Allowed to Change Energy Suppliers?

lucalux

Does anyone know if there is any 'right' to change electricity suppliers when moving into a rented property?

Any protections or legislation/advice regarding this that anyone is aware of in ireland?

As in, can the landlord refuse to allow the tenant to choose the tenant's own electricity supplier?

Situation is that the landlord may have signed up for a contract of min. 12 months and may not want to pay exit fee for that if tenant changes suppliers.

Tenant does not want to stay with that supplier, and also wants to avail of signing up deals there may be on offer.

Tia

pjdarcy

Is the electricity bill in the landlord's name or the tenant's name?

lucalux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119255827#Comment_119255827

In the landlord's name.

Edited to add:

Landlord signed up for prepaypower before having the tenant move in.

Tenant pays the company (Prepay) directly.

They want to switch and have the account in their own name. As it stands they can't use the app or call about the account as the account is in the landlord's name.

If they put their name on the account it might constitute an agreement to the contract (?) not sure about that but they do not want to enter into a contract with that company.

They were told the landlord would have to pay an exit fee if the tenant left the company.

Glaceon

That seems unusual to me. Any rented accommodation I've ever lived in (with the exception of house shares) has had the utilities in my own name so I could go wherever I wanted. I moved my gas to Flogas at one stage and there was no issue.

lucalux

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119255899#Comment_119255899

I've never had a situation like it where renting before, it was bills in my name and I chose who I went with, no issues there, and made more sense for the landlord.

I have two theories:

1. Landlord was sold a pup about PrePay being better as he would never be left liable for bills if tenant did a runner. (Obviously if bills are in the tenant's name the landlord holds no liability for those bills, but maybe he was misinformed?)
2. He wanted to avail of free electricity from when he bought the house to when he had a tenant in, because he had received €150 credit from Prepay power. But knows he is liable for exit fee, so would rather not give the tenant the option of changing, as it would cost him money.

lucalux

Bumping this to see if anyone knows if their is any legislation allowing tenants to choose their own electricity/utility provider?

Would really appreciate if anyone could point me in the direction of anything that states the tenant who is paying the bills can choose provider and price plans themselves, thanks!