Changing supplier after moving house

banginghats

Hi

I moved house last week and have inherited British Gas at the new property. Their prices are very high and they want to lock me into a contract with a penalty of £30 each for gas and electricity if I change supplier. Can I just change to another supplier straight away without using British Gas, by using Uswitch?

JJ_Egan

You are in a Deemed Contract with the existing supplier .
Register with them on standard tariff then change supplier .
Deemed Contract so home movers dont go without energy for a month or more .

Benight

banginghats wrote: »

Hi

I moved house last week and have inherited British Gas at the new property. Their prices are very high and they want to lock me into a contract with a penalty of £30 each for gas and electricity if I change supplier. Can I just change to another supplier straight away without using British Gas, by using Uswitch?

Who's energy do you think you have used for the last week?

If you decide to switch supplier, choose very carefully. It's not just about the money. You pay cheap, you pay twice ... as they say.

You can read all the horror stories on this site of those who elected to go with a small supplier.
I've never had any issue with any of the Big 6, and in the unlikely event you do have a complaint with one of them, they have a whole team of experienced people ready and willing to resolve it for you

banginghats

JJ_Egan wrote: »

You are in a Deemed Contract with the existing supplier .
Register with them on standard tariff then change supplier .
Deemed Contract so home movers dont go without energy for a month or more .

Thanks for the reply. Yes, their standard tariff locks me in for 12 months with a £30 penalty each for changing gas and electricity suppliers. So I'm charged £60 for changing before then and I'm being charged nearly 20% more than my previous supplier for the energy. I think that's taking the mickey.

[Deleted User]

@banginghats

When you contact British Gas as a new customer taking over a property that is registered to them, you just ask for "The cheapest tariff which has NO exit fees"

They cannot force you into a fixed term contract as part of the deemed contract process.

The Citizens Advice Bureau has some advice at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/moving-home-your-energy-supply/moving-home-dealing-with-your-energy-supply/

[Deleted User]

From the OFGEM Electrical Supply License (the legal code that British Gas must comply with)

7.6B In relation to any Customer which is subject to a Deemed Contract, the licensee must not, and must ensure that its staff and any Representative does not, inform that Customer that they are:
(a) required to pay a Termination Fee;
(b) subject to a fixed term period; or
(c)subject to sub-paragraph 5(b), are required to give any form of notice before they are able to change supplier

https://epr.ofgem.gov.uk//Content/Documents/Electricity%20Supply%20Standard%20Licence%20Conditions%20Consolidated%20-%20Current%20Version.pdf

So a Deemed Contract can never be fixed for a time period or have exit fees. You do not have to agree to any other type of contract with British Gas.

banginghats

gsmlnx wrote: »

@banginghats

When you contact British Gas as a new customer taking over a property that is registered to them, you just ask for "The cheapest tariff which has NO exit fees"

They cannot force you into a fixed term contract as part of the deemed contract process.

The Citizens Advice Bureau has some advice at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/moving-home-your-energy-supply/moving-home-dealing-with-your-energy-supply/

Thanks for the info!