Major energy rule shake-up will make it easier to switch suppliers from today | The Sun
A MAJOR shake-up of rules that will make it quicker and easier to switch energy providers, has come into force.
Switching energy companies to get a cheaper tariff can save households £100s of pounds a year.
But previously the time it would take to switch could be as much as 21 days.
The energy regulator Ofgem said there has been a perception amongst large numbers of consumers that switching is a hassle, is unreliable and won’t really be worth it financially.
So now they are forcing energy firms to make sure the switch happens within just five days.
The new rules come in as part of Ofgem’s “Centralised Switching Service” scheme which was launched today.
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“Protecting consumers is our top priority and the current process of switching energy suppliers can be both slow and unreliable,” an Ofgem spokesperson told The Sun.
“This faster and more reliable switching will allow switches to happen quicker and more accurately and will save money for consumers, meaning that when better tariffs are available on the market,” they added.
From May 1, 2020 consumers automatically receive £30 if they experience delays or mistakes when switching suppliers.
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This means that if energy firms don’t meet the five day timeframe when you switch you should get a pay out.
You do not need to do anything in relation to switching as a result of these new rule changes.
Issues that impact individual consumers when they switch, such as how a consumer’s cancellation rights work in the new process, will be explained to each consumer individually by their new (or prospective) supplier.
“The five-day switching requirement is a huge improvement on the 21 days it currently takes to move from one energy supplier to another,” said Richard Neudegg, head of regulation at Uswitch.com.
“A faster and more reliable switching program marks a big achievement for the industry to make switching simpler and quicker – giving consumers the chance to take control of their energy bills.”
However, there are some concerns that there's not a lot of switching happening right now because of challenges in the energy market.
And the latest forecasts show that the price cap is set to increase to more than £3,000 in October
This means there are currently fewer offers on the market for consumers to switch to.
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“It is unfortunate that this initiative comes at a time when good deals are few and far between and switching is at record low,” said Richard from Uswitch.
“Customers will only be able to truly take advantage of this when the market becomes competitive again and better deals become available," he added.
How to complain about your energy supplier
If you think you haven't been getting a good service from your energy supplier you might want to complain.
The first thing to do is reach out to your supplier.
Energy suppliers and network operators must have a complaints process that is clearly set out to customers.
This process has to be adequately resourced and must be fit for purpose.
You should explain the problem and what you want them to do.
Send your complaint by email, letter or telephone and always make sure you keep records of contact you have with the company.
Citizens Advice has template complaints letters you can use. They can also help with a complaint.
And online tools and apps like Resolver.co.uk can also help you track and manage a complaint.
You can complain to the Energy Ombudsman if eight weeks have passed and you still aren’t happy with the company’s response.
You can access an Energy Ombudsman complaints form here or call 0330 440 1624.
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