new house problems with new supplier

older_wiser

just moved house and i found out i'm with eon i told them i was going to be transfering to my old supplier from my previous property.

They said they needed some details to put on there systems to set up an account for me to cover the period i would be with them.

They took some details metre reading name etc. then he said he would have to do a credit check to set up the account.

i asked why when i would only be with them for afew weeks he couldn't answer but he did say if i refused and i tried to move to another supplier i would be denied. This was in my opinion i said a form of blackmail and i would have to speak to his supervisor and take advice.

I told him i wanted to limit the amount of credit checks on my file especially since i was going to have another one or two this month with new connections virgin and possible an energy supplier if i chose a different one with the new house. He then went onto say that any subsequent credit search by another energy firm would be ignored i asked how that work and again he couldn't answer. He then said that only refused credit checks affected a credit file i told him only credit searches appeared not if those were accepted or refused again no reply.

He went away to speak to his advisor and on his return he said as i was refusing a credit check he would still open my account but he would put me on the standard eon tariff i asked what that was and he gave me the numbers 25p for electricity for the first 900 units then 13.25. gas was about 8p per unit but that lowered to 3.4 after afew thousand units which are very high when i'm only going to be with them for afew weeks but i doubt i could have refused this.


do people think i went ott with regards the credit check i understand if i was making a longterm commitment to them they would want to do this but for only 15-30 days it was excesive. i thought it was interesting he knew little or nothing regarding credit searches on files.

ps sorry for the long post

Richie-from-the-Boro

- you are on a 'deemed contract' with the existing supplier
- you make a contract with your existing supplier, only then can you 'switch'
- your credit is checked in case you were in default with your previous suppler
- you can't move into a dwelling and use the leccy without a contract
- otherwise we would all move home and live happily ever after with no energy bills

What often happens is people get into debt, they string it along for a year or so and then try to switch, they are of course denied a switch. So they move home anyway and get a new supplier only to find the first utility company has listed them as a debtor. I'm sure you understand why they credit check all new customers.

jalexa

older_wiser wrote: »

They took some details metre reading name etc. then he said he would have to do a credit check to set up the account...

...but he did say if i refused and i tried to move to another supplier i would be denied.

This has been discussed previously in this forum, including with the E.ON rep, and specifically the special circumstances which exist regarding deemed status.

If the words you post is *exactly* the conduct of the adviser then should should Complain about the duress or "blackmail". As you (eventually) found out the incumbent supplier must accept your "deemed" custom regardless of credit checking. Deemed contracts are at standard, non-online, non-direct debit rates, which is what you were eventually put on.

Regarding the general issue, you may find it difficult to find a supplier which will accept a switch without doing a "credit check". The key question is asking for your "date of birth". I take it that is one of the questions asked by the E.ON adviser?

johnsonminnmc

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dogshome

There is no surprise that Eon put you on their Standard tariff - It's what all suppliers do when they inherit a customer who's moved into a property supplied by them

older_wiser

Thanks for all the replies I don't mind being credit checked i have nothing on my credit file that should Cause problems. I've already been in touch with my previous supplier and they are Transfeing me within 4 weeks is the estimate. The fact that he knew little about credit searches is worrying I think companies are too eager to credit check people I understand why they sometimes have to. I don't think I was being unreasonable by refusing if I wasnt making a long term commitment to them. If the number of credit searches on your file wasn't an important issue to credit companies then I think most people wouldn't mind but as they are I thought I was within my rights to refuse. But he seemed annoyed when I said I wanted to talk to bus adviser about this. I wouldn't call it bullying or intimidating but our conversation might have led other people to accept a credit check when one wasn't

Edit

Jalexa yes he did ask for my date of birth what purpose was that for ?

jalexa

older_wiser wrote: »

Jalexa yes he did ask for my date of birth what purpose was that for ?

Ha, you cannot be credit searched unless your DOB is known.:D

BTW1 not sure what type of "search" is performed but it is not a 'credit card' or 'current account' search. Might be worth asking Experian or Equifax the type of search and whether or not it is 'unrecorded'.

BTW2, if the adviser asked for your DOB for "account security" and then E.ON used it to perform a credit search, IMO that would be a breach of Data Protection.

older_wiser

Thanks Jalexa I didn't give my previous address the only information was my name dob and metre reading so perhaps it was for security purposes I'll keep a check on experian and equifax I subscribe to both so I'll know if I was credit checked. He pointedly said because I refused a credit search he would open thr account with standard tariffs. I don't have any problem being searched but only for services I request I think to be forced into a search for A 30 day or less period is an abuse when credit searches do have a detrimental effect on your credit. As I understand it it's a full credit search not just an identity check.

jalexa

older_wiser wrote: »

the only information was my name dob and metre reading so perhaps it was for security purposes

For "security purposes" you could give any memorable address you like. Only your actual DOB would work for a search. Whether they attempted to dupe you depends on the *exact* question asked. If the question was not qualified, well you provided the information.

Richie-from-the-Boro

- my point, and I didn't make it very well earlier was .. .. no credit check you get their worst tariff !
- right or clearly a 'punishment based hike in tariff wrong' was is it worth it ?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi older_wiser

I'm sorry you were given such poor advice when you called in.

We do need some basic information to set up an account for you. This includes things like your name, the date you took over responsibility for the property, meter readings, contact details, payment method etc.

However, whilst we'll ask to do a credit check, it's up to you whether you allow this.

Even if you refuse a credit check, we'll still set up an account. As others have said, this will be under a deemed agreement.

This is to cover usage from the time you take over and will be on our standard tariff. This isn't a contracted product and has no tie-ins leaving you free to switch supplier without penalty.

Usually, the only way we would object to a change of supplier is if there was a long standing debt on the account. Given the circumstances you describe, this just wouldn't be a consideration and I'm really sorry you were told differently.

For contracted customers on tariffs with a cancellation fee, whilst we wouldn't block a switch unless there was debt as above, we would charge the fee (unless switching due to a price increase). Again, this wouldn't apply to the situation you describe.

Hope this is useful. Let me know if you need any more info as will be happy to help.

Malc