A report by MoneySupermarket claims that landlords and lettings agents are failing to make tenants aware of their rights when it comes to energy bills. UK renters are missing out on savings worth more than £1bn collectively on their energy bills because they do not know they are able to switch suppliers, the website says.

Analysis by the website among 2,000 respondents found 49% of tenants were not given any information about their energy provider at the start of their tenancy and 12% thought their landlord was solely responsible for switching providers, while 10% didn’t know who their supplier is and 6% didn’t even know where to find their meter.

Under rules set out by Ofgem, the energy market regulator, if a tenant’s name is on the bill, they have the right to switch supplier.

Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySupermarket, said: “When it comes to energy switching in rented property, there is some confusion over who takes responsibility. In an ideal world, you would be provided with information on who the supplier is, and the average bill size at the start of the agreement.

“Renters would then be encouraged to shop around for a cheaper tariff and make the switch. However, it seems this isn’t happening in far too many instances.

“Ofgem has stated categorically that tenants are entitled to change supplier at any time if they are responsible for paying the energy bill, and should not be unreasonably prevented from doing this. There are savings of up to £359 per household to be made by switching suppliers, so it pays to take control and shop around.”

The Lincolnshire Energy Switch scheme can give tenants the opportunity to save money on their energy bills. By registering for the scheme there is no obligation to switch once the resident receives their personal offer but the savings could be significant – an average of £200 per year for anyone who has never switched. And it is available to residents with pre-payment meters too.

The idea is that rather than switching provider as an individual, residents across Lincolnshire use their combined buying power across our community to negotiate cheaper prices with energy companies. The next scheme starts in early December.

Boston Borough Council, City of Lincoln Council, East Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire County Council, South Kesteven District Council, North Kesteven District Council and West Lindsey District Council co-ordinate the scheme which is administered by the UK's leading collective switching expert, iChoosr Ltd.

For more information, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/switch

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