commercial half hourly tariff

blackmelrose

Hi - I'm stuck with a half hourly tarif on a commercial electricity supply which is clearly unsuitable for my power needs. The standing charges are approx £80 per month when on a normal tariff they would be around £9 per month. I've tried for over 4 years to get my supplier to downgrade the supply (which is only an administrative change) but they will not do so because they have no legal obligation to downgrade. Other suppliers will not take me on simply to downgrade the supply. This is legalised highway robbery! Anybody else have any similar experience and any advise on how to tackle this issue. I've already been through Ofgen and the Ombudsman. They are sympathetic but they washed their hands saying this is a "commercial decision" for the power companies themselves to make. Any advise appreciated.

dogshome

Have a look at Ofgem's web site under the section 'microbusinesses'

I'm surpised you have been on the same contract for 4 years, 12 month, 24 month & 36 month are common, but 48 months is a new one on me

In Jan 2011 Ofgem brought in new rules, under which suppliers had to write to customers 90 days before the End date of a contract, advising them of the end
From reciept of the letter, the customer then had 30 days to either find a new supplier or renegotiate with the old one - If the client does not respond to the letter, the supplier is free to bind the customer to a new contract on whatever terms they choose

This site has a history of reports from Commercial customers who say they never had the letter, and Surprise, Surpise, the supplier always insists one was sent - Look at your present contract carefully and find it's End date, then make a diary note to contact the supplier 100 days prior to that date, and ask when you can expect the letter

blackmelrose

Thanks for your reply Dogshome. Sorry if I did not post my issue clearly. I'm not bound to any more than 12 months. I get the option to renew my contract annually. My gripe is that they will not downgrade my supply to a non half hourly, and whilst all the codes of good practice say the supplier is obliged to offer the customer a tariff suitable for his requirements it seems this is a "moral" as opposed to a "legal" obligation. I have simply stayed with my supplier because whilst any other company will take my account on, no other company so far will take me on to then downgrade my supply from a half hourly to a non half hourly tariff. What I'm really looking for is any other people who are caught in the same tariff trap to see whether a number of us could get together to put pressure on the power suppliers to live up to the spirit of the regulations, not just to interpret them to suit themselves.

rogerblack

blackmelrose wrote: »

I have simply stayed with my supplier because whilst any other company will take my account on, no other company so far will take me on to then downgrade my supply from a half hourly to a non half hourly tariff.

Will no company even do it for an up-front fee?

blackmelrose

Thanks rogerblack. Tried several switching agents over the years who were all very sure it could be done but their interest soon fizzled out when they started hitting brick walls with suppliers. Let's face it it no supplier wants to give up nearly £900 per year in charges. However some very recent good news with one supplier who has offered to take me on as a half hourly (HH) customer with a view to downgrading to a non HH after 6 months. Still waiting for written confirmation though. The point is though that the suppliers own codes of practice clearly suggest that they should do this anyway, but can make a "commercial decision" not to do so, and none of the regulatory bodies can force them to do so. Seems very unfair and surely goes against the grain of consumer protection legislation.