MSE News: Energy customers set to switch in 24 hours

OnlyMe123_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1464981
Spiro was claiming 24 hour transfers of supply were possible back in 2009. A man a decade ahead of his time or an IT Consultant in the utilities industry specialising in the retail electricity market who didn't know what he was talking about back then?

lizzietwo

It may be possible to facilitate an energy switch in 24 hours. However, five months after switching to Co-op Energy I am still trying to obtain a first Bill. The Company appears to be unable to cope with the number of Consumers it has accumulated via the MSE's Energy Club and this is compounded by its inability to cope with its new "not fit for purpose" software.

Check the forums on the Money Saving Expert Site - what point is there in being able to switch so quickly, when you then have to spend months worrying about such incompetence. About whether you will ever receive an accurate bill. Whether the payments you make will actually cover this bill, if it is ever produced and finally how on earth the Co-op will ever be able to produce a final bill so that you can leave them, if they are totally incapable of producing a quarterly bill!

glennamy

24 hour switching? I have been waiting since April 10th (the agreed switch date) for it to go fully through. Endless phone calls & chasing both companies. Funny how it's always a problem when in credit (nearly £200) with the incumbents, & not when there are debits to be paid!

System

glennamy wrote: »

24 hour switching? I have been waiting since April 10th (the agreed switch date) for it to go fully through. Endless phone calls & chasing both companies. Funny how it's always a problem when in credit (nearly £200) with the incumbents, & not when there are debits to be paid!

Make a complaint to Ofgem. In the case of gas, suppliers now have an obligation in their licences to transfer gas supplies within 35 days (RELEVANT DATE +14 days) from application to switch under SCL 14.A.1.

From the Ofgem website:

We think that the three week switching requirement should be strengthened by
putting a direct licence obligation on suppliers to switch customers within three
weeks. This would be in line with our duty to protect the interests of consumers, as
it would let us investigate compliance with the licence requirements and take
enforcement action where necessary. This should provide greater confidence for
customers that they can be switched within this timescale. Under the current licence
obligation, we can step in only where a supplier has failed to include the three-week
switching term in its contracts with customers.

Just to add, I have just made a complaint to Ofgem about my supplier (to be) which has failed to initiate a switch. If it goes through as is now planned, I am looking at 79 days. Consumers wouldn't tolerate this level of service from a Bank, broadband provider etc so why should energy companies hide behind what they call 'industry standards'.