News

Just 8 days into the new year Economy Energy with 235,000 domestic customers ceased trading. Following 2018 with 8 suppliers going out of business, what will 2019 bring? Is the utility market sustainable for smaller suppliers? OFGEM and the DTI will have to answer this question.

Ofgem has banned Economy Energy from taking on new customers until it resolves its customer service issues. According to OFGEM the following problems have been identified with this supplier: The particular behaviours of concern giving rise to the provisional order are that Economy Energy’s Domestic Customers are or are likely to be: at risk of…

D-Energi has written to some customers that their fixed-term contract rate will increase by over 3.5p/kwh (over 20% increase!) just 2-3 months after the start of their electricity contract. A customer who signed up in August an electricity contract with D-Energi to start in October has now a month later been informed that his unit…

Spark Energy Supply Ltd is the latest small supplier to cease trading, after Extra Energy the 2nd in just a week. This sparks the debate: are small suppliers viable? Is it worth signing up with a small supplier? For domestic customers there isn’t that much on stake. OFGEM will now find an alternative supplier of…

OFGEM started a consultation on strengthen the criteria they use to assess supply licence applications for new entrants in the energy supply market. This follows the collapse of a number of smaller suppliers over the past year(s) and failure of some others to provide adequate customer service. In response to OFGEM’s supplier licensing review we have…

Recently a customer sent us an electricity bill charged at the variable rate. A quick check revealed that a contract had been renewed back in November last year. Alpine Utilities contacted the supplier who apologized for the error and promised to re-bill the customer. This incident highlights the pitfalls energy customers can fall into. Alpine…

Customers who paid the reduced VAT rate and no CCL during the 1st contract term, may find this changed at the contract renewal. Customers are therefore advised to check the VAT rate after a contract renewal and should contact the supplier if the discount has no longer been applied. Alpine Utilities Ltd encourages its clients…

OFGEM has published today an information leaflet regarding third-party FIT ownership. This may be relevant to homeowners with solar panels installed and owned by another company. The info can be found on https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2018/10/third_party_ownership_under_the_fit_scheme.pdf

It has come to our attention that Opus Energy will only start a renewal contract 30 days late if no termination has been received. Why should the customer continue to pay expensive variable (out-of-contract) rate once a new contract is in place, just because the previous contract has not been terminated? David Lande, Senior Consultant…

While domestic customers only pay 5% VAT on fuel and no Climate Change Levi, Business customers pay 20% and an element for CCL. Small business users, however, are treated like domestic customers as are supplies for non-business use. Yet some small businesses still end up paying the full rate if they happen to use an…