Business energy switch and brokers

DRiddle

I received a call from a energy broker at the start of the month telling me that the rates I was currently paying were about 50% higher than what other suppliers were charging. They went through all the prices of what we were currently paying and what they could get us through NPower, there was quite a bit of difference so I agreed to a switch to NPower.

British gas contacted me to talk about the switch so I asked them about our current rates that had been quoted by the broker. They said those are not the rates you paying and quoted me a much MUCH lower rate than I had been told. They also told me that they would be objecting the switch of supply as we were already tied into a 23 year contract with them. In light of the information they gave me I was more than happy to stay with them and thought that NPower would just cease and desist once British Gas rejected.

To double check I called NPower and tried to lodge a complaint to say that I had been misled as I was given false information over the phone. They opened a complaint file and said it could be up to 8 weeks and we were due to switch over on 31st October.

I went back to British Gas and explained what NPower had said, British Gas said they would uphold the rejection and keep blocking all requests by NPower to switch.

I then had a call from NPower to say that British Gas was objecting and they would no longer pursue us or them to switch supply. I thought that was the end of it.

2 days later NPower called again to say that they'd looked into the complain and that they see no evidence that I was given false information and that the supply was still due to change on 31st of October and that on the national supply database it showed us as being with NPower. I tried to explain to the man on the phone what British Gas had said and that we were in a contract with them until 2018, he was adamant the supply was changing and that there was nothing I could do about it, in fact he was quite rude in his manner and not at all pleasant about the situation. I even told him that someone from NPower had called me to say they would not be carrying on with the switch-over and he stated that they still were.

I once again spoke to British Gas who said that there was no way we could break the contract with them and that there was nothing to worry about.

I received a letter today from NPower saying that they were sorry that they couldn't resolve my issue, that we were still switching supply on 31st October (for both gas and electricity), that they have listened to the recording of the call (which only recorded the final agreeing to take a contract on with them and not a discussion of the tariffs) and that they deemed I hadn't been misled and the complaint had now been dropped.

I also received 2 letters from British Gas saying they were objecting a move to another supplier.

So what I'm asking is who has jurisdiction here? Is my contract going to continue with British Gas which is what I want or is my supply going to just switch over to NPower at the end of the month which is was they are saying is going to happen.

Thanks in advance

naedanger

DRiddle wrote: »

I received a call from a energy broker at the start of the month telling me that the rates I was currently paying were about 50% higher than what other suppliers were charging. They went through all the prices of what we were currently paying and what they could get us through NPower, there was quite a bit of difference so I agreed to a switch to NPower.

British gas contacted me to talk about the switch so I asked them about our current rates that had been quoted by the broker. They said those are not the rates you paying and quoted me a much MUCH lower rate than I had been told. They also told me that they would be objecting the switch of supply as we were already tied into a 23 year contract with them. In light of the information they gave me I was more than happy to stay with them and thought that NPower would just cease and desist once British Gas rejected.

To double check I called NPower and tried to lodge a complaint to say that I had been misled as I was given false information over the phone. They opened a complaint file and said it could be up to 8 weeks and we were due to switch over on 31st October.

I went back to British Gas and explained what NPower had said, British Gas said they would uphold the rejection and keep blocking all requests by NPower to switch.

I then had a call from NPower to say that British Gas was objecting and they would no longer pursue us or them to switch supply. I thought that was the end of it.

2 days later NPower called again to say that they'd looked into the complain and that they see no evidence that I was given false information and that the supply was still due to change on 31st of October and that on the national supply database it showed us as being with NPower. I tried to explain to the man on the phone what British Gas had said and that we were in a contract with them until 2018, he was adamant the supply was changing and that there was nothing I could do about it, in fact he was quite rude in his manner and not at all pleasant about the situation. I even told him that someone from NPower had called me to say they would not be carrying on with the switch-over and he stated that they still were.

I once again spoke to British Gas who said that there was no way we could break the contract with them and that there was nothing to worry about.

I received a letter today from NPower saying that they were sorry that they couldn't resolve my issue, that we were still switching supply on 31st October (for both gas and electricity), that they have listened to the recording of the call (which only recorded the final agreeing to take a contract on with them and not a discussion of the tariffs) and that they deemed I hadn't been misled and the complaint had now been dropped.

I also received 2 letters from British Gas saying they were objecting a move to another supplier.

So what I'm asking is who has jurisdiction here? Is my contract going to continue with British Gas which is what I want or is my supply going to just switch over to NPower at the end of the month which is was they are saying is going to happen.

Thanks in advance

I suggest you start putting things in writing. Send npower an email asking them to confirm in writing that they will not try to switch your account to themselves as your agreement to switch was obtained by deception, which is supported by the fact that your call has been edited and not been fully recorded. (Why would you have agreed to switch and why was the call not fully recorded?)

I suspect one of the calls that was supposedly from npower was actually from the broker, who basically sounds crooked.

I suggest you be very wary of verbal contracts in future as they are open to abuse e.g. you are told a load of lies (which are not recorded by you or the broker/other party) but your acceptance of the contract is recorded. The other party can then prove you agreed to the contract and you cannot prove this was through misrepresentation. In my view you need both a written contract and time to review it properly, so I would be wary about signing any significant contract without have time (a few days) to reflect on it.

If npower reply in writing saying they are still going ahead with the switch then post again with details of what they say.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

naedanger wrote: »

I suggest you start putting things in writing. Send npower an email asking them to confirm in writing that they will not try to switch your account to themselves as your agreement to switch was obtained by deception, which is supported by the fact that your call has been edited and not been fully recorded. (Why would you have agreed to switch and why was the call not fully recorded?)

I suspect one of the calls that was supposedly from npower was actually from the broker, who basically sounds crooked.

I suggest you be very wary of verbal contracts in future as they are open to abuse e.g. you are told a load of lies (which are not recorded by you or the broker/other party) but your acceptance of the contract is recorded. The other party can then prove you agreed to the contract and you cannot prove this was through misrepresentation. In my view you need both a written contract and time to review it properly, so I would be wary about signing any significant contract without have time (a few days) to reflect on it.

If npower reply in writing saying they are still going ahead with the switch then post again with details of what they say.

Whilst normally I would agree, the OP is too short of time to take that approach alone. I think in addition they need to adopt a more forceful approach - email to the CEO, social media rants etc.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Also, who are the brokers?

DRiddle

Thanks for your input guys. Would NPower have any way of forcefully taking over the contract of supply from British Gas who are unwilling to give up on being our supplier?

naedanger

DRiddle wrote: »

Thanks for your input guys. Would NPower have any way of forcefully taking over the contract of supply from British Gas who are unwilling to give up on being our supplier?

Sorry, I don't know. (My guess would be they couldn't.)

However I suggest you still get npower to agree that they should not even try to take over the contract. Otherwise I think they could sue you for not going ahead with the "contract".

DRiddle

The broker was Select Energy UK based in Blackpool

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

A ha! Another broker with dubious practice sets up on the Fylde coast! OP I can't say much, as MSE towers has passed on vague threats of legal action made by other brokers, but this issue, sadly, is far from uncommon.


I'm unsure if they can claim supply - in the residential market, they 100% can - and you OP would suffer the termination charges that the outgoing supplier (BG) would levy. In the business market....I suspect they can do the same, but you really need to get something in writing from BG that they will honour your supply contract.

DRiddle

I have several letters from BG stating that we are unable to switch until 2018 and that if we still wanted to switch then our new supplier would have to let them know about a month before the end of their contract.

I've also sent an email to NP asking for something in writing to say they were ceasing their pursuit of the contract. I'll let you know the outcome as and when but thank you for your help so far.