PfP Energy ceases trading - here's everything you need to know

tux900

Any penalty related to cancelling the Direct Debit is open to challenge as their Ts&Cs state:

10.4.3 if you do not provide Direct Debit information (within 10 days) or if we have been unable to collect a Direct Debit amount on at least 2 occasions, we may change your tariff to reflect a new payment method which could be subject to higher charges, by giving you at least 3 Working Days' notice of the change;

Thus to be bound by this you'd have to miss two payments and fail to reinstate the DD within the 3 working day warning window. Besides which, based on previous SoLR migrations, the SoLR is appointed within a matter of days anyway at which point you are no longer on supply with PFP and your obligations towards them is limited entirely to settlement of previously accrued debt.

jkaiser

I wrote to PFP Energy regarding the penalty charge and they responded as follows:

Due to PFP energy ceasing trade you will need to wait till the new supplier has taken over to gain the refund on your account. I apologise in regards to this but you will obtain the refund once the supplier has been selected and received your account if they want to waiver any charges this would be down to them. Please note you will still be billed for energy so you will need to pay bills to avoid large catch up payments when your supply is transferred.

And in the meantime, PFP Energy are helping themselves to any credit balances they can avail. As tux900 mentioned, their T&Cs don't mention any penalty charges. Seems like daylight robbery.

tux900

I'm surprised they even replied!

jkaiser

Another reply from the same person (after I insisted on a refund):

The charge is a penalty charge as per your terms and conditions.

If you want this charge removed, you would need to contact our call centre and reinstate your direct debit. Once done so as a good will gesture, this will be removed

I did rang up the call centre and got through to some immediately. They informed me that the penalty charge would be removed once the account is transferred to the new supplier. They also said they could not remove the penalty charge because PFP’s billing department was not available and could not rectify payment errors at the moment.

tux900

If you've got a line of communication with them maybe you could ask them to be a bit more specific about which T&C you've breached.

I wouldn't expect any change in outcome though - having ceased trading at most they'll be keeping the lights on whilst the administrator is appointed. They certainly can't go making payments to anyone.

greenguppie

British Gas appointed as SoLR for both failed suppliers

"Outstanding credit balances, including money owed to both existing and former customers of PfP Energy and MoneyPlus Energy, will also be honoured. British Gas will also absorb some of the costs of honouring customers’ credit balances and the migration of customers. 

For existing customers of both failed suppliers, energy supplies will continue as normal as they switch over to British Gas on Saturday 11 September. 

Customers of PfP Energy and MoneyPlus Energy will be contacted over the coming days about the changes. "

"British Gas will be in touch with customers with direct debits to explain how to set up their account. Customers are advised not to cancel their direct debits as their new suppliers will aim to transfer these. "

"Current and former customers who owe money, or are in debit to PfP Energy and MoneyPlus Energy should wait to hear from British Gas or PfP Energy’s / MoneyPlus Energy’s administrators.  "

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-appoints-british-gas-take-customers-pfp-energy-and-moneyplus-energy

danielson81

Will be interesting, just got a quote from BG, best they can offer is: (London region, electric only)

Standard unit rate	20.773p per kWh
Standing charge	21.937p per day*

Penelopa.Pitstop

Shocking prices at BG, 50% more than I've been paying at the moment. I will have to move away, after my issues with bills are sorted.
Do they have to honour existing tariffs until their fixed period end?

MoneySavingNovice

greenguppie said:

British Gas appointed as SoLR for both failed suppliers.....

Thanks for the update

When Robin Hood went bust I had the joy(?) of a forced move to British Gas.....less than a year later I'm back with BG for effectively the same reasons.  They mucked it up the first time as well!   You can't make it up!

razord

Penelopa.Pitstop said:

Shocking prices at BG, 50% more than I've been paying at the moment. I will have to move away, after my issues with bills are sorted.
Do they have to honour existing tariffs until their fixed period end?

Unfortunately, it's pretty much shocking prices everywhere.