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Guaranteed Standards of Performance
Erroneous Transfers
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What is an erroneous transfer?
It’s usually a simple process to switch energy suppliers. However, sometimes the wrong energy supply is switched instead of yours. This is what is known as an 'erroneous transfer' (ET).
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Why do erroneous transfers happen?
ET’s can happen for a number of reasons, including the following:
- Your details have ended up with us in error – this is common if you live in a flat or new-build, and your neighbour has selected the wrong house address when switching.
- Your meter details are incorrect on the national database used by all energy firms.
- There might have been a systems or human error at our side of things.
- Your details may have been used fraudulently to apply for a switch, although this is a rarity.
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What happens next?
If you think your supply has been moved to Spark without a valid contact1, we'll pay you £30 in compensation if it's found to be an erroneous transfer. In addition to this, if your supply has been moved to or from Spark without a valid contract1, here's how we'll sort it out:
- We'll contact the other supplier within 20 days to decide if the switch is an erroneous transfer.
- We'll then write to you within 20 days if you let us know about the problem directly. We'll either confirm it's an erroneous transfer and that you're being switched back, or let you know the outcome of our discussion with the other supplier.
- We'll move your supply back to Spark within 21 working days of confirming the erroneous transfer with the other supplier.
If we don't do any of the above, we'll pay you £30 as compensation.
Please note, this process does not apply if you've been transferred to Spark as part of the Supplier of Last Resort process.
1 "Valid Contract" means a contract for the supply of the energy that has been entered in by yourselve with the supplier, and relates to the property that has been transferred.
Refunding final credit balances
We will issue a refund of your final credit balance within 10 working days of sending your final statement (or correct final statement) providing it is fair and reasonable to do so. This only applies to you if you have transferred to another supplier, or have moved out of a property we supply.
If we fail to do this, we’ll pay you £30.
Final billing
We’ll send you a final statement within 6 weeks of your energy supply leaving us or if you’ve told us you’re moving out of a home we supply.
If we don’t do that, we’ll pay you £30 as compensation. This won’t apply for erroneous transfers or if there’s a dispute over your billing.
15 working day switch
We’ll switch your energy supply within 15 working days of receiving the information we need for the switch. If we don’t do that, we’ll pay you £30 as compensation in line with our regulatory obligations. This won’t apply if we believe there’s evidence of fraudulent behaviour relating to the switch.