Military penalised...an outrage!

NadineJB

Just wanted to have a moan about how the military posted overseas are penalised when they come back to the UK when then want to choose energy supplier.

I made this discovery when I tried to take advantage of the fixed deals with First Utility and Energy Extra.

We have been back 13 months after a number of years abroad and yesterday I tried to complete the switch for EE and was told that as I hadn't had a UK address for 3 years they couldn't offer me a contract. Despite explaining that this was because we were a military family and my husband had been posted overseas they still refused to take us on. This is all to do with credit rating/checking...

Annoyed but thinking that this could be just them, I then encountered the same with First Utility unless I gave them a £300 deposit which could be reimboursed in 6 months time!!!

I find this is appalling and I don't believe that many people are aware of this barrier when personnel return to the UK...this has then made me think about mortgages, credit in any form...:mad:

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Some of the larger suppliers would take you on no questions asked. I know edf will, and I think SSE and npower will too (although I wouldn't wish npower on anyone!)

Quentin

It's not really a barrier to the troops, but everyone they cannot get a good credit ref on.


More put it down as an occupational hazard


(No-one can be forced to take on customers they don't want)

NadineJB

Yes, in the end I went with EDF...no questions asked

And yes other situations will also fall into this category wrt 3 year UK address/credit rating...but my point is 9 times out of 10 a posting is non negociable for the armed forces and it is thereby a form of discrimination. Serve your country abroad and pay the price on your return...

And lastly, the whole point of being able to buy your energy from the provider of your choosing is supposed to lead to a free market as per the EU but this is quite obviously not the case if you are credit checked first for a utility !! Afterall I'm not trying to buy a car!!

I have the impression that since we've been away the UK has gone quite mad...

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

NadineJB wrote: »

Yes, in the end I went with EDF...no questions asked

And yes other situations will also fall into this category wrt 3 year UK address/credit rating...but my point is 9 times out of 10 a posting is non negociable for the armed forces and it is thereby a form of discrimination. Serve your country abroad and pay the price on your return...

Do the military not get free/subsidised accomodation when abroad? Genuine question as I have no idea.

Nada666

So you were not penalised or refused. You chose not to provide a deposit.

Move along. There is no story. Nothing to see here.

duchy

Plenty of occupations aside from military have overseas postings.
I don't see how this is singling out the military or treating them differently from anyone else who has an overseas posting of three years or more ?

It is expected that serving in the forces includes overseas postings.....no one is forced to sign up ....just like no-one is forced to live in a country they believe"has gone mad"

All forms of credit are likely to be affected by a three year absence however there are ways around it - which are all pretty well known within the forces.

NadineJB

In answer to your question BBM , it depends where and in what capacity you are posted. In our case, we did not.

NadineJB

Nada666 wrote: »

So you were not penalised or refused. You chose not to provide a deposit.

Move along. There is no story. Nothing to see here.

Indeed I was refused by Energy Extra...

Cardew

NadineJB wrote: »

I find this is appalling and I don't believe that many people are aware of this barrier when personnel return to the UK...this has then made me think about mortgages, credit in any form...:mad:

In applying for a gas/electricity account, you are effectively asking for several hundred pounds credit. It is quite reasonable therefore that ANYONE who fails to meet the criteria is refused.


However I am certain that a simple letter from your husband's unit would get the company to waive the restriction.