Energy companies making switching providers difficult

MixupAddress

I've contacted nearly every energy company due to an incorrect address on their websites. 

I've yet to find a good energy company that I feel confident to switch to so I'm stuck paying higher bills. 

Several energy companies have lied, ignored messages and do not take any responsibility for the problems they cause.

I got £50 through the energy ombudsman for British gas stopping me switching because they set up an account at my address and did not want to deal with me because I am not their customer. I spent months and sent over 100 emails trying to get the issue corrected because I didn't know how the problem was caused so doesn't even pay minimum wage for one days work. 

Then after getting ecoes and xoserve corrected I have to contact every single energy company that holds the wrong address on their website.

Surely there should be one single point to correct an address issue. It looks like I will have to go through the energy ombudsman to get every single energy company to refresh their website. 

Any one got any ideas to fix this quickly. Are energy companies getting proof of address for potential customers or can anyone set up an account at your address. 

MikeJXE

My granddaughter had a similar issue
she wanted to switch to Octopus but they couldn’t find her address when switching online. A simple phone call solved the problem in a couple of minutes 

Gerry1

This is the seventh thread you've started on the same topic.  It's getting very confusing.
Can't you just stick to one?

EssexHebridean

Original thread here for a little extra background: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6548859/address-mix-up-by-british-gas#latest

mr_stripey

I still don't understand the actual problem, and for balance there a millions of customers who have switched energy suppliers without any issues.

So far from the energy companies "making it difficult" is it more likely that this is a relatively isolated problem because of some inaccurate data they hold for you?

EssexHebridean

MixupAddress said:

Is it up to you how many posts I start. The issue still exists and I am trying to get it sorted. If the energy companies sorted it I wouldn't have to post anything. Which one do you work for. 

The reason for the comment is that it often means that each and every thread ends up light on information, and that people's time gets used asking and answering the same questions over and over again. Best by far to use a single thread, and to then just update it with further points as they arise, as it retains the history - both for you, and for those trying to assist you. when asking for help, it's usually best to make things as straightforward as possible! 

Accusations or suggestions that forum members are somehow in the pockets of energy companies don't help your cause really. For a start anyone posting here on behalf of an organisation is required to put that information in their signature - so it's easy to tell if that is in fact the case. It's also a bit of an unencouraging attitude towards others who might want to help - as it suggests that should we offer a response which is not what you want to read, a personal attack will follow.

MixupAddress

Yes they hold incorrect data. The companies hold the same incorrect address so there must be one single place it can be corrected where it is pulling in data for the website. I got it corrected in xoserve and ecoes and want the energy companies to refresh their websites to match the data. The incorrect address has caused me numerous problems. I'm trying to get them to correct it but I am getting nowhere. Only the comparison sites uswitch and compare the market were really helpful. 

MixupAddress

OK thanks I understand now you have explained it Gerry1