Moving house - how to move suppliers if no one will switch?

JonBr

Hi

We're about to move house (not exchanged yet but hope to complete in August). One of my big concerns is switching the energy supply, which is currently with EDF on a 3 year fix, gas and electricity. Compared to the cap, it's good - at least worth keeping.

I called EDF to ask what would happen when we move. Could be retain our contract / tarrif? The customer service guy assured me we could and made a note on the account to that effect, but I'm not convinced he is right.

There are a couple of other complications - we have a dual fuel discount at the moment, but will not be needing gas as the new house isn't on the gas main. Moreover, it has some sort of solar system which as far as I can tell is connected direct to the grid with a meter counting off the units as they are exported. The solar system is on the old Feed In Tariff (in brief, it gives you half the units exported off your bill under "deemed usage" rule, plus the other half at some paltry amount 5.5p or some such) and I wonder if I can take that contract over. The current feed-in is 3p a unit, which obviously isn't going to dent today's unit prices. Yes, it's a con, but the system is already installed.

Anyway, I don't know what to do. Anyone got experience or advice?

housebuyer143

I moved recently and British gas let me take my fantastic 3 yr FX to the new house. I just went online and did a house move form and done. 
I imagine they will let you take your tariff with you. Otherwise you just stay with the one that is at the property when you move in.

Not sure about the feed in tariff though.

JonBr

That's reassuring, thanks. Hopefully EDF will be reasonable.

I think the E.On FIT will go, and be replaced with the newer SEG. The SEG payments are separate from the electricity supply, meaning that one can have two suppliers, one to pay you the SEG and one that you pay for your use. That's how my research appears to be panning out, anyway.

anselld

Regarding the solar, the FIT contract remains with the property and you can take it over on the same terms assuming it is a fully owner-owned system.  The previous owner should request a hand-over pack from the FIT supplier when they leave and then you pick up the remainder of the 25 year contract.

I am not aware of energy suppliers doing home moves.  I though you hd to take a deemed contract from the previous supplier when you first move in but if housebuyer143 has done it recently then perhaps there are other options.

nicknameless

We are with EDF currently on a fantastic fix too and hoping to move soon and take it with us.  They are one of the companies who have said they will transfer fixes and don't seemed to have reneged on that.  There was a media piece not so long ago where they didn't do this for an older couple I think and then said it had been a customer service mistake not to, and this was not their policy.

canaldumidi

When you spoke to EDF did you explain a) you won't have gas and b) about the solar system?

If not, I assume that the agent assumed you would be transferring your existng product with them ie dual fuel/mains electricity.

I doubt they'll let you switch to a single fuel, with feed-in tariffs, on the same fixed price basis.

But only EDF can tell you that! If they DO offer to let you keep your existing tariif just for the electricity, ask them to confirm with an email!

Slithery

The legal position is that you don't retain your existing supplier - when you move you are automatically put onto a 'deemed contract' with whoever previously supplied the property.
However, some suppliers will let you then switch from the deemed supplier back to them and allow you to keep your old rate - this is their choice and they ae under no obligation to do so.

lizards

We recently moved, and Shell Energy, despite claiming we could keep our tariff ten days earlier when I told them I was moving when we exchanged, reneged on this once we'd moved in. In fact, they couldn't be less interested in keeping us even on the "standard" tariff, as I didn't want to touch Scottish Power (our seller's supplier) with a bargepole due to previous interactions with them.

Anyway, having been somewhat put off by Shell Energy behaving in a very Scottish Power-like way, for the sake of a simple life we decided to stick with Scottish Power on their "standard" tariff until new deals show up. Scottish Power managed to somehow excel themselves further, proving a leopard never changes their spots and causing us to instantly regret our decision, by trying to trick us into signing up for a two year contract on their "standard" tariff. After several hours on hold and being cut off several times, they said us asking to be on the "standard" tariff without a fixed term contract was "most irregular" and they'd need to speak to their "back office" about it, very begrudgingly. They relented eventually, claimed they would put us on the tariff we were legally entitled to, and promptly sent a letter to our new house, addressed to the sellers, welcoming them to Scottish Power. The saga continues.

If it wasn't for Virgin Media causing me to lose the will to live even further with their illogical shenanigans (stupidity rather than lies in their case), power companies come a close second. Everyone else has been great!

So yep, tl;dr -  it depends entirely on the company. Shell Energy won't do it, despite promising they will. Sounds like others do.

Bendy_House

Hi Jon.

Re the PV system, it isn't compulsory that your vendor has to hand over the FIT - it is possible for them to hold on to this even after they move to their new home, and continue to receive the payments.

Most folk WOULD do the 'decent thing' and transfer the contract to the buyer along with the house, but some sellers have been keen to hang on to their FIT, and the new homeowner then only has the benefit of the actual leccy being produced, which can be of very limited use if they aren't at home when the sun shines!

But there's another reason to make it clear NOW that you expect the FIT contract to be transferred; if the FIT stays with your vendor, then the panels effectively do so too. If you need to do work to your roof, or build a dormer, then you could/will end up in a tricky situation...

I'd ask your conveyancer NOW to have it confirmed that it'll be transfered to you, lock, stock, and two smokin' panels.

JonBr

Yes, thanks Bendy_House I read up and have requested FIT transfer (asked vendor and notified my solicitor). As they actually showed an example bill on the first viewing, those figures (including the FIT) were part of our buying decision, so I'd not have any qualms about backing out if the vendor wants to keep the FIT / panels.

Fortunately he has already agreed to hand it all over... he is a reasonable fellow and will be moving next door so is going to become a neighbour, so I am sure he won't want to sour the relationship.

About my conversation with EDF, I did say I only needed electricity but I didn't mention the solar system and FIT. I think that's irrelevant anyway as you can have the FIT via one supplier and grid supply via another (not that I know how it actually works regarding the "deemed 50% usage" side of things, which as far as I can see means half the generated electricity is taken from your grid usage and the other half is paid at the FIT going rate - 5.5p?).

Bendy_House

Cool - that all sounds good.

Yes, the PV is/can be completely separate, as ours is. Unless there's a valid reason to, I'd stay with the same FIT provider - just no need to change - and then choose your energy provider independently.

The 'deemed 50% usage' bit is just to make it easier for them to calculate a rough figure for which to pay you for them using leccy that you have produced. Since that rate is/was much smaller than the FIT, they were happy to 'settle' on "Let's just say you use half of what you generate, and we use half, and we'll pay you for what we take," instead of taking actual readings of your consumption and then subtracting this for the total amount generated.

I presume that still applies.