changing suppliers with a meter debt?

PRINCESSX87

Morning.

I’m hoping to get some information as my current provider seems to either not want to answer my question, Or don’t know the answer, Either way it leaves me with very little faith.

We’re on edf standard tariff for electric only property (Prepayment meters) which was installed over a year ago. In this time, we have brought the debt down from £695 to £511 < to date.

I tried changing suppliers about 6 months ago and was refused because the debt was classed as excessive and I was told I needed to bring it down to £400 before leaving. However, It now seems I was misinformed via EDF and we can actually change suppliers at the sum of £500.

So, As we’re approaching the five hundred mark, Are we able to start to process of changing suppliers on the understanding that within a week / give or take, We’ll be at the right amount? Or do we need to wait until we have passed it to change?

Many thanks in advance.

matelodave

The rule used to be £200 but was increased last year to £500 but it isn't law - it's a voluntary agreement between the big six (to make it law they would all have to have their licences amended). You might find some of the smaller companies reluctant to take on £500 of your debt as they would have to have the debt assigned to them by the leaving company. If a new company won't take it on then the leaving company has only two options - to make you pay it all off before you leave in one lump or to keep you until it's paid down to a level that someone will take you.
I would think that you'd need to be below the £500 before you start to try swapping.
I don't think you've got a legal right to swap, it's up to the two companies to agree how your debt gets assigned and paid off - you still owe the money to the leaving company and they have to be satisfied that they'll get paid from the new one, either as a lump or over a period of time, once they've let you go they have no control.


have a look here https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/57174/420-31oct02protocol.pdf