Not Allowed To Change Energy Supplier

Grace27

I am hoping that someone might be able to help me or at the very lease point my in the direction of someone who can.

I moved into a private rented property in October 2014, I was advised by the letting agent that I could switch energy suppliers if I wanted to, I just had to let them know if I did this and who I changed to. I contacted the supplier I was with at my old property ( Scottish Power) to find out what information they needed for me to do this. I explained the supplier of the current property was Hydro Electric and there was currently a key meter in the new property. The asked me to give them details of the meter readings. after I had done this the agent said she need to speak with a supervisor to check things out further. after about 10 minutes she came back to me and advised that they would not be able to switch the supply over to them and that I needed to contact Hydro Electric for further information regarding this matter.

I contacted Hydro Electric and explained what I had been told by Scottish Power, they agent there asked me to give her the meter readings and then she went onto explain that they system in the property was an exclusive system to Hydro Electric ( Total Power with Total Control) and therefore I could not switch to another energy supplier. She went on to explain that I was actually on two different tariff, one for heating and water and one for the rest of me electricity supply. I asked
about changing to a different tariff and she said a new heading system would have to be put in place and this would be down to the owner of the property. She went on to look at whether I would be cheaper with a standard meter instead of the key meter I had, after checking she stated that the difference would be pennies.

I contacted the letting agent to advise them that the information they had given me was incorrect and I could not change the energy supplier, they basically dismissed
what I had said and suggested I get a different meter put in and pay by monthly direct debit. I explained to them that this would make no difference and it would
actually cost me £53 to change the meter. I asked them to check with the owner to see if they would consider upgrading the heating system (currently a storage heater
in the living-room which is approx 35 years old, 2 electric convector heaters in the bedrooms). I was advised that this was not an option the owners would undertake
at this time.

I suggested to the letting agent that I had be mislead with the information they had given me and they state that the electricity supply is my responsibility and nothing to do with the owners and also neither they or the owner was aware this was the type of system in place. I find this hard to believe that they would not know what kind of heating system was in place. I work full-time but am struggling to keep the meter topped up regularly and from approx 6/10/14 to date I have put in well over £400.

Any help or advice you can offer would be of great help to me.