Switching energy providers is the best way to get great deals – but why are consumers still facing problems?

We hear from thousands of people every year who’ve switched energy provider, only to run into problems.

Why is this happening? Resolver breaks down the most frequent issues.

I’ve switched, but I’m still waiting for my outstanding balance to be settled.

If you switch supplier and you’re in credit, your previous provider should transfer your outstanding balance to your bank account.

Unfortunately, we’ve heard from numerous people who’ve had a bad experience.

Many companies have gotten their wires crossed when it comes to paying back outstanding balances – and some consumers feel like they’ve fallen through the cracks.

The best thing to do is to stay patient and keep a record of all your communications with a company. Where possible, get everything in writing.

I know it’s really tempting to pick up the phone and just talk to someone, but this might not do you any favours.

It’s always best to have a written record of any explanations and promises a company has given you.

I’ve switched, but my old supplier is still billing me.

If you’re still being billed by your old supplier, there are a few things that could be going on:

• Your previous supplier could be sending you your ‘final bill’.
• Your direct debit could still be running.
• There might have been problems with your switch and your supply is still with the same supplier.

If it turns out that you’re unlucky enough to be facing option 3) and there was a problem with the switch, don’t panic.

Generally speaking, the problems will be down to:

• The national database being out of date.
• Your property being a flat or apartment. Suppliers sometimes register your details to the wrong apartment.
• Mistakes on your application.

To check what’s up, have a look at the meter details on your bill.

Compare the gas supply number (meter point reference number) and the electricity supply number (meter point administration number) on your bill from your new supplier to your old one.

If they don’t match up, there has been a mistake somewhere down the line.

Get in touch with your new energy supplier via Resolver to let them know.

It can take between three to four weeks for suppliers to get things sorted.

You should expect any payments made for the wrong supply to be refunded.

I’ve switched, but my bills are higher than the energy company said they’d be.

We’ve heard numerous reports of energy salespeople selling deals at your door, only for your bills to work out much higher than promised when your energy use has stayed the same.

This shouldn’t be happening.

When energy suppliers try to sell you a deal, they should give you a proper estimate based on your current deal and your energy use.

If you’ve given a salesperson accurate information on your energy use, they should always use it when calculating your estimate and comparison.

If your energy use hasn’t changed since their estimate was made, you shouldn’t expect to pay more than they’d said you would.

If this happens to you, get in touch with your energy provider via Resolver to explain what happened. If you’re certain that your energy use has stayed the same, you should generally expect your energy provider to resolve the matter quickly.

They may need to investigate to make sure that there are no leaks or problems with your property that could be causing higher bills.