PowerToSwitch warning

Yozie

Hi all, I hope this is the right place to post this.

I recently tried to switch electricity provider through the PowerToSwitch site. Got the email confirmation, all looked well. Waited two weeks, received no word from anyone. I emailed PowerToSwitch since there is no phone number or live chat, got no response for yet another week. Then I emailed them again, along with the new provider. No response.

Finally, I called the new provider to ask whether they have any knowledge of the switch, and they did not. I wasted a whole month on a bad rate and to this day I have no feedback from PowerToSwitch on what the happened. I feel like they should be responsible, but there is no way to get even a reply. I of course had to sign up with the new provider directly as a result and stuck with paying a much higher bill than I would have otherwise.

I'm wondering, where is the liability when it comes to this? I would assume PowerToSwitch but they are not selling a service so it feels a bit blurry (plus they ghost). Obviously can't claim anything from previous or new provider either. How does one go about this situation, especially so others don't get screwed over like this in the future?

coylemj

No phone number, no bricks and mortar address and when you click on 'Contact Us', you have to fill in a form. They are hiding behind a website which tells you nothing about the organisation. They tick all of my negative boxes and are definitely a crowd you should have no truck with.

They are actually accredited as a price comparison website by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, I would lodge a complaint with them.

https://www.cru.ie/consumer-information/switch-supplier/price-comparison-websites/

muffler

If you Google PowerToSwitch the first result show a mobile as the contact number. That on its own is enough to raise a red flag.

Yozie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120623969#Comment_120623969

I ended up using them indeed because they are mentioned on the CRU and the electricity suppliers sites directly also. In the past I've switched via Bonkers and that went just fine, but this year Bonkers did not show any decent options. I've sent an email to CRU see if they take any note of their negative activity.

Yozie

Just in case anyone's curious, the reply from CRU below. Great that they accredit untrustworthy sites:

"Thank you for your email, please note the CRU do not investigate complaints against comparison websites.

The CRU has an 'Accreditation Framework', details of which are available at the following link: https://www.cru.ie/document_group/price-comparison-websites-accreditation-framework/

 The framework contains a number of principles with which Price Comparison Websites (PCWs) must comply with to become (and remain) accredited by the CRU. Accreditation entitles a price comparison website to use the CRU logo on its website and to advertise its accreditation. The CRU will insert links to accredited websites from the CRU website. Accreditation will provide credibility to the website provider and instil consumer confidence in the service. Accreditation by the CRU is not mandatory for PCWs and the CRU also does not have any specific remit for 'Auto Switching energy websites'.

While PCWs are accredited by the CRU, the CRU does not license them as it does suppliers in the energy market and therefore has no remit to investigate complaints filed against them. I would therefore advise that you contact the website directly in relation to this matter. "

L1011

CRU are a chocolate teapot

coylemj

So the CRU wil list your price comparison website without carrrying on any checks on your company or it's service. This will provide 'credibility to the website provider and instil consumer confidence in the service'. Meaning that being 'accredited' by the CRU has as much value as the 'Master Tradesman' stickers you see on the back of vans i.e. it means absolutely nothing.

The CRU then say that they will not investigate any complaints against the providers. Which effectively means there are no circumstances under which they will delist a site. Open season for the cowboys.

'Consumer confidence' how are ye!

Yozie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120631248#Comment_120631248

Yeah, it's shocking. If I didn't see that accrediation (on CRU and the electricity supplier site both) I wouldn't even have thought twice about using it. Ugh.