Switching Should Take 21 Days - Introduced Nov 2011

Terrylw1

Standard Licence Condition (SLC) 14A came in Nov 2011 to instruct suppliers to perform switches to a deadline as opposed to the previous best endeavours.

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

Prior to this Ofgem's advice to customers was that a switch takes 4-6 weeks. I remember hearing this up to 10 years ago.

So, they should be doing this within 3 weeks of you commencing your contract, which is the day after the cooling off period ends, if you have one.

The Master Registration Agreement (MRA) has a clause that states a supplier can send the notice of the planned switch date to the distributor with a future dated registration date that is at least 1 day ahead but no further than 28 days in the future. The supplier has to give the old supplier time to object, usually 5 working days hence the registration date could easily be today+8 days to allows for this. You can ask them to do this making it longer than 3 weeks by asking or a later registration date, however you void the protection of this SLC by doing so.

Is this happening?

Ofgem tend to roll out these SLC's and never audit them until customers or the media force them to.

Wywth

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Standard Licence Condition (SLC) 14A came in Nov 2011 to instruct suppliers to perform switches to a deadline as opposed to the previous best endeavours.

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

Prior to this Ofgem's advice to customers was that a switch takes 4-6 weeks. I remember hearing this up to 10 years ago.

So, they should be doing this within 3 weeks of you commencing your contract, which is the day after the cooling off period ends, if you have one.

The Master Registration Agreement (MRA) has a clause that states a supplier can send the notice of the planned switch date to the distributor with a future dated registration date that is at least 1 day ahead but no further than 28 days in the future. The supplier has to give the old supplier time to object, usually 5 working days hence the registration date could easily be today+8 days to allows for this. You can ask them to do this making it longer than 3 weeks by asking or a later registration date, however you void the protection of this SLC by doing so.

Is this happening?

Ofgem tend to roll out these SLC's and never audit them until customers or the media force them to.

To clarify, the 4-6 weeks the suppliers advise is typical includes the 2 weeks cooling off period

As you say, the SLC of 3 weeks starts after the 2 weeks cooling off period.

Terrylw1

Wywth wrote: »

To clarify, the 4-6 weeks the suppliers advise is typical includes the 2 weeks cooling off period

As you say, the SLC of 3 weeks starts after the 2 weeks cooling off period.

That's incorrect, this change came in Nov 2011 and Ofgem have been quoting 4-6 weeks for over 5 years going back into the days of Energywatch. This SLC started being trialled on gas mid 2011 with the intention of speeding this up. The MRA states a switch can be every 10 working days afterall.

The cooling off period does not need to add 2 weeks as it can be less and the SLC specifically points out that there may not be a cooling off period. If it were 6 weeks, even with a 14 day cooling off period, it would put you at 5 weeks under this new SLC making any switch at an average of 6 weeks outside this.

davidgmmafan

I too remember hearing about this a while ago and hearing nothing since. Think the most likely explaination has already been given, Ofgem bring in new rules and don't check on compliance with them or any old rules.

Wywth

Terrylw1 wrote: »

That's incorrect, this change came in Nov 2011 and Ofgem have been quoting 4-6 weeks for over 5 years going back into the days of Energywatch. This SLC started being trialled on gas mid 2011 with the intention of speeding this up. The MRA states a switch can be every 10 working days afterall.

The cooling off period does not need to add 2 weeks as it can be less and the SLC specifically points out that there may not be a cooling off period. If it were 6 weeks, even with a 14 day cooling off period, it would put you at 5 weeks under this new SLC making any switch at an average of 6 weeks outside this.

I'm sorry, but it is you that is incorrect here.

Whenever I've switched, it has taken within 4-6 weeks which included the 2 weeks cooling off period that all the suppliers I know of offer.

The 3 weeks you quote from the Ofgem regulations does not include the cooling off period; it starts from the 'Relevant Date' specified as follows:

“[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Bold]Relevant Date” means:
(a) the day after the day on which a Customer enters into a Contract with a new
Electricity Supplier; or
(b) if after entering into the Contract there is a period of time within which the
Customer may decide not to proceed with the Contract, the earlier of:
(i) the day after the day on which that period ends; and
(ii) 14 days after the day on which the Customer entered into the Contract.

[/FONT]

davidgmmafan

So what exactly is it changing then? Can't see much progress if any... Sounds a bit like the banks 'rules' for isa transfers which have done little to improve the situation.

Terrylw1

Wywth wrote: »

I'm sorry, but it is you that is incorrect here.

Whenever I've switched, it has taken within 4-6 weeks which included the 2 weeks cooling off period that all the suppliers I know of offer.

The 3 weeks you quote from the Ofgem regulations does not include the cooling off period; it starts from the 'Relevant Date' specified as follows:

But you're missing the point that Ofgem stated switching took 4-6 weeks for years before this change came in.

Since this SLC states 3 weeks, if you mean that its 4-6 weeks without considering the cooling off period, that would mean the switching process should take 1-3 weeks. If you are the cooling off period in, it would become 4-5 weeks considering that cooling off periods could be 1 or 2 weeks.

As Dave says above, if its always been 4-6 weeks, why did they bother bringing a new SLC and forcing suppliers to spend cash that gets passed on to you?

Whilst it may have been your experience, after this implementation you should see it speed up.

spiro

The 3 weeks like the 6 weeks to issue a final bill on CoS Loss is part of the EU 3rd Package and nothing to do with changes brought about by OFGEM they have just had to implement them.

Terrylw1

Its still a SLC change binding the suppliers to it, regardless of origin.

davidgmmafan

A bit like the direct debit rules that EDF and others seem unwilling or unable to meet and nothing happens...