Energy Suppliers.

[Littlegem]

How can a energy company take over my supply without my knowledge. I have had no communication with them whatsoever. The company involved is EDF. Very stressful!

[Buenchico]

Has EDF simply absorbed another company's business into its own or is you 'old' supplier still trading? Who were you with?

[Littlegem]

I am with SSE

[murraymints]

this happened to oh's son..they had doorstepped him to try and get him to change...he simply took a leaflet off them to get rid..he foolishly told them who is present supplier was..next he knew he was with them !! I sorted it all out and eventually got him away from them back to original supplier and he got 3 months free energy as I simply..on his behalf..refused to pay !!

[Littlegem]

I have had no one at my door, I did not even look at a comparison site, it just happened out of the blue. SEE are helping me to get things sorted out.

[murraymints]

do as I did and refuse to cough up for any energy they supply !!

[Littlegem]

Yes, you are right, I have no intention of paying them. I just cannot understand why they would want to do such a thing.

[Buenchico]

Some sales reps might, in order to maximise the commission they gain from persuading people to change suppliers, simply make stuff up. e.g. rather than bothering to call at your door (or to telephone you, if that was how they were meant to make contact), they'd simply fill in your name and address on their paperwork (possibly forging your signature if it was meant to be a face-to-face call).

Such actions are far from uncommon in commission-led sales. I used to work as a rep, attending appointments made by the company's call centre staff (who got commission for every appointment they made for me). I got fed up of going to places where nobody had ever heard of our firm and denied any knowledge of receiving a phone call (or who remembered receiving such a call but saying that they weren't interested in what we had to offer).

Many of our phone staff would try to make as much money from commission as they could in a short period of time and then quit, leaving the firm trying (usually unsuccessfully) to claw back money which they'd paid out in commission for duff appointments.

I suspect that EDF has had a similarly dodgy rep working for them.

[fiction-factory]

I am sure that between your old and new supplier they will get to the bottom of it. Please can you let us know how it was done and how it is resolved

[EDDIE51]

Happened in my area. Someone was going door to door asking who your energy supplier was and offering a cheaper deal.A lot of people found their supplier had been changed without them knowing about it. Turned out they were filling in the names and address and just forging a signature.

[Littlegem]

Thank you all for your comments, I will let you know the outcome. I have sent an e.mail to EDF asking for an explanation. I am awaiting an answer.

[dannyk13]

I think your experience might be of interest to Trading Standards.Whatever is happening it wants stopping.

[Littlegem]

Hi Guys,
I said that I would post the outcome of the above if you are still interested.
It was not a scam but a mistake by EDF. One of their customers recently moved to a house near me with a very similar address, the meter details were taken from my house instead of theirs. Then EDF took over my supply from SSE without my knowledge.I eventually found out when I got a FINAL bill from SSE, they then got on to EDF who of course did not have my name and address on their customer list, as they had the other people instead. So we were both listed on the National Grid with the same meter details (mine). EDF have apologised to me. I think that SSE should have contacted me for confirmation before they transferred me, especially when I still had my electricity and phone with them.
Anyhow, Hope this was of interest.

[bhg481]

Thanks for the update - not everybody can be bothered.