EDF wont let us switch

droopinlily

Since moving to this place we have been trying again and again to switch from EDF to another electric supplier. In our old home we had leccy from Atlantic and it was so much cheaper.
However, on the occasions we have tried to switch here, EDF refuse to allow the new supplier to take over, they give us a garbled explanation that we have two cables to our house - we simply don't understand what they mean and neither do Atlantic!
So we're stuck paying an awful lot of leccy - our house uses a lot even though we have gone down the energy saving route of light bulbs etc etc.
Any ideas what we can do?

I forgot to add that we only have one leccy meter... the ordinary every day type of thing

dellxps

Hi,

i think the likely explanation is that you have two MPAN (supply) numbers. It is possible to have two mpans and only the one meter. Atlantic are probably only applying for the one supply number so edf are automatically stopping the transfer otherwise it'd create a huge mess.

Have a look at your electricity bills. Look for a rectangual box with loads of numbers in it and it has a letter 'S' in front of it. The boottom line of numbers is the supply number. Do you have two of these boxes?If so ring up atlantic and tell them you have two supply numbers and they can register you.

Be aware that people with two supply numbers are excluded from certain tariffs. hope that helps

droopinlily

Thanks for this. I'll have a look and see what is going on.
Its news to me about the two numbers being excluded from certain tarriffs. Very useful to know.
Thanks again

mute_posting

droopinlily wrote: »

Its news to me about the two numbers being excluded from certain tarriffs.

I believe this most commonly happens when ytou are on some kind of economy 10 or heatwise tarrif (i.e. because you have, or the household "had" electric heating)

Basically many suppliers billing systems just can't handle 2 billing references (even if the units are just added together and billed at one rate) which is why many won't accept switches from people or why switches fail from the incumbent supplier.

MP

dellxps

i think that the majority of households with two supply numbers are in scotland - that's just a general observation i've made.

The cheapest online tariffs sometimes don't accept people with two supply numbers. I'd definitely check with atlantic otherwise they'll register you, see you're on the wrong tariff and simply switch you to the relevant (normally more expensive )tariff

droopinlily

No, it can't be done. That's the result of my asking Atlantic this morning. It's those two dratted numbers.
It must have been the previous tenant because we have only ever had the usual electric meter.
Now I am wondering - what about pre-payment meter? Hubby says no because its more expensive, what are your thoughts?

fossman

I live in a new build house and had two supply numbers registered to my address.

Was a mistake made by the building firm which I only found out when I tried to switch from EDF. Took 6 months for EDF and N Power to sort it out.