Switched in error - surely there should be checks in place to stop this ?!

p00hsticks

As the thread title says, I've just spent the morning attempting to stop my energy being switched from one supplier to another, despite the fact that I never requested it. Luckily the old supplier sent me a 'sorry you are leaving us' text which raised the alarm and meant I could phone them up and ask them to object to the transfer. I was also advised to let the new supplier know in case they just carried on requesting the switch, but when I tried to do this they couldn't discuss the request as the account is not in my name, despite the fact that I own and live in the property whose energy supply they are trying to switch!. 

Apparently the most common explanation for this scenario is that someone given a particular postcode mis-selects the address from the drop-down list. But surely there should be more identity / security checks in place to prevent this happening ? I'm confident it wasn't me asking for the switch, so assuming it was a near neighbour, a check of the electoral register or credit check would have returned the fact that they didn't actually live at the address being switched. Perhaps the switching system needs to check that the name of the old account with the old supplier matches that on the new account with the new supplier ?

UnclaimedEnergy

Most of the time to a supplier you're just an MPAN (number associated to your elec supply) which gets switched over. I would think that checking electoral role/credit check would cost money each time?

Currently, trying to agree on a meter reading is hard enough for some suppliers when switching, yet alone trying to check names and share names and personal account details with a 3rd party.

If you hadn't requested the switch then your personal details (MPAN has full address), and your name will now be with a random supplier without you having that knowledge that it happened.

p00hsticks

UnclaimedEnergy said:

Most of the time to a supplier you're just an MPAN (number associated to your elec supply) which gets switched over. I would think that checking electoral role/credit check would cost money each time?

But surely the new supplier must do credit checks and/or get bank or billing betails from the person requesting that the supply is switched ? I just cannot believe that it is possible / acceptable for some random person who doesn't live in a property to be able to  simply contact a supplier and request that they switch and the supplier just assumes that they have the authority to make the request and goes ahead and does it.  If they don't carry out any id checks then I think at the very least they should have to write a letter to the occupier of the property in question to give them a chance to object.

[Deleted User]

p00hsticks said:

UnclaimedEnergy said:

Most of the time to a supplier you're just an MPAN (number associated to your elec supply) which gets switched over. I would think that checking electoral role/credit check would cost money each time?

But surely the new supplier must do credit checks and/or get bank or billing betails from the person requesting that the supply is switched ? I just cannot believe that it is possible / acceptable for some random person who doesn't live in a property to be able to  simply contact a supplier and request that they switch and the supplier just assumes that they have the authority to make the request and goes ahead and does it.  If they don't carry out any id checks then I think at the very least they should have to write a letter to the occupier of the property in question to give them a chance to object.

It shouldn’t happen but sadly it does. What you are proposing is not going to happen. Not all suppliers carry out credit checks and customer information is not passed from one supplier to another. Who would write the letter and, in normal switching circumstances, why would the person trying to switch object to it? Arguably, you were notified of the pending transfer by your present supplier and you were able to stop it. Had the transfer gone through then there is an Code for Erroneous Transfers to rectify the situation.

Pete99

An erroneous switch as Ofgem call it should generate £60 compensation for you, £30 from each supplier if the switch isn't put right in a certain timescale, details on the Ofgem web site.

JC_Derby

Pete99 said:

An erroneous switch as Ofgem call it should generate £60 compensation for you, £30 from each supplier if the switch isn't put right in a certain timescale, details on the Ofgem web site.

Why should it? And why should the ‘outgoing shipper’ have to pay you for something that isn’t there fault.

p00hsticks

JC_Derby said:

Pete99 said:

An erroneous switch as Ofgem call it should generate £60 compensation for you, £30 from each supplier if the switch isn't put right in a certain timescale, details on the Ofgem web site.

Why should it? And why should the ‘outgoing shipper’ have to pay you for something that isn’t there fault.

They don't - I've now read up on it and in the case of an 'erroneous transfer' compensation would initially be £30 from the new supplier. There would be additonal compensation from the new and/or old supplier if they didn't reverse the switch in a timely manner.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/problems-with-your-energy-supply/youve-been-switched-to-a-new-energy-supplier-without-your-agreement/

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal/compensation-if-there-s-energy-switch-problem

Ofgem have said that they  are 'working to standardise and improve reliability in the switching process through better management and oversight of industry data.' in attempt to prevent such cases.

somuchindebt

If new supplier say the account is not in your name, then surely, they won't require you to pay the bills?

p00hsticks

somuchindebt said:

If new supplier say the account is not in your name, then surely, they won't require you to pay the bills?

Ha ha! I did think of that. But being realistic, I'm sure I'd end up paying it once the person whose requested the transfer realised they're still paying both their existing supplier and my supply with the new supplier :-)

Update is that this morning I've received an e-mail from my old supplier to say that they're going to stop supplying me in a couple of weeks. I'm  hoping that this was already being prepared befor I got in touch with them yesterday, as although the mail contained a number to ring to let them know if I hadn't requested the change, it was a 0333 number and when I called it I was told I was in an 30 minute queue so hung up.

UnclaimedEnergy

Some suppliers don't even carry out credit checks on non-domestic customers.

In 2019 there were 6.4 million switches across 365 days or 17,534 switches a day. If a credit report costs £20 then that's £128m extra suppliers need to pay out to stop a small handful of incorrect switches. 

Credit checks arguably aren't needed on domestic as:

1. If a customer can't pay their bills, they'll be in debt with their current supplier and wont' be allowed to switch
2. Customers with bad credit can be moved onto a PPM
3. Suppliers normally ask for 1 month payment upfront

There is probably things that can be done, however obtaining additional data on customers or carrying out credit checks are unlikely to be the best answer.