Retain energy supplier when moving house

trient

I have a fixed deal with Sainsbury's Energy. I have just moved house and would like to keep my contract at the new property.

Before I moved house I asked them if I could keep using them at the new property, and they confirmed they would supply energy there and I should just give them the closing and opening meters on move day, which I just did over email.

However the reply just came saying that because the previous owners were with Eon Next, since this is "technically" the same company, they can't switch my Sainsbury's Energy contract at the new address. They advised the only way to stay a Sainsbury's Energy customer would be to switch energy provider, wait 30 days then switch back as a Sainsbury's customer.  Unfortunately though they are not currently taking on new customers!  So catch 22 - I have to switch out, lose my fixed tariff, but I won't be able to come back.

I called them and a lady on the phone said I couldn't keep my current contract.  She could take my details and register me as a new Eon Next customer, but on the standard tariff.

This feels like a "computer says no" situation. Is this normal? Can I not retain my tariff when moving house irrespective of who was supplying the property before?  Is there any recourse?

Robin9

It's true  -  you can't keep the contract -  that relates to the existing property.  In the old days some companies did but today they loose money on every customer they have so you can understand they are not very willing.

trient

For context, my fixed tariff is of course unheard of these days, but MSE's cheap energy club says that even when it ends (in about 3 months) the tariff for existing customers I would be moving to would still be much lower that market rates. But they don't seem to allow me to stay as a customer...

Alnat1

It isn't usual to keep your tariff when you move. The tariff is for the property, not the occupier.

When you move into a property you automatically become a customer of the company who already supply it, in your case, Eon Next.

Once you have given your details and opening meter reads to Eon Next you are able to start a switch to another supplier if you wish/are able.

[Deleted User]

I was able to take my tariff/contract with me when I moved home 4 years ago. The tariff was adjusted for regional differences. When I moved in, I contacted the deemed supplier etc and I then initiated a switch to my old supplier via a telephone call. Three weeks later, the transfer went through and I paid the deemed supplier for about 3 weeks of supply. Times have changed and suppliers are losing money on many of their contracts.

As others have said, white-label suppliers act as independent suppliers even though they may be owned; supplied and administered by their parent company.

bristolleedsfan

British Gas allow tariff to move to new address, Octopus have been known to let its customers keep existing fixed rate at new address as well.

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/moving-home/energy-suppliers.html

QrizB

trient said:

... MSE's cheap energy club says that even when it ends (in about 3 months) the tariff for existing customers I would be moving to would still be much lower that market rates.

That seems unlikely. Every supplier's standard variable rate is essentially identical now (although with some variations in E7 day/night split).

Exactly what rate did you expect Sainsbury's Energy to offer when your fix expired, and what rate are you paying E.ON Next currently?

trient

Sorry for the belated update (moving house's a charm), but just in case this helps anyone else - I did manage to have Sainsbury's Energy honour the deal I had at the old property. Turned out it was just untrained customer service - they were able to continue my contract at the new property without ever landing on E.on Next (my sellers' supplier).  I was quite impressed with the outcome.

On to more pressing issues - my fix ends in 2 months days before the upcoming hike - I have a feeling I might need to do something!

Mstty

trient said:

Sorry for the belated update (moving house's a charm), but just in case this helps anyone else - I did manage to have Sainsbury's Energy honour the deal I had at the old property. Turned out it was just untrained customer service - they were able to continue my contract at the new property without ever landing on E.on Next (my sellers' supplier).  I was quite impressed with the outcome.

On to more pressing issues - my fix ends in 2 months days before the upcoming hike - I have a feeling I might need to do something!

Sparkling fixed tariff may suit 

https://www.greenenergyuk.com/