Can company cancel a switch?

TW1234
TW1234 Posts: 209 Forumite
First Anniversary First Post
Having (I believed) switched to a new supplier by phone I was surprised to receive a switch cancellation notification.
It was even stranger that their email implied that I had initiated the cancellation, but further phone calls showed that it was the company's action and pinpointed an unexpected inability to supply via an Independent Gas Transporter.(IGT)
Did we enter into a contract by phone; I have only a confirmation of setting up a direct debit as evidence.
Does the supplier have a "cooling off" period?
Is the company liable for a loss of bargain or failure of contract?
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Comments

  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    edited 20 July 2018 at 9:10AM
    If they cannot supply then they cannot "magic" a supply for you

    Check their TS & CS to see their cancellation rights. They will have some - just as you would
  • ValiantSon
    ValiantSon Posts: 2,586 Forumite
    TW1234 wrote: »
    Having (I believed) switched to a new supplier by phone I was surprised to receive a switch cancellation notification.
    It was even stranger that their email implied that I had initiated the cancellation, but further phone calls showed that it was the company's action and pinpointed an unexpected inability to supply via an Independent Gas Transporter.(IGT)
    Did we enter into a contract by phone; I have only a confirmation of setting up a direct debit as evidence.
    Does the supplier have a "cooling off" period?
    Is the company liable for a loss of bargain or failure of contract?

    Yes, of course they can cancel the switch. They don't have to do business with you if they don't want to.

    You are on an independent gas transporter, and some companies won't supply over these because of the costs involved. When you initiated the switch they didn't know that you were on an IGT. When they found out that you were, they cancelled. It will be in their terms and conditions that they don't supply over IGTs, although most make this reasonably clear upfront as well.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    With the roll out of Project Nexus, IGTs are not the problem that they once were. The supplier!!!8217;s IT system should have detected the link to an IGT at the time of the application to switch, as IGT MPRNs start with a !!!8216;7!!!8217;.
  • TW1234
    TW1234 Posts: 209 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    edited 21 July 2018 at 10:14AM
    Indeed it should have.
    But it did not.
    Hence my questions (which remain unanswered) as in my OP.

    The company have notified my existing supplier of the change, set up a direct debit and I have not breached any of their t&c that would permit them to terminate a contract.
  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    Their TS & CS won't only permit them to terminate only due to your breaching the contract

    If you are unhappy about them not wanting you as a customer then your route is to make a formal complaint which you can escalate if unhappy with the reply
  • TW1234
    TW1234 Posts: 209 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    It is not a question about them "not wanting me" but about whether they "accepted me" and entered a contract which they now do not wish to deliver!
    Indeed, their email invites me to reconsider MY decision to leave..
  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    Their administration team look to have selected the wrong sentence when sending that email

    Don't know why you want to stay with them when they clearly don't want to keep you according to your other posts

    But your only option is the formal complaint as advised.

    Ask for the compensation you feel you are owed and take it from their response
  • AJS321
    AJS321 Posts: 63 Forumite
    Hengus wrote: »
    With the roll out of Project Nexus, IGTs are not the problem that they once were. The supplier!!!8217;s IT system should have detected the link to an IGT at the time of the application to switch, as IGT MPRNs start with a !!!8216;7!!!8217;.

    It’s been a while since I worked in that part of the industry but I thought all IGT’s and their supply points have now been incorporated into Xoserve and so are treated in the same way as everyone else. Isn’t that what Project Nexus was all about?

    I left that role just before the changes took place and remember doing sign ups for IGT being a very tedious and time consuming process. When someone first told me about Nexus I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    TW1234 wrote: »
    It is not a question about them "not wanting me" but about whether they "accepted me" and entered a contract which they now do not wish to deliver!
    Indeed, their email invites me to reconsider MY decision to leave..

    They may not be able to deliver as this will depend on the contract that they have with the IGT. Suppliers pay IGTs, and whilst most suppliers now spread this additional cost across all of their consumers, some may choose not to do so.

    Some good advice here:

    https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/independent-gas-transporters/
  • ValiantSon
    ValiantSon Posts: 2,586 Forumite
    TW1234 wrote: »
    Indeed it should have.
    But it did not.
    Hence my questions (which remain unanswered) as in my OP.

    Your question has been answered, but you appear not to like the answer. Yes, they can decide not to proceed with the switch.
    TW1234 wrote: »
    The company have notified my existing supplier of the change, set up a direct debit and I have not breached any of their t&c that would permit them to terminate a contract.

    Please name the company and post a link to their T&C's. Any further discussion without this information is pointless.
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