Can rental agents force us to take utilities deal?

Oleander

Hi everyone

We are moving into a rented house on Saturday. The rent and deposit are paid, the contract signed, we've met the landlady who seems lovely.

But the agency appears unwilling to make arrangements to give us the key unless we sign up for utilities through a scheme they are promoting.

We intend to sign up with our existing supplier, who we are more than happy with (and I have now used in four different homes). Can the agency actually make us go with their supplier? And if not, can anyone advise any legal wording I can quote at them?

Thank you

Lokolo

You can always sign up, then cancel.

They cannot force you to use any particular supplier. You could always sign up, cancel, then write a written complaint.

pmlindyloo

This link will help you:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/83161/tenancyrightsfactsheetenglishweb.pdf

Oleander

Thank you pmlindyloo - that is really helpful. I'm very grateful.

AnotherJoe

You've got a contract. So tell them to get stuffed and give you the key.

And complain to OFgem, copied to the head office of the EA (who will no doubt deny this is happening and state they are merely offering better value or some such ****.)

Annabee

Is it Spark Energy they want you signed up with by any chance? They have connections with a lot of letting agencies, and apparently they are not supposed to be great (from the consumer's point of view).

No, they don't have the right to dictate which supplier you use. I think though, that when you move in anywhere, whether as a tenant or owner/occupier, logistically you have to start with the previous supplier to the property, although you can start initiating the changeover as soon as you move in, (or maybe before?) but this does take a few weeks to arrange. So you will probably have one small bill from the old supplier before swapping to your preferred supplier. That's what I always found, anyway.

marksoton

New one on me.

Agents stooping to even lower levels. Never thought it possible.....

This industry needs far stronger regulation.

fishpond

Its been happening for some years.
Best thing would be to ask the LL to have it deleted from the contract supplied by the letting agent.
I have just moved to a new letting agent and had it removed from the contract they were going to get my tenant to sign.

G_M

Is the contract signed by the landlord/agent?

If so they cannot deny you the key.

If they are making signature of the contract by the LL/agent a condition of signing up to this utility company, then do as Lokolo suggests:

* sign up to the utilities
* get your signed contract (and key)
* cancel utility deal and arrange your own

sorted.

theartfullodger

At some point let the actual landlord (rather than agent) know what the agent was doing.. Undoubtedly they are getting a back-hander from the utility company: Possibly landlord doesn;t know: Ask agent for his actual address of pay £3 to land registry for deeds and see what name & address there is..

An agent changed an empty-for-a-bit rented house of my wife's to Spark without her agreement.. Ended up getting bill wiped off & a huge bunch of flowers. I'd never do business with Spark or any other low-life utility company that relies on backhanders to get business.

Oleander

Thanks to all who gave me advice a year ago... I've just logged on again because of another issue with these pushy letting agents.... What scum they can be.