Calls about existing electricity contract

Vasey

We have been called regularly in recent weeks by a company called MV Utilities who claim that we should be receiving a renewal letter from our current supplier (a very well known company) for business electricity. I believe the end date of the existing plan is in September which is just over 6 months away so this is puzzling. Apart from their website there is little else I can find about them. They have a London phone number, but all the call centre operators and the Manager have foreign accents despite having English names. They keep asking for information from recent bills and asking what type of meter we have, how many there are and quote various figures. They claim prices will rise and the window for renewals will end very shortly. I am inexperienced with this and have to deal with it now after a recent bereavement. Does anyone know about them and also a company that often rings soon after they do called MetPlus Telecom to do with phone bills?. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

dogshome

Visit the Ofgem website and enter "microbusiness" into the search box on the opening page.

They have already brought in rules about Energy contracts to small businesses, and are about to bring in more legislation to tighten up the rules further, particularly the way Brokers can and cannot operate - Which probably why you are being hounded before the new regulations come into effect

red_flump

They are chancers, just trying to get your business. Usual cancellation window is between 90 and 30 days before the end of your renewal - your current supplier will confirm that. Although some brokers can sign you up 6 months prior - you want to be in control of who you go with.
I would not use MV utilities!
As for MetPlus telecom - being cold called (even at work) usually makes me put them on a blacklist!

shamrock_girl

Can I ask if anyone on this site has posted about having problems with N power and more specifically, them trying to wriggle out of paying a dual fuel discount of £100 for paying by direct debit for 1 year? I did see something about this somewhere but not sure if on here?

I have been with them since July 2012 after moving property, but they are by far just about the worst supplier I've had on so many levels and I've been with a few! I believe they won the "award" for most complained about supplier?

In a nutshell their initial they send you on joining said you would get this £100 and I fulfilled all the requirements. I was very annoyed to find out they only bill every 6 months, never had this before, so when my July 2013 bill came in, I expected to see this credit and it wasn't there. Didn't get far when i tried to query it, months later was advised to set up an online account with them, but when I did this, would you believe, I then found that you still couldn't see this info until the bill was produced, another con! I didn't actually start the direct debit until early August, so now would have to wait til Dec 13/Jan 14 for next bill. Only found out by looking online this bill was delayed til end March, due to computer problems, but no one told me! They tried to say they'd e-mailed me, but I never received this. I complained again and was told to send in a reading & they would produce a bill from that. I did this, bill was online, the £100 seemed to be there, but not deducted from my bill!!!

Fast forward to this morning and I received a call from their complaints team, now trying to fob me off with "their bills and discounts have now changed, that was in November 2013, nothing to do with my time, so she got annoyed when I wouldn't accept this and said this would have to go back to complaints , what does that mean? I now think the Ombudsman or someone else should get involved and I would have changed supplier, except was waiting for this, think I will anyway? Any advice please?:mad::mad::mad:

Vasey

Thanks dogshome, how soon will it be before these new regulations take effect?

Vasey

Thanks red flump, had a further call from them this morning and they're looking to get us set up with Opus Energy on a 12 month fixed price contract.

dogshome

It seems that new rules for microbusiness Energy Supplies are still at the consultation stage - Speed of action has never been one of Ofgem's strong points.

The notice period of " Contract End " can vary, depending on your particular contract - Read your contracts small print
If you don't have a hard copy of your contract, start makeing waves with your supplier TODAY

Your supplier should write to you before the end date, (90 days ?), and you then have a 30 day window to either re-negotiate a new contract with the present supplier, or move to another.
These letters seem to have a high rate of being 'lost in the post', so get onto your supplier and ask the date they will be sending yours out

BE VERY CAREFUL what you say on the phone and insist on seeing a hard copy of any new contract before you agree to anything