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I'm in the process of switching my gas to Flow Energy from nPower. I submitted the application online (24/4) and got a confirmation email immediately. Two days later (26/4) I got another email giving a provisional switch date and details of tariff and direct debit. The email did say they would tell the me the exact switch date "very soon" but two weeks later I still don't have that information. I didn't get the 'sorry your leaving' email from nPower until May 3rd (which is only 1 working day ago) so I'm guessing the delay is on nPower's side not Flow's.

Update: 30/5/2013

I got confirmation of my switch date a few days after posting the above.

The transfer went through on May the 24th and I got an email in the early hours to confirm it. The night of the 23rd I emailed in my opening read and asked when the on line service would be available as currently everything has to be done by email or phone. I got a reply the following morning to say that it would be available within a 'few weeks'. So a nice speedy response from customer services.

It looks like they have had a problem with notification times for setting up direct debits. Not sure if it was specific to me or a more general problem. I was originally told that my first direct debit payment would be collected on the transfer date (in the first confirmation email). Later I got an email saying there would be a delay and it would be collected on May 27th or soon after. Finally I got another email saying I hadn't been given sufficient notice and that first collection will now be made on June 24th. Not sure how this fits into their pay in advance system as this delay effectively means I will pay in arrears. That's okay by me but probably does mean I need to watch out for 'corrections'.

29/05 Switch initiated via Simply Switch (qualifying for £40 cashback!). Will update on progress.

07/06: Still no confirmation of switch from Flow energy. After 2 emails and 1 phone call to Flow: got email back on 06/06 explaining there are delays on accounts coming from Simply Switch. Had emailed Simply Switch on 05/06 to check on their side: will wait till end of today (48h) and see if I get a response.

14/06: email received from Flow energy with expected switching date 20/07. Seems a bit long...
Still no response from Simply Switch about delay in passing information (doesn't matter any more, but will have to keep an eye on cashback being processed).

03/07: email confirmation from Flowenergy about switching date (July 20) for Electricity. No date for Gas switch yet.

12/09: Due to an unrelated problem with npower, Gas supply should eventually switch to flow energy on Sept 16.
From having to deal with flow customer services a few times: they seem good at updating with automatic official letters (re: switch date, D/D instructions etc...). However, not so good at replying to emails on specific problems, or calling back- although they were the ones who suggested calling back...

silks wrote: »

Please be aware that Flow Energy are NOT members of the Warm Home Discount yet so if you are on a low income or disabled, please bear this in mind. I wanted to change to Flow but this has put me off as I would have lost around £124.00 from the Warm Home Discount per year.

You won't find many suppliers outside of the "Big 6" (or those supplying under a Big 6 supply licence) that support the Warm Home Discount scheme.

I think First Utility may do (but I can't see anything on their own website to confirm this) and I believe the other small supplier we cannot mention here may do so ... and that's about it.

silks wrote: »

I tried to include a link in my previous post but since I haven't posted enough, it wouldn't let me. I have copied and pasted the current members from the Warm Home website:

Energy suppliers
The following suppliers are part of the scheme:

Atlantic
British Gas
EDF Energy
E.ON
Equipower (Ebico)
Equigas (Ebico)
First Utility
Manweb - see ScottishPower
M&S Energy
npower
Sainsbury’s Energy
Scottish Gas - see British Gas
Scottish Hydro
ScottishPower
Southern Electric
SSE
SWALEC
Utility Warehouse (PDF, 64KB)

Yep, just as I thought ... and posted. The Big 6 and just a couple of minnows.
Can you find any evidence on the FU website that confirms they support?