What if your energy switch can't go ahead?

Switching isn't something most customers can do at the moment, but when it comes back, what are some of the reasons why a switch might be rejected?

Your chosen supplier is already supplying your energy

When you put the switch through, you may have accidentally selected the wrong current supplier for one or both of your fuels. One home can have two energy suppliers (one for gas and one for electricity), so it could be that one supplier provides your gas and a different supplier provides your electricity. In order for a switch to go ahead, the correct suppliers for gas and electricity must be known.

The fix:

Find out who your suppliers are for each fuel. If you have different suppliers for your gas and electricity but want to do a dual fuel switch, make sure you state who supplies which fuel type during your switch.

Your meter information does not match the information in the national database

Suppliers have access to the meter details of households in a national database. This includes which meter belongs to which household, and the type of meter it is (such as an Economy 7 or Economy 10 meter). When the information submitted doesn't match the information that the supplier can see, the switch cannot progress until the inconsistencies have been addressed.

The fix:

Contacting your current energy supplier means you can check with them the information that they hold about your household and its meter(s). Suppliers have the ability to update the national database, so if there's something that isn't correct, you can amend it through them.

Your address appears to have a business meter

Uswitch can only switch energy for domestic meters; those with business meters do not have access to the same deals as households. If you want to switch energy for a business, visit Uswitch for business.

If you weren't aware that your property had a business meter, it could be there from the previous occupiers, or it may be listed incorrectly in the national database.

The fix:

In a case like this, the best course of action is to contact your current energy supplier so you can check the information it holds about your household and its meters. Suppliers have the ability to update the national database, so if there's something that isn't correct, you can amend it through them.

If you find out you have a business meter in your property that you didn't know about, your supplier can also talk you through the options around having it changed.

Your meter isn't supported by your chosen supplier

When switching through a price comparison website, you may find that the supplier you want to switch to doesn't support the meter you have. This is usually because certain price comparison websites do not support energy switching with Economy 10 meters.

The fix:

You can always contact suppliers directly to see if they support your type of meter and can offer you a deal. However, if you would like access to a wider range of tariffs, you may be better off contacting your current supplier to discuss your options for changing your meter.

How you could benefit from the Switching Compensation Guaranteed Standards

If you have any issues when completing your switch, your supplier may be obligated to compensate you for the inconvenience you experience. Ofgem has made the Switching Compensation Guaranteed Standards a compliance requirement for suppliers starting on 1 May 2019, with customers set to receive at least £30 per problem. The measure is designed to alleviate customers’ fears about something going wrong during their switch.

Supplier contact information

If you need to get in touch with your supplier to resolve any of the issues listed above, this is the information you need.