haven't started your account up.

I'm still awaiting a response off the Spark employee posting via MSE board reps about the fact she stated each supplier may have a slightly different process. She has not responded at all as soon as I quoted SLC14 at her!

Check this page out on Ofgems site showing all their licence conditions.

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Licensing/Work/Pages/licence-conditions-consolidated.aspx

You want the supplier licence links, the SLC14 which is P46 in the .pdf's. Quote that at Spark!

jalexa

Dfects wrote: »

I've already started the transfer over from se to bg. I phoned Spark today and apparently they would currently flat out object to the supply being taken over as apparently my account is currently not "billable"...

You are making things difficult for yourself by your "special pleading" for a transfer which (within the industry rules) was neither "objectionable" nor "erroneous".

Regarding the switch to BG, there is no need to have any further discussions with Spark. In particular quit telephone discussion if you cannot make your own recording of the call. Initiate the switch and deal with any objection, if necessary using the Spark complaint's procedure, from memory quite a clear procedure. If you remain dissatisfied at deadlock or after 8 weeks, whichever occurs first, ask the Energy Ombudsman to investgate the issue.

The rules are there to be applied, not circumvented. By either party.

undaunted

As has basically already been said above if they haven't billed you they can't object on grounds of debt - you must have failed to pay the bill for 28 days. I'd therefore just ignore the nonsense & make the switch you want.

Dfects

Well, I thought the transfer was going ahead nicely, but It seems that isn't the case.

British Gas say they're waiting on Spark to send them the final meter readings (which i've already supplied to british gas) and that the supply is still "pending transfer". Until it fully transfers over, the new transfer can't begin.

Spark energy say that the account is not billable, and they have 28 days legally before it will become "billable" and allow them to take meter readings from me, so I assume it will be stuck in a pending state until then holding me up from transferring for another month

So I seem to be stuck at a stalemate, and I'm not sure what to do.

jalexa

Dfects wrote: »

So I seem to be stuck at a stalemate, and I'm not sure what to do.

You are still making things difficult for yourself by interfering in the process. Play a longer game and give either or both parties plenty of rope. Make a careful note of any "promises" e.g. "28 days" and if not fulfilled hit that supplier with a formal complaint. Which BTW also takes time.

Once the transfer is complete that will be the time to take a view on excess cost against the "guilty" party using the complaints process which is no cost to you but not cost free to the supplier.

Terrylw1

Dfects wrote: »

Well, I thought the transfer was going ahead nicely, but It seems that isn't the case.

British Gas say they're waiting on Spark to send them the final meter readings (which i've already supplied to british gas) and that the supply is still "pending transfer". Until it fully transfers over, the new transfer can't begin.

Spark energy say that the account is not billable, and they have 28 days legally before it will become "billable" and allow them to take meter readings from me, so I assume it will be stuck in a pending state until then holding me up from transferring for another month

So I seem to be stuck at a stalemate, and I'm not sure what to do.

If they want to say "pending", then they can, but the fact remains that once the new supplier informs the distributor, the objection window opens. If Spark don't object inside that window, the distributor automaticasly considers the transfer agreed and sends messages to confirm the transfer is accepted. Then, since its future dated, you just have to wait for that date to come up.

As for the "billable" comment off Spark, that's incorrect. There is nothing in SLC14 about an account in a billing system being "billable". If they object on that basis, read SLC14 and complain about them...and if you end up paying them a higher rate than you would the new supplier (if they have to register again) then make Spark pay that difference.

The 28 day thing is an industry rule to allow some space between switches to allow for processing because if a customer switched too close to another switch data would be all over the place.

Its also not 28 days from when they click a button to start an account up, its 28 days between registration dates in the distributors database. Otherwise, some customers would be waiting months to be allowed to switch.

Dfects

Thanks for the info. I understand your reasoning jalexa, but sparks rates would effectively end up costing us near to double what we were on with British Gas so I'm keen to get this tranfered back as i'm just throwing money away atm.

Terrylw1, the 28 days you speak of... would that mean that the transfer can't begin until 28 days after the last switch date? So that because it switched on the 31st of may, I can't then start a transfer until the 28th of June, which then takes a further 4 to 8 weeks?

Thanks,

Ste

Terrylw1

I tell a lie! Ive just checked the Master Registration Agreement and found its 11 working days. See 15.5.3 (A) in the .PDF in this link.

http://www.mrasco.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=23

Does this make the situation easier for you?

Note: MPAS provider is the registration service inside the distributor, they have go be separately regulated under the BSC licence.