Do I need to send meter readings to the previous energy company?

kielo

Hi,

I'm moving into a flat and would like to use a different energy company than the one the previous tenant was using.

I read a lot of the topic but don't understand one thing.

Do I need to send meter readings to the previous tenant's energy company? Or can I just sign up for the energy company of my choice immediately?

Thanks

Quentin

You can sign up as soon as you have the keys


Your new supplier will notify with the old company and pass on your closing readings which you take when instructed to by the new company (though you will be supplied by the old company until the switch takes effect, so will need to contact them anyway when you do get the keys to give your details (and your opening readings)

[Deleted User]

@kielo
Please ignore the advice by @Quentin as it is WRONG.

When you take over ANY property, you are in a legally binding deemed contract with the energy supplier who last supplied that property.

When you become legally responsible for the property, you must contact that supplier and give them the current meter readings. They will then set you up as a new customer on a tariff without any exit fees.

Once you have received your welcome letter (or email) from them, then and only then, are you free to initiate a switch of supplier.

Please read this advice form the Citizens Advice Bureau for more https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/moving-home-your-energy-supply/moving-home-dealing-with-your-energy-supply/

Quentin

You look to be giving the same as advice as Quentin.


ERgo if he is WRONG (he isn't), then so are you!

molerat

Quentin wrote: »

You can sign up as soon as you have the keys

No you can't. You need to set up an account with the incumbent supplier before you switch. If they know the old occupier has left and a new account is not set up they will reject the switch.

Quentin wrote: »

Your new supplier will notify with the old company and pass on your closing readings which you take when instructed to by the new company (though you will be supplied by the old company until the switch takes effect, so will need to contact them anyway when you do get the keys to give your details (and your opening readings)

The new supplier may well send the readings but as the switch will likely fail they will be ignored.


Trying to switch without setting up with the old supplier is very likely, as has been seen many many times here, to cause a whole lot of pain and cause a whole host of billing problems.

notbritishgas

I am with the other 2 above, you cannot sign up to a new supplier as soon as you have the keys.
When that happens take meter readings and set up an account with the present supplier, then you can switch.

kielo

Alright thanks, I will do that then.

[Deleted User]

Quentin wrote: »

You look to be giving the same as advice as Quentin.

ERgo if he is WRONG (he isn't), then so are you!

No , my advice is not the same as yours. And others have chipped in as well to agree with my advice as does the CAB.

You ignored the fact that the OP cannot switch until after they become a customer of the property's existing energy supplier. They must join the existing supplier as soon as they are legally responsible for the property. And wait for said company to welcome them. After that they can switch away.

Quentin

You will see in my #2:

you will be supplied by the old company until the switch takes effect, so will need to contact them anyway when you do get the keys to give your details (and your opening readings)

This is From the CAB advice linked in #3:

You can only change suppliers from the day you become responsible for the property. Switching will normally take about 21 days, so you’ll have to pay at least one bill with the current supplier.

The OP asked if he could sign up immediately - I posted "as soon as you have the keys" meaning that the OP needed to wait till he was "responsible for the property"!


Nowhere in the CAB advice you rely on does it mention awaiting a welcome letter etc!

The_Big_Bamboo

kielo wrote: »

Alright thanks, I will do that then.

In addition to the above ask the incumbent supplier to immediately transfer you to a cheaper tariff (with ZERO EXIT FEES!) if they have one available;...otherwise you’ll be on the Energy suppliers very expensive ‘standard’ rate tariff until you complete the switch to your new supplier.

A switch to a new supplier can take up to 5 weeks.

Good luck in your new home.:)

System

I haven't posted recently as it has taken 6 weeks to get a BB connection to my new build property. My experience is this. The Deemed Supplier was Scottish Power and we took legal possession of our property on the 24th July. I initiated a dual fuel switch to Octopus Energy PRIOR to moving in. Octopus Energy was the supplier at my old home for electricity. Octopus Energy initiated a transfer of supplies on the 6th July. Under switching rules, the extant supplier has 14 days in which to raise an objection to a dual fuel switch. The actual transfers went through on the 27th July. On the 24th July, I contacted Scottish Power with my takeover meter readings. They were aware that a transfer was in progress.

The transfers were possible because I was able to find out the MPAN and MPRN, and then confirm how the meters had been registered on The National Database. The details were wrong but Octopus Energy agreed that transfers were possible using the incorrect address information. The electricity meter was registered at the correct postal address but with an incorrect postcode; the gas meter was registered as Plot 6 again with an incorrect postcode. On completion of the switch it became clear that the electricity meter for No 6 had in fact been registered against my postal address. I have provided Octopus Energy with photographs of the two meters and the relevant databases have now been updated.

So why did I bother? My property is on a small development of 14 homes. The first occupant moved in before Christmas last year and was still waiting 6 months later to get any sense out of Scottish Power. I contacted Scottish Power in June and spoke to their new build department. I was told that it would not be possible to transfer to any Scottish Power fixed tariff until an account had been set up. Rather than argue, I looked for a workaround.