MRA OfGem Data Base

TimGriff6

Did anyone agree to their energy company sharing their contact details and details of their energy use and costs on the national data base so that prospective energy suppliers can chase them?

DE_612183

I think when you sign a contract with a supplier you are added to their database - if you don't agree you don't have to, but I doubt you'd get a supplier who'd supply you - then you'd end up of the "supplier of last resort" and your prices would be a lot more.

Whats the issue here?

What problem are you encountering?

TimGriff6

My energy supplier has put my details on a national data base which is accessible to all energy suppliers and associated companies.  I am constantly being pestered by people (who know far too much about me) trying to get me to change suppliers.  I suspect that some of the insulating companies also have access to this data base.

DE_612183

are you sure you haven't added your details to a "compare energy prices" website - thats much more likely that suppliers accessing the MRA

Netexporter

Companies offering energy efficiency services generally get your address from the EPC database, which is a public document.

Do you ever use free services on the internet, such as Google? If it is free, you are the product.

TimGriff6

The last one today told me explicitly that they had got my details from the Ofgem data base.  I did not tell my energy supplier that they could put my details there.  I try to avoid getting caught and I don't use energy compare sites but do use various suppliers sites to check current deals.  I always use a slightly fake address and phone number when I am doing that to avoid going on their data base and have them chase me.

I am not on EPC data base because I have never had an EPC survey done.  However, that is another intrusive data base, isn't it?

Gerry1

Your annual consumption and your energy supplier can be found by anyone merely using some well known suppliers and comparison sites, sometimes without even having to declare that you are the occupier.   Although this allows more accurate quotations to be given, I've always though this shouldn't be allowed without some verification.

Great for scammers who can call you pretending to be from your existing supplier.  They know your existing consumption, so most people wouldn't challenge them if they claimed to be offering a special tariff for existing customers or if they said that your DD had bounced and you needed to make an immediate payment to avoid being cut off.

Netexporter

Do you spend a lot of time on the cesspit formerly known as Twitter?

TimGriff6

I have never been on twitter or X.  Gerry has hit on the problem of data sharing without controls and of who has access.  Maybe I'm the only one who thinks this sort of thing makes a mockery of GDPR.  I try to keep my data secure but when the Government mandate data sharing they do make this difficult.

Netexporter

So how come I don't get bothered?

I used to get regular letters, to "The Occupier", from energy improvement companies, on account of my poor EPC rating (which is what attracted me to the house). I expect they'll stop now I have my free heat pump and solar installed under the ECO4 scheme, with an uprated EPC score to match.

molerat

Supplier and usage details are pretty much freely available information but your details should not be available.  There are though many data matching companies that can pool different databases.  Have you opted out of the open electoral register ?