Automatically contracted to an energy provider I've never even heard of or signed up to.

Space_Cat

NB: I've also posted this on the house moving board

I moved into a freehold property where gas and elec is supplied by the Utility Warehouse. On moving in there was a letter waiting for me saying welcome to your new energy provider Utility Warehouse. Please submit both gas and elec readings.

BUT I've not signed up for anything, I've not even heard of the Utility Warehouse. When moving in I expected there to be no gas or elec until I'd signed up with a energy provided or transfer my existing energy provider (Shell Energy) to the new property? When moving in I took a camping stove to the property as I assumed there initially would be no gas or elec.

If I decide not to stay with the Utility Warehouse and change provided will I be charged a cancellation fee even though I've got no contract with them. !!!!!!?

But maybe it's what happens nowadays when you move home, I've not moved in years?

loubel

The utilities will be supplied by the same provider as used by the last occupier unless or until you change it. It would be very unusual to disconnect gas and electricity supplies.

silvercar

You start on a deemed contract with the previous supplier. You are free to change to whoever you like.

utility warehouse are unusual in that they operate by offering you discounts depending how many services you take from them eg adding broadband and a mobile will make your gas and electric prices cheaper. 

Bendy_House

Utility Warehouse would almost certainly have been informed by the vendor of their leaving, along with final meter readings. They are now hoping that you will - for the sake of convenience - just carry on with them, hence 'welcome!'

It's still 'with' UW because there's still G&E coming in to your house, and anything that you use you'll be charged for - this will most likely be on their standard variable rate as no choice has been made, and no contract agreed.

You will be free to leave, and go on to your chosen supplier.

Almost certain. 99.99999etc%

Keep_pedalling

It would be a rather stupid system if it worked the way your thought it should, as you could be days without power after moving in to your new home. You would also have to pay a connection charge to get up and running. 

Jonboy_1984

As Silvercar says you have a deemed contract with Utility Warehouse to ensure you have a supply upon moving in (otherwise suppliers could credit check and refuse a connection to anyone if they felt like it).

You MUST sign up with them initially and provide opening readings, but can then appoint someone else if you choose (normally switching can happen after around 21 days). You WILL need to pay them directly for any usage and standing charges before any switch happens.

You don’t have to enter a fixed price and duration tariff with your deemed provider as you will be on their standard variable tariff (currently capped per energy support scheme) and may need to be firm if they try and convince you otherwise…

You can also refuse to set up a direct debit and pay on receipt of bill on a deemed contract(again they may pressure you upon sign up to arrange a DD) but will pay more per unit for not paying by direct debit.
 This will however avoid them trying to guesstimate usage and getting into large amounts of money on account if you don’t intend to stay with the deemed provider for long.

You may struggle to find another supplier willing to take you on their standard variable tariffs at this time.

[Deleted User]

No cancellation fee. It’s completely normal.

With threads like this appearing every day (even with people refusing to pay their bill and making formal complaints that they are not with the supplier they want) I’m starting to wonder if nobody actually does any research before moving house!

user1977

Space_Cat said:

When moving in I expected there to be no gas or elec until I'd signed up with a energy provided or transfer my existing energy provider (Shell Energy) to the new property? When moving in I took a camping stove to the property as I assumed there initially would be no gas or elec.

But maybe it's what happens nowadays when you move home, I've not moved in years?

I'm not aware of it ever being the case that gas/electricity get cut off just because the residents have moved out - when have you encountered that? Suppliers only come round to cut off supplies in extreme cases of non-payment.

Robin9

@Space_Cat There are very few things where you sign on the dotted line these days -  when did you last sign a contract for your mobile phone, broadband, water, council tax ?

Flugelhorn

this is pretty standard on moving in , you are using the company that the previous people used and you choose the one you want - contact them and they do all the change over and liaise with utility warehouse or whoever. We have done 4 purchases / rentals in the last few years,. 3 we changed to bulb and the 4th stayed with British Gas as the world had gone mad and it was not worth changing 

MattMattMattUK

[Deleted User] said:

No cancellation fee. It’s completely normal.

With threads like this appearing every day (even with people refusing to pay their bill and making formal complaints that they are not with the supplier they want) I’m starting to wonder if nobody actually does any research before moving house!

It is the extreme and irrational nature of their response as well. They are not just asking if what they think is correct actually is, but that what is happening "surely is not right", "is morally wrong", or the more hysterical "I deserve compensation" and "This must be illegal" type reactions. I do not understand how people's first reaction to a situation is not "I will attempt to understand this", but "This is the end of the world/fraud/a scam/illegal/something that deserves compensation".