Having informed my current utility provider of my impending move, they have advised me that I am unable to do this as the take-over request has been blocked by OVO at the new house. What are the possible ramifications? If the ‘soon-to-be-ex-owner’ hasn’t paid the gas bill and has hefty arrears, can OVO refuse to provide a supply to me as the soon-to-be-new-owner?
Any knowledge or advice gratefully received.
Hi
You need to sign up with OVO first on your move-in date to do that. Please do so via https://switch.ovoenergy.com and select Dual-Fuel/Gas and Electric to set up your own account at the new property. This will bump the existing (bad debt) one out of the way and allow you to take control. After that, you’re free to do as you wish. This is the standard process across the industry to avoid people running away from paying off bad debts. You must ALWAYS sign-up with the existing supplier before trying to switch away.
You’re not responsible for someone else’s debt - OVO won’t expect you to pay a penny of that off. You’ll start with a clean sheet and a fresh account as long as you haven’t racked up debts yourself.
This might be of use
Good morning and thanks very much for your assistance. Do I only sign up with OVO on the day I move in, not in advance? Also, as the current owner has different suppliers for gas and electric, would I also need to do an initial sign up with EDF aswell? My concern is that by having to sign up with OVO and EDF, if monies are owed to them at that property, albeit from the outgoing owner, that they could still choose to block my move to another provider, as OVO have done. Do you think that’s a possibility? We’ve had a few issues with the ways things have been running with this sale, and the owner has already fudged a few other things that have been making us wary and quite anxious about the impending exchange/completion. If he leaves owing money to providers etc, we’re anxious that the property’s address does not compromise us in any way. Thanks.
To be clear on this …
If you are with OVO at your current property, then you should tell them that you’re moving out, give final readings and wait for and settle any final bill.
If the property you’re moving to is with EDF then you need to take them as supplier in the first instance (record and give initial readings) before you can make a switch to OVO if that’s your intention.
It wasn’t clear who is supplying where from your posts
It’s my current provider (British Gas) who have received a Notice of Objection from OVO, blocking their switch request to supply gas to the new property (currently supplied by OVO for gas and EDF for electric).
The basic principle remains - at your current property you need to close and settle your account. Whoever supplies the new property you need to take their supply initially before you can switch if that’s what you want to do.
Thanks, got a handle on those logistics now. Is an energy provider ever entitled to refuse a switch request by one of their customers?
Yep, they are. Outstanding debts are a 100% valid reason to object, block or refuse a switch request.
So after I initially sign up to the existing provider(s) at the new property, might they still refuse my request for British Gas to take over the supply - even if it’s not me who owes the arrears?
No. Your account would be unrelated to the previous one and the debts would die with the old account. You would only have to pay for what you owe and as long as you do so, OVO would let you leave.
OVO would, however, chase the previous customer and shake them down for whatever the debt is - that’s not something you’ll need to worry about though.
Either way, make absolutely sure going back to British Gas is the right move for you - there may be better deals elsewhere and you shouldn’t just stick with the supplier you’ve used before just because they’re the biggest or a name you know.
Got it. Thanks so much for all your knowledge and advice, much appreciated. :-)
Hey
Firstly let me congratulate you on your new house! You must be very excited to move in 
BPLightlog wrote:
The basic principle remains - at your current property you need to close and settle your account. Whoever supplies the new property you need to take their supply initially before you can switch if that’s what you want to do.
If you have any follow-up questions, please let us know anytime, and we’ll be happy to help!
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