Ofgem blanket ban on energy companies taking on new properties

Section62

macman said:

markin said:

Some have been banned, But not Scottish Power or any big companies.

No one has been banned! But no supplier wants to take on new customers on SVT because they are doing so at a loss.

Ofgem have banned some companies taking on new customers in the past (typically over customer service issues) - but this has nothing to do with the OP's situation.

....unless there is very big news about Scottish Power due to be announced.

pochase

Outfox the market for example is not allowed to take on any new customers, so yes they are banned by Ofgem. See below

The Authority, pursuant to section 25(2) of the Electricity Act and section 28(2) of the Gas Act, and for the purpose of securing compliance with SLC 4B, makes a Provisional Order requiring Foxglove: 

1. Not to act in contravention of SLC 4B; 2. By 2 August 2022 improve its financial position such that it can demonstrate that it can operate effectively under all financial stress test scenarios provided by the Authority

2 to Foxglove alongside this Order, and in so doing ensure it will be able to meet its Renewables Obligation liability when this falls due3 ;

 3. By no later than 5pm on 5 August 2022 provide the Authority with a report confirming Foxglove’s compliance with paragraphs 1 and 2 above; 

4. Until the provision of the report referred to in paragraph 3 above: 

a. Refrain from all sales, marketing and customer acquisition activity, including the acquisition of any new domestic customers or upgrading of all existing domestic customer to dual fuel; 

b. Refrain from making any payment, providing any loan or transferring any asset to any third party unless that payment, loan or transfer is essential to Foxglove’s operation as a supplier of gas and electricity to consumers. 

macman

Yes, Ofgem can do that (and did, to a number of companies who are no longer in the market), but, to be clear, there is no blanket ban on switching in place, under or outside the price cap.
Call centre staff making such claims need to be sent for 'retraining'.

Vincero

The only company I've seen actively happy to take on new customers on SVT terms is Utility Warehouse.
Most Others just will not quote or ask you to call or only offer fixed term 'deals'...

Alnat1

Octopus and EDF still appear to be taking on new customer but you do have to ring them and ask, it can't be done online.

SMcGill

I contacted EonNext to ask about carrying my existing tariff over to my next home and they said this is possible, as long as it’s a like for like arrangement i.e. no switch from DD to prepayment and depending on how much longer my tariff has to run. Is that not standard practice then?

QrizB

SMcGill said:

I contacted EonNext to ask about carrying my existing tariff over to my next home and they said this is possible, as long as it’s a like for like arrangement i.e. no switch from DD to prepayment and depending on how much longer my tariff has to run. Is that not standard practice then?

No, definitely not standard. Relatively few suppliers permit it.

GunJack

QrizB said:

SMcGill said:

I contacted EonNext to ask about carrying my existing tariff over to my next home and they said this is possible, as long as it’s a like for like arrangement i.e. no switch from DD to prepayment and depending on how much longer my tariff has to run. Is that not standard practice then?

No, definitely not standard. Relatively few suppliers permit it.

How does this get around the deemed supplier in the new property issue? or will it only work if the same supplier currently supplies both properties?

MattMattMattUK

GunJack said:

QrizB said:

SMcGill said:

I contacted EonNext to ask about carrying my existing tariff over to my next home and they said this is possible, as long as it’s a like for like arrangement i.e. no switch from DD to prepayment and depending on how much longer my tariff has to run. Is that not standard practice then?

No, definitely not standard. Relatively few suppliers permit it.

How does this get around the deemed supplier in the new property issue? or will it only work if the same supplier currently supplies both properties?

You sign up with the existing supplier in the new property as required, then after the waiting period when you initiate the transfer to the supplier from the previous property.  

pochase

MattMattMattUK said:

GunJack said:

QrizB said:

SMcGill said:

I contacted EonNext to ask about carrying my existing tariff over to my next home and they said this is possible, as long as it’s a like for like arrangement i.e. no switch from DD to prepayment and depending on how much longer my tariff has to run. Is that not standard practice then?

No, definitely not standard. Relatively few suppliers permit it.

How does this get around the deemed supplier in the new property issue? or will it only work if the same supplier currently supplies both properties?

You sign up with the existing supplier in the new property as required, then after the waiting period when you initiate the transfer to the supplier from the previous property.  

Do you have any information regarding the waiting period? 

Is the 21 days you have to wait between switching to the next supplier after a switch also true for a going deemed tariff? Was discussed in another thread and nobody had any real written information.