Tenants have been told that they have every right to choose their own energy supplier, and that their landlord or letting agents should not ‘unreasonably’ prevent this.
Ofgem, which has produced fact sheets about tenants’ energy rights and how to switch suppliers, says that where an agent or landlord includes a default supplier within the tenancy agreement, tenants must be made aware of such tie-ins.
The guidance makes clear that as long as the tenant is directly responsible for paying the energy bill, they can switch supplier at any time without incurring an exit fee.
According to Ofgem, only 23% of private tenants have ever switched gas or electricity supplier, and Ofgem says that many tenants do not know their rights or the potential gains of switching – worth up to around £190 a year.
The guidance can be found here:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/tenants%E2%80%99-energy-rights-explained-factsheet
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Comments
We simply ask tenants to advise us of the new supplier/s should they change.
As regards prepayment meters, I'm with IO.
A complete pain in the proverbial once a property comes vacant.
Of course they are provided they reinstate etc if LL insists at end of tenancy. Which they probably won't if the switch was beneficial to all concerned.
Changing meters and going for cards and keys entirely different situation of course