Is switching energy supplier safe in Ireland? What actually happens

A lot of people in Ireland have never switched, and the usual reason is not price. It is a vague sense that something could go wrong: a gap in supply, a bill from two companies, a contract that cannot be undone. The CRU, which regulates energy suppliers, calls switching “free and easy to do”. Here is what that means in practice.

Who does what

You choose a plan and sign up with the new supplier, directly or through a comparison site. The CRU suggests one step first: ask your current supplier for a better deal, because it costs nothing and sometimes works.

The new supplier takes it from there. You do not need to tell the old supplier you are leaving.

The network company stays the same. ESB Networks looks after the electricity meter and cables, Gas Networks Ireland the gas meter and pipes, whoever your supplier is. That is why nobody calls to the house and why the power does not go off.

The CRU licenses every supplier. A company cannot sell electricity or gas to your home without that licence, and the licence obliges it to follow the CRU’s customer protection rules. The CRU’s list currently shows 15 licensed suppliers serving customers.

What you need

Two numbers from your bills: the MPRN (Meter Point Registration Number) for electricity and the GPRN (Gas Point Registration Number) for gas. Add a current meter reading and your usage over the last year. Most delays come from a wrong or missing MPRN or GPRN, so copy them carefully.

What happens, and when

On the day you agree to switch, a cooling-off period starts. For most switches it is 14 days; for certain contracts agreed at a distance or off the supplier’s premises, the Consumer Rights Act 2022 extends it to 30 days. Within that time you can cancel without any penalty.

After cooling-off has closed, the CRU explains, the switch is processed through the Meter Registration System Operator, the body that keeps track of which supplier serves which meter. You then get a welcome letter from the new supplier and a final bill from the old one. bonkers.ie, one of the CRU-accredited comparison sites, says a switch usually completes within 5 to 10 days once the details are right and can take up to four weeks in some cases. Allow a few weeks from signing and give a meter reading when you are asked.

What does not happen

Your supply is not interrupted. Your meter is not changed. Nobody needs access to your home. And you do not lose supports that are paid to you rather than to a supplier: bonkers.ie notes that the fuel allowance continues after a switch.

Exit fees

Fixed-term plans can carry an early exit fee, and the CRU’s guide tells you to read the terms, including any exit fee, before you sign. Cancelling within the cooling-off period costs nothing. If you are on a fixed plan, check its end date: switching at the end of the term, rather than halfway through, usually avoids the fee.

Owing money

Arrears do not automatically stop a switch. Under the debt flagging process, a flag is placed only when a household owes €225 or more for at least 60 days past the bill’s due date. The new supplier then decides whether to accept you. If it does not, you agree a plan with your current supplier, the flag is lifted and you can try again.

If you are struggling to pay, the CRU says suppliers must offer options to avoid disconnection, such as a payment plan that takes account of what you can afford, which you can extend to 18 months.

If a supplier leaves the market

We looked for the CRU’s current consumer guidance on what happens if a supplier stops trading and could not find it on its consumer pages, so we will not describe the process from memory. Two things are certain. Your meter and connection belong to the network company, not the supplier. And the CRU’s Customer Care Team is the place to ask if it ever happens to you.

Pushy sellers and cold calls

The CRU’s rules on doorstep and phone sales are specific, and knowing them makes it easy to spot someone who is not following them:

• a sales agent at your door must show an ID card with their name, photo and the supplier’s name and contact details;
• they must give you the CRU doorstep checklist before the sales pitch begins;
• sales calls are allowed only between 9am and 9pm on weekdays and between 9am and 7pm on Saturdays, never on Sundays, bank holidays or Christmas Eve;
• when you say you do not want to continue, they must end the contact, and if you ask not to be called again they must remove you from their list.

The CRU also says a supplier should never be pushy or rush you into a contract. Anyone who does is a reason to close the door and compare in your own time. Never give your MPRN or bank details to someone who contacted you first.

Free help

• Your supplier first, for any problem with a bill or a switch.
• CRU Customer Care Team (cru.ie): free, once you have complained to the supplier and are unhappy with the result. It aims to resolve complaints within 90 days, though it says it is currently taking longer. In a billing dispute the supplier must pause collection of the disputed amount while the CRU investigates.
• MABS, the State’s money advice service: helpline 0818 07 2000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, if bills have become debts.
• CRU-accredited comparison sites: bonkers.ie, switcher.ie, PowerToSwitch.ie and EnergySwitch.ie, which the CRU audits on an ongoing basis.

A normal thing to do

With 15 licensed suppliers on the CRU’s list and four accredited comparison sites, the market is built around people moving between companies. If you want to see what your own usage would cost elsewhere, compare plans with your annual kWh figure. If you are on a fixed plan, our free contract alert reminds you before it ends.