automatic signup with Ovo when renting through Housing Association

fedupwithdatasharing

Hi!
I was wondering if someone can help me with this: 
When first renting my flat, my housing association signed me up with a platform that checks references which seems to have a relationship with Ovo Energy, so the signup triggered an account being opened automatically in my name and Ovo informing me that they are now my energy supplier. 
Is this legal? I obviously must have clicked okay somewhere for my data to be shared (in my desperation to secure the flat) and so agreed to the signup. But could this not contravene fair business practice regulations?

I was obviously having none of it and immediately switched to Octopus, but it created a nightmare in that Ovo weren't actually my energy supplier (yet?) it turned out, that was British Gas.

But I wanted to know what I can say in my complaint to the housing association. Does anybody know legalities around this? Any help much appreciated. Thank you!

Brie

I would suggest that there's something in the tenancy agreement that mentions this somewhere, somehow. 

Obviously even before you signed the tenancy agreement the flat was being provided an energy account by someone.  So it's normal that you would take on that provider and that then you might decide to switch elsewhere. 

If there's no mention how the HA goes from a reference check to your data being handed to Ovo then I would assume that it might be a breach of data protection in that the HA is handing your info to a 3rd party without your consent.  The devil will be in the detail somewhere in the small print to show that the HA can give away this info without your specific prior knowledge of who the recipient(s) might be.   

So step one - review all the documents received from the HA and then decide if there is cause for complaint.

Scot_39

Private landlords could AFAIK also pass your details on iirc - as part of them closing their account for supply up until the day your rental period began.

Its a form of protection.

And in any case I suspect your HA may have it covered in any rental agreement or terms and conditions referred to therein.

What you should do is check the meter readings against those when you became responsible - not always the day you move in on a private rental (but the first day you could have - when rental agreement started if different by your choice) - LHA ?

As to the data - its not providing anything data wise to the sitting supplier - you weren't obliged to.

And if anything has saved you the complication / time of doing so yourself.

As you are obliged to sign you up to the deemed supplier (the one used by previous occupant) - in this case Ovo - from day 1 and providing day 1 readings that you shuld have taken for all metered services (elec, gas, water if applicable etc) - so you would have to register in your name yourself anyway.

And then after having an account at the demmed supplier, then and only then can you switch that account / supply to a supplier of your choice.

And you should not have been signed into a fix - only the variable deemed tariff for your meter type.

And it's highly unlikely that you cannot now change to any other supplier - but again check your rental agreement - willing to accept you on a suitable tariff - subject to any exotic metering agreement blocking a move at a particular supplier.

Ildhund

fedupwithdatasharing said:

When first renting my flat, my housing association signed me up with a platform that checks references which seems to have a relationship with Ovo Energy, ...

What platform was this? Tili, perhaps?

fedupwithdatasharing

Yes @Ildhund it was Tili

WBCPB

From my tenancy agreement:

The Tenant agrees that the letting agent may pass the Tenant’s name and contact details 

to OVO Energy (also trading as SSE) for the purposes of:  

(a) registering the gas and electricity meters at the property in the Tenant’s name with OVO Energy, 

providing gas and electricity to the Tenant and administering the Tenant’s account with OVO 

Energy;  

(b) registering the Tenant with the relevant local authority for the payment of council tax; and  

(c) registering the Tenant with the incumbent water supplier to the property. The water supplier may contact the Tenant in order to provide further information about its services and products and conclude an agreement with the Tenant for those services and products.  

OVO Energy will use the Tenant’s name and contact details to fulfil the Tenant’s contract with OVO Energy and only for the purposes set out above. OVO Energy will comply with its obligations as a data controller in the Data Protection Act 1998, the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679) and any other data protection legislation which is enacted in the UK and will handle Tenant’s data in the manner set out in OVO Energy’s standard terms and conditions and/or privacy policy. OVO Energy will not share the Tenant’s details with any third party other than the relevant local authority and incumbent water supplier, and will hold the Tenant’s details for the duration of the contract.The Tenant is reminded of their rights under the General Data Protection Regulation to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, and  portability of their data. If the Tenant is dissatisfied with the manner in which OVO Energy handles their details they may lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office. If the Tenant has any questions regarding the details or use of the Tenant’s data held by OVO Energy, the Tenant may contact OVO Energy at 1 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6ED or  hello@ovoenergy.com. 

You will most likely find something similar in your Tenancy T & Cs. The good news is that switching suppliers is done relatively quickly now.[ it should take less than five working days ]

Gerry1

I'd draw a red line through that lot and tell them where to shove it !

WBCPB

Gerry1 said:

I'd draw a red line through that lot and tell them where to shove it !

That would mean me pitching a tent in the letting agents doorway.
This crap is what most renters have to put up with nowadays, too many renters chasing too few properties, both landlord and agent have you by the short and curlies [ in my experience ] chasing for their % commissions since the abolition of fees.
My letting agent also tried to sign me up to their insurer for MY contents insurance, but they had crossed the line with that suggestion.

Scot_39

Can the OP not just now swap away from Ovo now registered ?

Just like a normal move would require registration of supply at the new address with deemed supplier ?

I havent seen anything yet that says they have to stay with Ovo - which I would then take a strong objection to - but as it is - surely all this does - is save the new tennant in this case the effort of contacting  3/4 seperate suppliers.

Because as someone with family who worked in HA management teams - it's a thing that many do struggle with.

But you do wonder who pays - as the website says free to the user.

Gerry1

Scot_39 said:

But you do wonder who pays - as the website says free to the user.

Ofgem made Spark Energy pay out £250,000 for breaches of their supply licence.  A significant part of their business model was to pay commission to estate agents and landlords to sign up tenants to contracts that weren't the cheapest.

Guess who took over Spark Energy?  Yup, it was Ovo.

Gerry1

Scot_39 said:

But you do wonder who pays - as the website says free to the user.

"Tili helps your customers set up all their essential home services, such as energy, broadband and TV in minutes, online and all in one place.  "It's free for them, free for you, and when they use it, you'll earn revenue".

Surprise, surprise, Tili is owned by Ovo.