At what point can you switch without incurring fee?

jackhulk

Hello

I'm currently with E.ON for electricity, and Zog for gas, and would like to use Big Switch to go dual fuel with E.ON, but it's likely I will incur £25 early exit fee from Zog.

I'm curious to find out at which point in time can you switch without incurring an early exit fee?

I've always waited until contract has completely ended, so 12 months have past for example, but as the actual switch often takes up to a month, that's another month with the current supplier, out of contract, and therefore usually at a much higher rate.

At what point does current supplier consider you've switch? At the point of when it's initiated, say online via 'Big Switch', or when the switch actually happens and new supplier is providing the energy?

Thank you

System

Under OFGEM rules your present supplier has to contact you between 49 and 42 days before your fixed tariff ends. You are then free to switch suppliers without penalty. If your switch takes you beyond the date that your fixed tariff ends then you will remain on your present tariff until such time as the switch goes through.

jackhulk

Thank you Hengus, nice and clear.

E.ON has contacted via email advising tariff nearing end, but as yet Zog has not. I signed up to both on 19.11.2013. I guess I went 'live' with E.ON on 16th Dec 2013 as they advised it will end 16th Dec 2014. This then appears they do not consider contract live until the switch has been completed, and not from when you actually sign up? Can anyone confirm please?

Either way, not a problem with E.ON as I'm staying with them, but just thinking with regards to Zog. Even though I signed up with them on 19.11.2013, I didn't go live with them until 29.12.2013 as confirmed via email.

I figure I can initiate the switch from Zog from 17.11.2014, as this is 49 days from the end of contract, they cannot charge early exit fee. Correct?

I'm surprised this isn't mentioned anywhere on the comparison sites, including MSE. They all warn of early exit fee if I switch now, because they are not taking the 42-49 day rule into consideration. At the moment for me, this is at least correct for Zog, but they warn about E.ON fee as well, which is incorrect.