£100 admin fee for changing energy supplier

[blinky123]

Hi,

 

Another question for anyone who can help!

 

I asked my landlord (they are a property company) if I could change energy suppliers over the phone last year, they advised me I could as long as I provide them with the new reference number which I did.

 

I've just moved out and on the check out form I see they have said if I've changed without written confirmation from them that it will be £100 admin fee. I'm guessing they would take from my deposit?

 

I'm not happy about this, they told me I could but I have nothing to prove this, anyway it's my money paying for the supply surely I have the right to change to whoever I want as long as I provide them with the information which I did.

 

In any case, how can they justify £100 admin fee, what is the cost to them that I have changed?

 

Can I fight this in anyway? Seems completely unfair to me

 

Many thanks

 

Jess

[Lula]

Did it actually cost the landlord any money for you to move energy suppliers? My guess is no, then I would say that there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for you to pay them £100 for what is, in essence, your decision to change to an energy supplier more to your liking.

[BankFodder]

Yes it is unfair - and also I think that it is not permitted. I'm pretty certain that someone posted up yesterday some rules about what landlords can and can't do in relation to energy – and one of the things they are not allowed to do is to make profits from them. Hopefully somebody will be out to find out where this was posted.

 

In any event if there are administration fees then they would have to be included in the contract somewhere. Also they would have to do represent the actual costs of administration and not simply be an opportunity to make further profits. An administration fee of £100 has almost 100% got to be a profit making racket.

Have you had a look at the contract?

 

Frankly, with a landlord who does this kind of thing I would waste no time in threatening them with legal proceedings and then bringing the claim in the small claims court.

 

I have absolutely no doubt that you will win.

[blinky123]

Thank you for your replies, I will have a look around for that post you mention.

 

How do I go about starting the proceedings for this? Should I wait until they give me my deposit back and just see if they follow through with what they have threatened?

[45002]

As long as the utility supplier accounts are in you name, It's noting to do with LL/LA anyway

 

You didn't need LL/LA permission or tell them you want to change supplier's

 

Doubt very much if they could get away with taking £100 from the deposit any way.

[mariner51]

#bankfodder, the post you allude to was talking about LL making a profit from the resale of gas/elec, nothing to do with admin fees.

#blinky Always best to notify LL about change of supplier, or at least provide name at end of T.

The supplier can actually be traced from the unique meter number by ref to central meter register maintained by Centrica.

I note this LL is the property Co, not a private LL, but the admin fee does appear excessive as no admin should be required, other than perhaps making a note on the Inventory held.

Wait & see if they deduct deposit £100 for 'admin' then put deposit in dispute for the charge made.

[blinky123]

If it does have a clause in the tenancy agreement to this effect does this mean they have me over a barrel? Just because a clause is in there doesn't make it just and lawful? they wrote the agreement themselves after all so they can put whatever they like in there. I will check tonight but have a sinking feeling it's probably in there

[mariner51]

In addition to the Statutory clauses, a TA contract can contain any T&Cs the Lessor wishes. It would be for Court to decide if any were 'unfair terms'.

It does mean that any Lessee should read and understand the Contract before signing, even adding, deleting or amending any clause. The change is legally binding if accepted & initialled by both both parties. Once signed the Contract is enforceable.

[blinky123]

Yeah thought so. I'm gonna fight it though, I don't think it's fair so nothing to lose really as I've already probably lost the money and maybe they will stop putting that clause in their agreements if I go all the way with it. I can't see how they can call it an administration fee when it doesn't cost them that much to administrate the change, they're not even doing anything it's all me and the energy suppliers! Seems like a sneaky way to extort money out of people because that's not the sort of thing you would expect to find on a tenancy agreement, people probably get stung by this all the time.