Small Business Energy help for broker scams

MeteredOut

So you've signed a new contract and that is legally binding and have asked "Can we cancel/terminate before it starts by contact Engie direct?"

Frankly, no-one here can tell you that. What does the contract you signed actually say?

The important thing now it to determine your cancellation rights. Only once you know that can/should you make any decision to move elsewhere.

Alongside that, do as others have suggested and see if you can get quotes elsewhere. You've suggested this is not possible whilst in contract (is that actually part of the contract?) so there could be challenges here too.

I'd not be surprised that you've tied yourself into the broker for those 3 years, with hefty termination fees. Since this is a business contract, you do not have the same protection that consumers do.

Blend and Extend: 

https://www.businessrescueexpert.co.uk/what-is-a-blend-and-extend-energy-contract/

Sounds like a way to immediately lower ppkWh now, but likely pay more overall over the period of the contract.

MultiFuelBurner

It sounds like you may have needed to know exactly what you were signing up to and the risks versus reward.

BlaydonRace96

I am looking for other people who have had a similar experience to my own.

I was mis-sold a new energy and gas contract by Northern Gas and Power.

Without wanting to go into too much detail on the matter. 

I was recently mis-sold a contract by Northern Gas and Power on one of their ‘blend and extend’ contracts.

What I was sold within the contract was not what had been stated to me in the almost daily (they rang nearly everyday) phone calls and the description of the product in the body of the email that I was also sent by an employee.

Despite my attempts to cancel the contract as stated within their terms and conditions and my attempts to contact them to understand why the product was not tracking the market, I am currently having to pay over 50p kWh, they have just ignored me.

The matter is now in the hands of the Energy Ombudsman but during my investigations I have come across 8 other individuals/businesses who have found themselves in nearly the exact same situation.

One of whom has already successfully won their claim against Northern Gas and Power and the Energy Ombudsman has ruled that their contract was indeed mis-sold.

I have come across a few similar posts in these forums from people who it seems are in the same situation but I am writing this to see how widespread the problem is.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have found yourself in a similar situation so that we can perhaps share advice, notes and assistant one and other. 

I am also being very careful as to what I say because it seems whenever a subject like this is raised in relation to the said company, lots of people seem to come out of the word work in their defence. Or attempts are allegedly made to get any sort of critical or negative comments/posts removed. 

You only need look at some of their reviews on Indeed to see that they allegedly pay their employees to leave positive reviews and comments in relation to the company on various recommendation websites and forums. 

MultiFuelBurner

BlaydonRace96 said:

I am looking for other people who have had a similar experience to my own.

I was mis-sold a new energy and gas contract by Northern Gas and Power.

Without wanting to go into too much detail on the matter. 

I was recently mis-sold a contract by Northern Gas and Power on one of their ‘blend and extend’ contracts.

What I was sold within the contract was not what had been stated to me in the almost daily (they rang nearly everyday) phone calls and the description of the product in the body of the email that I was also sent by an employee.

Despite my attempts to cancel the contract as stated within their terms and conditions and my attempts to contact them to understand why the product was not tracking the market, I am currently having to pay over 50p kWh, they have just ignored me.

The matter is now in the hands of the Energy Ombudsman but during my investigations I have come across 8 other individuals/businesses who have found themselves in nearly the exact same situation.

One of whom has already successfully won their claim against Northern Gas and Power and the Energy Ombudsman has ruled that their contract was indeed mis-sold.

I have come across a few similar posts in these forums from people who it seems are in the same situation but I am writing this to see how widespread the problem is.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have found yourself in a similar situation so that we can perhaps share advice, notes and assistant one and other. 

I am also being very careful as to what I say because it seems whenever a subject like this is raised in relation to the said company, lots of people seem to come out of the word work in their defence. Or attempts are allegedly made to get any sort of critical or negative comments/posts removed. 

You only need look at some of their reviews on Indeed to see that they allegedly pay their employees to leave positive reviews and comments in relation to the company on various recommendation websites and forums. 

Sadly this posted stopped responding like so many do when they realise what they have signed up for us contractually enforceable.

It's the wild west out there for business energy.

ashleighhays

Blend & Extend contracts have been miss sold for many years.  

Your supply must be live with Engie.
There must be a minimum of 12 months from your current contract end date to Engies End of Curve which is the latest date they will contract, this usually changes every 3/6 months.
Blend & Extend is no longer available to new customers only renewal contracts.

Your first point of contact should be to contact Engie and request they obtain all call recordings between yourself and the broker as you have been miss sold and they will need to complete an investigation.  Once the investigation has been carried out if you are not happy with the outcome you can request a deadlock letter and take things further with the Ombudsman.

Tony782614

We found ourselves in the same position with two blend and extend contracts sold by Northern Gas and Power with Engie in 2023 , we were locked in at 55p per unit for Electricity  . When we went to blend the original contacts were told that that options was no longer available and they were now cash back contacts and offered  a sum of £2.63 per invoice  .The wholesale unit rate has dropped to around 25 pence per unit hence I expected to be able to able to fix our unit price  to around that figure as per all the information we were given by NS&P regarding the benefits of the blend and extent contacts .

  I rejected the offer from Engie and an opened a case with Energy Ombudsman against NG&P . Last week were awarded a pay-out of 10k as the Ombudsman ruled that the we were clearly mis sold the product (please note that if you are going to do the same open a case for each contact if you have more than one as the cap on compensation is 10k )