New build house shown as commercial property

onthebike

Hi
I have recently moved into a new build house which was with EON and British Gas for Electricity and Gas. Unfortunately both had the property on a commercial tariff in the builders name whilst it was being built. After a lot of phone calls and hassle I have finally manage to get both of them to change it to a domestic tariff.  I got both to put me on a variable tariff so that I could do a whole market comparison to get the best deal without being tied in for a period of time. Unfortunately after several weeks neither seem to have updated the national database and therefore every time I try to switch either by a comparison site or supplier website it wont allow me to do this as I'm still showing as a commercial property. Effectively I am trapped with them both and can't switch. Unsurprisingly both are offering me the opportunity to switch with them to fixed Tariffs with them thus effectively tying me to them both for even longer. Every time I contact them they say sorry and redo whatever they say  they are doing but that it will take four weeks to process. But each time its four weeks from the last phone call meaning this is constantly getting pushed back. Surely this anti competitive and possibly illegal? Seem to be going around in circles. Any suggestions.

Mark_d

If you've exhausted the suppliers complaints procedure then you can go to the energy ombudsman

Mr.Generous

I had a residential property on a commercial tarrif, it had been a repo and I guess the bank must have switched it.

Exactly same issue, couldn't switch. The energy supplier refused to swap it to residential until I mentioned complaining to energy ombudsman and then suddenly it was possible and had all just been a mistake. 

Ildhund

onthebike said:

... neither seem to have updated the national database ... I'm still showing as a commercial property. 

For all the savvy ones seeing this: how does 'the national database' - which I think is one or more of Elexon's many databases - indicate the distinction between domestic and commercial supplies? Could it simply be a bit of the MPAN, like a Profile Class above 02? 

I ask because this sort of problem (comparison sites or rival suppliers think I'm a business, for example) still arises nine years after I moved into this property. My PC has been 02 at least since my first smart meter was installed in 2017. This makes me think there's probably another flag somewhere.