One energy supply but two suppliers

dsmithsw4

Just over a year ago I decided to switch to First Utility. I then read a lot of bad reports and decided to go with Sainsbury's (British Gas) instead and did so. I cancelled my direct debit with to First Utility thinking that would be the end of it. Things were fine for the next year. Sainsbury's took my money every month via direct debit and I submitted regular meter readings (gas and electricity). I heard nothing at all from First Utility until a year later when I received a number of letters demanding I pay £664-98 immediately. The amount is the original estimated annual amount I was quoted when I almost switched. I contacted their customer services twice. The first time I was told it was for the whole year, the second time they said it was for just one month. Am I liable for the amount? (customer services said the figure came from the national database, so it must be true). Surely, I am not liable to pay twice for the same supply?

System

Welcome to the forum. Did you actually inform FU - within the two week cooling off period - that you wanted to cancel the switch? Cancelling your DD is not the same thing. My guess is that Sainburys Energy took over your supply in good faith but it was blocked by FU. In other words, Sainsburys Energy may have made what is known as an erroneous transfer of supply. You need to come clean with both suppliers. You will not have to pay for the energy twice and FU should now put you back into the same situation as you would have been had Sainsburys not taken over your supply. The two suppliers should work out how to transfer the money paid to Sainsburys in error. This may take some time to resolve.

dsmithsw4

Thanks Hengus,

No, I didn't tell FU I wanted to cancel the switch. I have just found out that I should have done so. I am now with EON and I am being threatened with bailiffs by FU. I shall contact both FU and Sainsbury's informing them of the 'erroneous transfer of supply' and hopefully they will sort it out between them.

Tykva

Hengus wrote: »

Welcome to the forum. Did you actually inform FU - within the two week cooling off period - that you wanted to cancel the switch? Cancelling your DD is not the same thing. My guess is that Sainburys Energy took over your supply in good faith but it was blocked by FU. In other words, Sainsburys Energy may have made what is known as an erroneous transfer of supply. You need to come clean with both suppliers. You will not have to pay for the energy twice and FU should now put you back into the same situation as you would have been had Sainsburys not taken over your supply. The two suppliers should work out how to transfer the money paid to Sainsburys in error. This may take some time to resolve.

Hi Hengus,

I have the same problem. I switched to FU in November, I received first bill from them in January for December, 2015. At the beginning of December I received a letter from Npower "sorry to see you go". However, on my January bank statement a payment to Npower still occured, I admit I forgot to cancel a DD. I gave Npower a call yesterday, they told me that they know about my leave but it was never confirmed by FU. I gave a call to FU they say that according to National database they are supplier of my energy and I need to call back Npower. Could you please advise what is the most action plan in my case.

Frankly speaking, if there is any possibility to stay with Npower, I would prefer that. Thank you very much.

Switching was a big nightmare and so is FU customer service.

System

Tykva wrote: »

Hi Hengus,

I have the same problem. I switched to FU in November, I received first bill from them in January for December, 2015. At the beginning of December I received a letter from Npower "sorry to see you go". However, on my January bank statement a payment to Npower still occured, I admit I forgot to cancel a DD. I gave Npower a call yesterday, they told me that they know about my leave but it was never confirmed by FU. I gave a call to FU they say that according to National database they are supplier of my energy and I need to call back Npower. Could you please advise what is the most action plan in my case.

Frankly speaking, if there is any possibility to stay with Npower, I would prefer that. Thank you very much.

Switching was a big nightmare and so is FU customer service.

Hi. You are not in the same situation. What is occurring here is the late production of your final NPower Bill.

You need to contact NPower and ask them whether they have received the final industry-validated closing readings from your new supplier? Tell them what FU has told you and give NPower the start meter readings from your first FU Bill if they say that they haven't received them. If NPower will not play ball then ask the transfer team at FU to contact NPower to resolve the problem for you.

If your account with NPower is in credit then tell them that you will be cancelling your DD mandate. You then await your final bill and you will have all credit returned. If you have a debit balance, then keeping your DD mandate in place is a way of reducing the final amount owed.

There is, I am afraid, no way that you can stay with NPower as you have a contract with FU. This is nothing more than NPower being slow to raise a Final Bill. You could always switch back but this would incur a termination fee.