Energy supply being hijacked

[Interlaken]

I just rejected an applicant when I found out he had a £7K CCJ and another salacious reason I won't go into.

This afternoon British Gas contacted me as owner of the property in question to ask if I knew that from 7th June the supplier was changing to Spark Energy.

Over my dead body was my response but it would seem that the applicant has started the change - he doesn't even have a tenancy agreement and B Gas say they are powerless to prevent the change.

What on earth is going on? Just tried to contact Spark but their phones won't connect then started 'live chat' with Andrea who terminated the chat when I wanted an explanation.

I had no idea your supply could just be hijacked by any Tom, Dick or Ibrahim in this case.

[carolines100]

Are you letting through an agent, as our last two rental properties have been supplied by spark energy as an agreement with the agency.
We got a booklet explaining this on signing up to the property.
Seems most large agents have an agreement with them.

[theartfullodger]

Suffice to say after a letting agent moved my wife's utilities to Spark En*rgy (she was renting out her late mum's home) it all went 'orribly rong, the director of customer service sent her a huge bunch of flowers & I have no plans ever to do business with this esteemed & highly respected company: Aye, right.

Enquire what back-handers have been paid from whom to whom & why.

[Interlaken]

Thanks both for those responses - very informative. I use an agent for tenant find only and did not agree to this but seems they have just gone with it.
Heads will roll tomorrow!

[Ericthelobster]

Enquire what back-handers have been paid from whom to whom & why.

See https://sparkenergy.co.uk/partner "We’ll pay an admin fee for each property to help cover the cost of dealing with utilities" (bear in mind that this website is visible to tenants as well as agents/landlords; hence the circumlocutory verbiage...)

[Kay Powell]

Surely only the owner or the tenant should legally be able to change the supplier. Who is living there at the moment?