Moving House - Bulb Not Allowing switch - what to do?

Dourn

Hi all.
Hoping someone can offer some advice.
I'm moving house as I have bought a house, and had to leave my rental property.
However, there is a gap between leaving my rental (Bulb supplied electricity and gas) and moving into the new house (completion due today, 1st Nov).

I contacted Bulb on Friday to see if they could supply me at my new place.
The helpful chap on the phone said that Bulb are no longer taking on new accounts, nor switching existing accounts to new properties.
I had to ask him to confirm this twice. I can only assume this is related to the new that they are on the brink of collapse.

The new house is currently supplied by Eon Next.
I contacted Eon about an account, and was told that my only option is to sign up for a 2-year fixed deal with them.
British Gas said I'd need to sign up to a 1-year fixed rate.
Octopus said they're not taking on new accounts the moment (what they actually said is that they don't recommend switching at the moment, and that I'd need to call them to see if they would take me on).

I know Martin has don't switch but... I don't have a choice.
I assume if I do nothing, Eon will supply my gas/electricity and... what? Send me a bill? Force me to sign up?

So my question is: what's the best thing to do. See if anyone is doing a variable rate, which will be at the Ofgem cap?
Sign up for a fixed rate, in the assumption that this fixed rate is going to be cheaper than the Ofgem cap over the next year?
Do nothing, and refuse to sign a fixed-rate contract with Eon?

Any advice helpful - or if you know of the best deal for new customers somewhere, let me know.
It's a horrible time to be needing a new gas/electricity supplier.

Thanks.

brewerdave

When you move to the new place, do nothing other than tell EON Next that you are in possession, the meter readings and refuse to sign up for any fixed deals. They are obliged to put you on their SVR which will be at (or near) the OFGEM cap level. 

mark_c77777

I'm in a similar position, and not sure what to do. I Contact Scottish power this morning to see if I can move my tariff, who said I couldn't. We currently pay £283 per month fixed for Gas and Electric (till oct 2022), and they want to charge me £453 just for electric as the new house as a oil fired boiler. This is based on the last 12 months energy usage, with is about 20% higher than it should have been. But even so this is a scary increase, that is now making me think twice about moving to the disappointment of my wife.

emmajones1976

It really is no surprise that providers are not letting people move over cheap fixed rates to new houses, they are under no obligation to and from their point of view they want as many people as possible off those fixed rates as quickly as possible.

As for the OP, the advice already given is correct. He or she will have to close their Bulb account and sign up with EON, asking for the standard variable rate. Ignore any suggestion from them that you have to go on one of their eye watering fixed rates, and ask to speak to someone else if needs be.

mark_c77777

emmajones1976 said:

It really is no surprise that providers are not letting people move over cheap fixed rates to new houses, they are under no obligation to and from their point of view they want as many people as possible off those fixed rates as quickly as possible.

As for the OP, the advice already given is correct. He or she will have to close their Bulb account and sign up with EON, asking for the standard variable rate. Ignore any suggestion from them that you have to go on one of their eye watering fixed rates, and ask to speak to someone else if needs be.

This is all new to me. Can you refused to go on a tariff? I take it they can't refused to cut you off if your paying your electricity bill each month or quarter.

doodling

Hi,

If you are moving into a house then you will end up on the standard variable rate with the supplier that supplied the previous occupants, you then need to give them your details and the meter readings.  By default energy will be supplied at standard variable tariff rates.

Most suppliers would dearly like people who move into a new house to move to an expensive fixed rate.  The general consensus is that at the moment you should say "No, I'd like to stay on the variable rate".

There is no process by which you can take an existing contract between properties.  Some suppliers might have previously allowed you to do something equivalent but they almost certainly won't be doing that now.  Even if suppliers did provide that facility, you always end up with the previous supplier at that property when you move in so what they would be offering is a take-over of the supply with some kind of continuity of the account.  In that case you should still receive a bill from the previous supplier at the property for the time between you moving in and your previous supplier taking over.

QrizB

mark_c77777 said:

emmajones1976 said:

As for the OP, the advice already given is correct. He or she will have to close their Bulb account and sign up with EON, asking for the standard variable rate. Ignore any suggestion from them that you have to go on one of their eye watering fixed rates, and ask to speak to someone else if needs be.

This is all new to me. Can you refused to go on a tariff? I take it they can't refused to cut you off if your paying your electricity bill each month or quarter.

As soon as you start using energy at a property, you are entered into a deemed contract with the supplier. If you have not agreed a tariff you will be placed onto their deemed one. The deemed tariff is an Ofgem-capped variable one.

emmajones1976

mark_c77777 said:

emmajones1976 said:

It really is no surprise that providers are not letting people move over cheap fixed rates to new houses, they are under no obligation to and from their point of view they want as many people as possible off those fixed rates as quickly as possible.

As for the OP, the advice already given is correct. He or she will have to close their Bulb account and sign up with EON, asking for the standard variable rate. Ignore any suggestion from them that you have to go on one of their eye watering fixed rates, and ask to speak to someone else if needs be.

This is all new to me. Can you refused to go on a tariff? I take it they can't refused to cut you off if your paying your electricity bill each month or quarter.

You cant refuse to take your electric from the provider at your new house, no.
You can, of course, initiate a switch away from EON once you move there however a) you will still have to register with them first and then pay them for the energy you use between moving in and the switch date, and b) you arent going to get anything any cheaper elsewhere than the current Ofgem cap, so its a pointless exercise. That's assuming its even a possibility at the moment.

Jeff_Dee

Looks like there are some really underhand tactics in use at the moment by the energy companies. 

I've just moved, and tried to setup an account online with the incumbent supplier, British Gas. However as part of the account creation process I was only given an option of a couple of fixed tariffs, both with a £50 exit fee.

So I cancelled that process and went through the online chat instead, and insisted on the SVR tariffs, which I got. It was set up as quarterly payment which I think is a bit more expensive so I'll need to set up a DD to bring the price down a bit.

molerat

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021-10/20211028 - JB open letter to suppliers_0.pdf

Tariff offering – We understand the reluctance of suppliers to promote tariffs that are currently loss making, but consumers should nevertheless be able to obtain price cap compliant tariffs in line with suppliers’ licence conditions and obligations.

It is part of their licence conditions so must offer existing and deemed contract customers the (capped) SVR.

EssexHebridean

I was really impressed with the approach Octopus are taking on this - when you try to get a quote from them at the moment you get a page that says:

You need to know this 👇

Right now, energy prices are at record highs, and most homes will be better off staying with their current energy supplier for the winter.

If your fixed term is coming to an end, don't choose a new tariff or switch supplier.

Instead, let your supplier automatically move you to their default tariff, so your prices are protected by the Government's Energy Price Cap.

Would you like an email when prices fall?

Makes me all the more certain that I'd like to switch to them at the point where switching becomes a thing we do again!