Energy provider in rented flat?

kitrat

Ok my partner and I have been lazy, lazy ex-students living in student accomodation for the best part of the last three years and have never looked at changing our energy supplier (!I'm new to this MSE stuff, ok!? )

Now I've seen this MSE Cheap Energy Club (amazing by the way!!) and it's finally spurred me into looking at changing our energy supplier.... we could halve our bills! Ugh it makes me sick to think of how much we've overpaid

My question is, do I have to agree with my landlord if I change the energy supplier? I don't have a copy of my contract to hand (will get hold of one asap) but partner thinks that there was a section which suggested that we had to agree this with the landlord. What is standard in regards to this?

mrsbmartin

It's possible that you do have a clause but IME we have always dealt with the utilities independently of the LA or LL...we just switch as if we owned the house. Perhaps the clause refers to installing meters etc...give the LA or LL a call to clarify but if you are such long-standing tenants I'm sure it won't be an issue.

kitrat

mrsbmartin wrote: »

It's possible that you do have a clause but IME we have always dealt with the utilities independently of the LA or LL...we just switch as if we owned the house. Perhaps the clause refers to installing meters etc...give the LA or LL a call to clarify but if you are such long-standing tenants I'm sure it won't be an issue.

Well I'd like to think so but it would appear that LL and LA are conspiring together to be as useless as possible!!

I will drop the LA an email (they part-manage the property) but I want to be as assertive as possible. Do I just tell them I'm switching or do I ask them if that's ok to do and what the contract says on the matter?

I'm a bit concerned as we have only 5 months left in the property before we move that they will not be interested in letting us switch.

Werdnal

I believe that even if there is a clause in the agreement suggesting you cannot change supplier, it is actually unenforceable, as you are the customer and can choose who to buy your utilities from. If the bills are in your name, the contract with the utility company is yours.

Landlord cannot stipulate where you shop for groceries, so cannot tie you to a particular energy supplier either. I suspect if you ask permission from the agent/LL they will likely say No, so just go ahead.

Make sure you keep correct meter readings and a record of changing, who you spoke to etc, as these things have a habit of not being quite as quick and easy to achieve as the energy suppliers suggest! My mum-in-law is always chopping and changing supplier to save a few pence here and there, and once she had 3 bills from 3 different power companies, all claiming to have supplied her power for the same quarter - guess who had to spend an afternoon on the 'phone sorting it out!

kitrat

Werdnal wrote: »

I believe that even if there is a clause in the agreement suggesting you cannot change supplier, it is actually unenforceable, as you are the customer and can choose who to buy your utilities from. If the bills are in your name, the contract with the utility company is yours.

Landlord cannot stipulate where you shop for groceries, so cannot tie you to a particular energy supplier either. I suspect if you ask permission from the agent/LL they will likely say No, so just go ahead.

Make sure you keep correct meter readings and a record of changing, who you spoke to etc, as these things have a habit of not being quite as quick and easy to achieve as the energy suppliers suggest! My mum-in-law is always chopping and changing supplier to save a few pence here and there, and once she had 3 bills from 3 different power companies, all claiming to have supplied her power for the same quarter - guess who had to spend an afternoon on the 'phone sorting it out!

Hmm so perhaps I should just ask for an extra copy of our contract, see if there's a clause and then decide whether or not I'm going to ignore it!

G_M

If you contact the agent, they will either say yes, or you will get involved in a pointless debate.

The contract is between you and the energy supplier and nothing to do with the LL or agent.

Just switch.

As advised, note all meter readings. At the end of the tenancy, let the landlord know who the current supplier is so he can take over the supply.

The only issue is if you move to/from a pre-purchase system, as these ar expensive for the landlord to change back, and you could be charged for this expense.

edit: I see you do not appear to have a copy of your contract. that would seem to me to be a far more important issue to raise with the LL!

kitrat

G_M wrote: »

If you contact the agent, they will either say yes, or you will get involved in a pointless debate.

The contract is between you and the energy supplier and nothing to do with the LL or agent.

Just switch.

As advised, note all meter readings. At the end of the tenancy, let the landlord know who the current supplier is so he can take over the supply.

The only issue is if you move to/from a pre-purchase system, as these ar expensive for the landlord to change back, and you could be charged for this expense.

edit: I see you do not appear to have a copy of your contract. that would seem to me to be a far more important issue to raise with the LL!

I think I will do this.

Thanks everyone!

agrinnall

Can I just emphasis a point G_M made, which is to let the LL/LA know who the new supplier is when the tenancy ends. You don't have to do it but it's a matter of common courtesy to do so. The tenants of my flat changed supplier (which in itself was fine) but didn't say that they'd done it, so when I took possession of the flat after their tenancy ended I had to spend several hours tracking down where the electricity and gas was now coming from.

kitrat

agrinnall wrote: »

Can I just emphasis a point G_M made, which is to let the LL/LA know who the new supplier is when the tenancy ends. You don't have to do it but it's a matter of common courtesy to do so. The tenants of my flat changed supplier (which in itself was fine) but didn't say that they'd done it, so when I took possession of the flat after their tenancy ended I had to spend several hours tracking down where the electricity and gas was now coming from.

Ah yes I will try to remember to do this, we have been there!! Made extremely complicated by the fact that none of the energy companies/databases recognized the individual flats within our building. Ended up just waiting till a bill dropped through the letterbox.

Werdnal

agrinnall wrote: »

Can I just emphasis a point G_M made, which is to let the LL/LA know who the new supplier is when the tenancy ends. You don't have to do it but it's a matter of common courtesy to do so. The tenants of my flat changed supplier (which in itself was fine) but didn't say that they'd done it, so when I took possession of the flat after their tenancy ended I had to spend several hours tracking down where the electricity and gas was now coming from.

Whilst I totally agree that tenant should pass on any changes to the utility supplies at end of tenancy, any landlord in the position of needing to check who supplies the property, may find this helpful:

http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/who-supplies-my-electricity-and-gas/

tim123456789

kitrat wrote: »

Well I'd like to think so but it would appear that LL and LA are conspiring together to be as useless as possible!!

I will drop the LA an email (they part-manage the property) but I want to be as assertive as possible. Do I just tell them I'm switching or do I ask them if that's ok to do and what the contract says on the matter?

I'm a bit concerned as we have only 5 months left in the property before we move that they will not be interested in letting us switch.

LL/LA's like to think that they can "control" their tenants' -They can't, just ignore any attemts to do so

How will the know that you are moving out in 5 months if you don't tell them?

tim