Green Network Energy is ceasing to trade

bristolleedsfan

manic37 said:

What about referral credit for people who signed up via GNE referral credit links few weeks ago?

They are being added seemingly automatically 2/3 days after switch completes, 2 were added today

[Deleted User]

MikeCarne said:

So here we go again. This is the second time this has happened to me in 2 years. I understand that things happen but I resent having a supplier foisted upon me (last time it was British Gas on their standard tariff) instead of allowing me to choose and me then having to pay any debit balance (which is likely given that we are in winter) to the incoming supplier at their rates rather than the rate set by the outgoing supplier.
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

If Ofgem didn’t have the Supplier of Last Resort process then you could, in theory, end up without energy for up to 35 days whilst your chosen new supplier takes over your supply. More likely, you would become shipper less; ie, you wouldn’t have a supplier as the failed supplier will have had its Licence to Supply revoked. 

The SoLR process not only ensures continuity of supply but, as is humanly possible, it forces the failed supplier to handover account details. Suppliers are invited to bid for the failed supplier’s business: if this process fails, then Ofgem has the legal powers to force a supplier to become a SoLR. It’s not perfect but it works.

BedrockFred

""if this process fails, then Ofgem has the legal powers to force a supplier to become a SoLR. It’s not perfect but it works.""
It's far from perfect it needs a complete overhaul IMHO it's slewed to the benefit of the SoLR, There should be a faster process for customers to pick their own supplier 2 or 3 months minimum stuck on a tariff that is/can be much more expensive 

manic37

bristolleedsfan said:

manic37 said:

What about referral credit for people who signed up via GNE referral credit links few weeks ago?

They are being added seemingly automatically 2/3 days after switch completes, 2 were added today

Ok thanks mate. 😄

brewerdave

BedrockFred said:

""if this process fails, then Ofgem has the legal powers to force a supplier to become a SoLR. It’s not perfect but it works.""
It's far from perfect it needs a complete overhaul IMHO it's slewed to the benefit of the SoLR, There should be a faster process for customers to pick their own supplier 2 or 3 months minimum stuck on a tariff that is/can be much more expensive 

And OFGEM seemingly accept assurances from the SOLR that their Customer Services /Accounts functions can handle the number of customers to be transferred WITHOUT any in depth audits ,which in the case of all the SOLR processes that I have been involved with ,was patently untrue, resulting in very long waits for account set up and extremely long waits for credits to be carried forward.
One wonders whether SP were forced into accepting the previous two failures !!

[Deleted User]

BedrockFred said:

""if this process fails, then Ofgem has the legal powers to force a supplier to become a SoLR. It’s not perfect but it works.""
It's far from perfect it needs a complete overhaul IMHO it's slewed to the benefit of the SoLR, There should be a faster process for customers to pick their own supplier 2 or 3 months minimum stuck on a tariff that is/can be much more expensive 

I do not believe that to be true. I was with GBEnergy when it failed. I waited 10 days for the SoLR to takeover my supply and I initiated a switch which went through 17 days later. Yes, I had to pay the SoLR for the month that they were my supplier.

The answer lies in improving the process to Licence and monitor suppliers such that they are never in a position to fail. Sadly, this will no doubt restrict competition and there will be howls of protest from those who just want the cheapest prices.

BedrockFred

[Deleted User] said:

BedrockFred said:

""if this process fails, then Ofgem has the legal powers to force a supplier to become a SoLR. It’s not perfect but it works.""
It's far from perfect it needs a complete overhaul IMHO it's slewed to the benefit of the SoLR, There should be a faster process for customers to pick their own supplier 2 or 3 months minimum stuck on a tariff that is/can be much more expensive 

I do not believe that to be true. I was with GBEnergy when it failed. I waited 10 days for the SoLR to takeover my supply and I initiated a switch which went through 17 days later. Yes, I had to pay the SoLR for the month that they were my supplier.

The answer lies in improving the process to Licence and monitor suppliers such that they are never in a position to fail. Sadly, this will no doubt restrict competition and there will be bowls of protest from those who just want the cheapest prices.

You are the exception rather than the rule  read the YE some on there are still stuck with SP and that was the SoLR they were put on on the 6th December 

Hoof_Hearted

What a pity. They seemed OK to me. Accurate bills and a decent web site. 
What a history: GB Energy, Together Energy, Zebra Power, Better Energy.

Furzeguy

I am currently waiting for a warm home discount to be applied to my account, I qualify in the broader group, and last week online it said my application is being processed. Am I likely to still get the £140 discount ... it means so much as I and my wife are disabled. I phoned CAB but they had no info.

Grumpy_chap

I've never been through SoLR before, so ready for the learning experience.

From what I have read / heard, a supplier fails, in this case GNE and OFCOM then tender the customer base as a job lot to the market place and SoLR takes over all the accounts.

Why does this result in all the customers ending on a non-competitive tariff? That seems, to me, to be the most expensive route for the new supplier as they then inherit a job lot of dissatisfied customers all looking for early exit to a competitive supplier.  So the SoLR has all the costs of setting up and closing accounts with very little revenue time in between.

Why don't the suppliers inheriting / bidding for the job lot of customers seek to place those customers on whatever that suppliers current competitive tariff is?  That way, the costs of setting up all the accounts stands a chance of migrating into an increased customer base that can be glad to stay knowing they are receiving a value solution.

What am I missing?