CMA advises Liquefied Petroleum Gas customers on switching rights READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-advises-liquefied-petroleum-gas-customers-on-switching-rights

Hello folk, I called my electricity supplier (extra energy) to tell them I wanted to go onto an economy 7/10 tariff, they told me that they can't do it because it meant replacing my meter Am I being lead down the garden path?

Energy companies have drawn up a list of pledges aimed at helping customers to shop around for the best deal. Energy UK, which represents the major suppliers, has launched its Energy Switch Guarantee - to make it easier for customers to know how to switch. The switching commitments are: Your supply won't be disrupted. Switching is free. Switching will take no more than 21 days from the date your new provider receives your application. Your new provider won't need to visit your home to complete the switch (unless you agree otherwise). Your new provider arranges the switch, including contacting your current provider. Your new supplier will send you details of your new supply agreement for you to check. You'll have 14 days to change your mind. Your new and current providers will work together to ensure you're not charged twice for the same energy. If there are any problems with the switch, your new provider will contact you as soon as possible and will be responsible for resolving problems. Your current provider will send you your final bill no later than six weeks after the switch. If your current provider owes you money, it will refund you no later than 14 days after sending you the final bill. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36501605

Under the current system, consumers who want to switch but keep the same number have to notify their existing provider and request a Pac code, which they take to the provider they plan to join. Ofcom's preferred option is for responsibility for the switch being placed entirely in the hands of the new provider, which would mean an end to the process of contacting the existing provider in order to end the current contract. Ofcom would like to see mobile companies handling the switching process on behalf of the customer, which means you wouldn’t have to ask for a PAC code at all. Basically, it’d be like switching energy companies, or broadband contracts, where you can choose the start date of your new contract, to try and avoid any overlap in payments, or avoid any periods where you’re not connected. Sadly, Ofcom are not able to force mobile companies to accept their new rules, but the businesses will have to provide an alternative. A final decision will be made in the autumn. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35882026

It occurred to me that when on Universal credit - the income, jsa combined with rent payments, meets some income requirements of banks that offer cashback when switching.

Hi i am currently with scottish power and i am looking at switching as it seems i am not getting the best deal. Im wondering though by switching can i transfer any remaining balance to my new provider? it shouldn't be much but i don't have any means to pay it off before switching?

Most of the major energy companies in the UK have reduced the time it takes customers to switch suppliers to 17 days. That’s down from five weeks last year but still short of the Government’s target of 24 hours. This means that the switch will take just three days, followed by the statutory 14-day cooling off period in which customers would be able to cancel the move. So far, The following suppliers are offering switching in 17 days: British Gas Ecotricity EDF E.on First Utility Good Energy Npower Spark Utility Warehouse GnERGY http://www.energylivenews.com/2015/01/14/energy-suppliers-cut-switching-times/

Hey Everyone, My name is Tom. This is my first post on this forum. I am just looking for a little advice. Okay, some background information. I was claiming ESA till June this year. I went for one of those dreaded ATOS medicals no surprised I failed scored 0 points. I got took off ESA. I then asked for a Mandatory reconsideration. In the Mandatory Reconsideration I got a phone call from the DWP and I went from 0 to 9 points but I am still short. During this time I had no option but to claim JSA to get some income. I have appealed. I got a letter from the HM Courts & Tribunals service stating that they are making arrangements for my ESA appeal to be heard by an independent tribunal. My question is what happens now...How do I sign off JSA and claim ESA? Can I still claim JSA and wait for my appeal to be heard? I sign on tomorrow should I tell my employment advisor? And, If I sign off tomorrow will I still get paid this week? Sorry for all the questions. Any help appreciated

Hello, Three years ago I changed my polish driving licence to UK one. I was wondering if it's now possible to change it back to polish? For example if I would be moving back to Poland.

