In June we wrote to Ofgem, the industry regulator, urging it to show more support for small businesses in their relationships with the all-powerful power companies. While it still allows energy companies to continue issuing 'rollover' contracts which tie small businesses into long-term deals, Ofgem has at least imposed some controls on suppliers, including specialised contracts, better information and communication services and a requirement to give 30-day notice periods to allow businesses to renegotiate contracts. But these apply only to micro-businesses (those employing 10 staff or fewer), and not other small business employers.
We asked chief executive Alistair Buchanan to consider again a ban on rollover contracts and imposition of restrictions on suppliers that would give a fairer deal to businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Ofgem has yet to reply to our letter.
We also asked C-Store readers to send their own letters of complaint to Mr Buchanan. If you did so and have received a response from the regulator, please do let us know.
Recent research from the Association of Convenience Stores reveals that one in five businesses receive inadequate notice that their energy contracts are coming to an end, one in 10 have received backdated bills, and one in four have been initially offered unfavourable renewal terms.
At C-Store we are continuing to build up a dossier of your experiences of bullying behaviour and apparent mis-selling from your suppliers.
Tim and Pauline Brewer of Chittlechatter Stores in Devon contacted us with their tale of meter mix-ups which resulted in a £1,000 bill from British Gas and a further bill from a debt collection agency.
Danyelle Paton of Bob's Butchers in Harwell is sure she did everything necessary to change suppliers earlier this year but still ended up with a bill from EDF for £2,067 when she thought she'd cancelled the contract.
"I rang the Energy Ombudsman who said that they couldn't help me until my complaint had been in the power company's hands for eight weeks," Danyelle says. "When I asked what I should do they said they couldn't give out advice. It seems that as a small business you're completely at the mercy of the big businesses and the people that we hope will help can offer no advice, or just tell us to pay and hope it's sorted out by the next bill."
We asked chief executive Alistair Buchanan to consider again a ban on rollover contracts and imposition of restrictions on suppliers that would give a fairer deal to businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Ofgem has yet to reply to our letter.
We also asked C-Store readers to send their own letters of complaint to Mr Buchanan. If you did so and have received a response from the regulator, please do let us know.
Recent research from the Association of Convenience Stores reveals that one in five businesses receive inadequate notice that their energy contracts are coming to an end, one in 10 have received backdated bills, and one in four have been initially offered unfavourable renewal terms.
At C-Store we are continuing to build up a dossier of your experiences of bullying behaviour and apparent mis-selling from your suppliers.
Tim and Pauline Brewer of Chittlechatter Stores in Devon contacted us with their tale of meter mix-ups which resulted in a £1,000 bill from British Gas and a further bill from a debt collection agency.
Danyelle Paton of Bob's Butchers in Harwell is sure she did everything necessary to change suppliers earlier this year but still ended up with a bill from EDF for £2,067 when she thought she'd cancelled the contract.
"I rang the Energy Ombudsman who said that they couldn't help me until my complaint had been in the power company's hands for eight weeks," Danyelle says. "When I asked what I should do they said they couldn't give out advice. It seems that as a small business you're completely at the mercy of the big businesses and the people that we hope will help can offer no advice, or just tell us to pay and hope it's sorted out by the next bill."
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