Gas/Electric in new house

Wanton

Hello,

We've recently purchased a new house and wanted to set up a gas/electric account. I wanted to stay with First Utility, which is who we were with in our previous address. So I called them up to set up the new account, everything went OK until about an hour after the call when I got an e-mail saying the credit check had failed. Apparently they can't tell why it failed but said its probably because we're not on the electoral roll at the new house (we only moved in on 19th Dec). We won't be on the electoral roll until the 2nd January at the earliest as that's when it next published, so can't reapply until then.

Just wondering if it's usual for this to happen? And will the fact we've been turned down affect my credit rating when reapplying?

Hoploz

Can't you transfer your account from your old address?!

If not try elsewhere. Someone will want your business

Wanton

Hoploz wrote: »

Can't you transfer your account from your old address?!

If not try elsewhere. Someone will want your business

That's what I wanted to do but they said they had to close my old account and reopen a new one.

I'm going to go elsewhere but worried about applying before we're on the electoral roll.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

You will be in a deemed contract with the incumbent supplier. You can switch away from them immediately, but you have to register with them.

I assume you have the meter reads from the 19th?

kinger101

I'm amazed they haven't worked out it's not good business to turn existing customers away because they're not on the electoral role at the new place. You could phone them back and say this is the second and final chance for them to agree to opening/transferring the account to the new address.

Wanton

Yes, we have all meeting readings from the 19th, although the ones I took at my old house and gave to first utility didn't register so I had to get in touch with our buyer and ask for them again, luckily I know them well and trust them. Metre readings were given to the current supplier of my new house, who are EDF.
To be honest I'd now prefer not to stick with First Utility after this. Long hold times and different information from different call centre workers is getting to me, also looking over the forums there seems to be many issues with them. They might be the cheapest but I'd prefer to pay that little bit extra for better customer service.

Wanton

kinger101 wrote: »

I'm amazed they haven't worked out it's not good business to turn existing customers away because they're not on the electoral role at the new place. You could phone them back and say this is the second and final chance for them to agree to opening/transferring the account to the new address.

I told them I'd just go elsewhere and they offered to open the account as long as I paid a deposit of £200 or £300 (can't remember which). Needless to say I turned them down and told them I'd just go elsewhere.

phill99

Wanton wrote: »

I told them I'd just go elsewhere and they offered to open the account as long as I paid a deposit of £200 or £300 (can't remember which). Needless to say I turned them down and told them I'd just go elsewhere.

You are the worst kind of customer. Tjey are probably breathing a corporate sigh of relief that you are takng your business elsewhere.

martindow

phill99 wrote: »

You are the worst kind of customer. Tjey are probably breathing a corporate sigh of relief that you are takng your business elsewhere.

Why is this? The OP is trying to transfer an account to a new address. It seems a fairly reasonable thing to ask. I wouldn't expect the supplier to make it so difficult for an existing customer.