Hi all, Glad to be here. I'm a long time browser and a new user. This forum has gave me great ideas in the past and I have helped my friends by reading advice on here. Now for my story. I have been with Kensington Finance for over 5 years. I was aware of free ones but thought that it was too much hassle as my debts were surrounding me. I was not thinking clearly and wanted a quick way out. In fact, I got referred to them by someone I knew. He said that they are good, no hassles blah, blah blah. Like a naive person, I arranged a DMP with them. They put me on a DMP on £90 a month (£49 paid to 3 creditors and £41 for their 'management' fees). I agreed and forgot about them. Currently I don't work. Ironically I'm studying to become an accountant. lol. Before I was working with computers and did a degree in Multimedia systems. Just last week, I got a wake up call from one DMP company. Someone called me up and managed to obtain my credit history. She told me that I have £8500 debt (with 3 creditors), which will take me about 12 years to pay off on my current plan, and was trying to sell me an IVA. I simply told her that I'm not working and therefore I probably won't be eligible. I simply put the phone down. I wanted to check how much debt I had left. Originally I had just under £11,000 debt and it doesn't take long to work out that only £2,500 has been paid off so far. Since that time I have paid Kensington Finance £2460 (£41 x 12 months x 5 years) in management fees which could have easily been paid towards the debts if I went for the free one. After that call, I called up StepChange and decided to go with them. They phoned me on Monday 02 June and set up a DMP with me. They worked out that £102 a month is reasonable for me and I should be debt free in 6 years 4 months, if my situation don't change. Today I phoned up Kensington Finance to cancel and explained my reasons why. They said that we will only charge you £10 in management fees. They also said that changing the DMP over to StepChange might cause bother to creditors and they might hassle you again so stick with us. Under the new plan it will take you 6 years 9 months to be debt free in my current situation. So what I want to know is that if any body had problems changing over? Will it cause problems with the creditors and for me? Should I stick with Kensington Finance as they have my details or send the paperwork back to Stepchange to get the DMP started? Sorry for long post. Any other advise gladly welcomed.

EDF simply forgot to charge me (after a mixup following a smart meter installation) for over a year. They recently caught up with it and after admitting it was their fault, set me up on a repayment plan lasting around 16 months. I am not on a key/card meter, it's still on normal billing. Can I now switch supplier and just keep paying EDF the old bill? They said that the new tariff they've given me has no switching penalty. What would happen if I defaulted on the debt or missed payments - could they force entry still to disconnect me, or can that only be done by your current energy supplier?

Hello! I'm hoping someone can advise - I've been Googling but can't find an answer! I'm in rented accommodation. We pay our own utility bills, and there's nothing in the contract to state we can't change suppliers. If we were to change to a fixed tariff contract, what would happen if we were to move out? Would the new tenant be lumbered with it, or would we have to cancel? It's a daft question - but is the contract for the property, or for the people who live there? I've done the price comparison thing and know we could save if we switched, but never having done it before I'm a bit confused! Thanks!

I arranged to switch from Lloyds to TSB because my accounts had been halved between them and I no longer had a facility for online banking with Lloyds. The switch date was 1st October but I then get a call on the 2nd to say they (TSB) couldn't do it as Lloyds had objected because I had a card in my name that hadn't been listed. I was told I had to speak to Lloyds and then do the whole thing again. That's absolute rubbish as I don't have any cards for that account and any that I did have expired years ago. I've spoken to Lloyds and they have confirmed there are no cards in my name and that they wouldn't have stopped the switch for that reason or any other that they know of. Everything is in order with nothing owed. The lad that did the switch admitted at the time that he had not done many before and it took over an hour to do the basics. He's screwed up somewhere, blaming Lloyds, and lying through his teeth. GRRR banks!

A new bank-style switching service that should make it easier for some people to change phone and broadband providers is to be introduced in the UK. Regulator Ofcom wants a system where a customer only needs to contact the new provider in order to switch. That firm will then deal with the whole process. This is a similar operation to the way the bank account switching process works. The new service should be in place by early 2015. 'Clear and simple' The current system requires a customer to contact their existing phone and broadband supplier to cancel their contract, as well as signing up to the new provider. The regulator said that this gave too much control to the existing supplier. "It has an incentive to delay or disrupt the transfer," an Ofcom spokesman said. More...

Can anyone advise me please, I have Sky email which I am also able to receive on my Blackberry mobile. Sky are switching to Yahoo in April and I have read on the Sky forum that there wll be a lot of problems as Yahoo use Pop and not Imap. Can anyone suggest a suitable email programme I can switch to - I have Sky broadband - that will also work with my Blackberry? Thankyou

Switching is currently not available for customers with pre payment arrears of over £200 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19688019

Hi, I would like to switch from BT to Plusnet to reduce my outgoings a little.The BT account is in my husbands name and as he now has a default on his credit file I'm wondering if this will affect my chances of setting up a new account in my name with Plusnet or any other provider.The BT account is clean as I am the bill payer.

Does anyone know how long a Power Co is likely to be keeping sales agreements on file ? In particular Scottish and Southern Electric ? Following a SAR for a copy of this,for an agreement signed up less than 2 years ago,they are maintaining they do not hold this. I do not believe them at all. Comments from ex Energy Co workers or current reps welcome.