How do I work out my usage to get a quote?

As part of the switching process, once we’ve verified your address we’ll be able to provide an estimate of your usage. If we’re unable to verify your address, you can find your usage on a recent bill and enter these details manually. If you don’t have a recent bill, you’ll need to contact your energy supplier to find this information.

Do I need to contact my current energy supplier before I switch?

Nope, this will all be handled for you by the new supplier. Once your switch is approved, your new energy supplier will contact your existing supplier to let them know about your switch.

After I switch, do I need to cancel my direct debit to my old supplier?

To be on the safe side, we’d recommend cancelling your direct debit. Once your account is closed with your old supplier, they will send you a final bill. After this has been paid, some suppliers will automatically cancel your direct debit, but this isn’t guaranteed. Therefore, it’s always best to try manually cancelling it just to be sure. If your account is in credit when it’s closed, your old supplier should send this balance back to you.

How long will it take to switch energy providers?

Most energy companies in the UK are signed up to something called the ‘Energy Switch Guarantee’. This guarantees that the supplier you’re switching to will handle the switching process and it should be done within 21 days.

Why was my application to switch energy provider rejected?

When looking to switch energy providers, there are a few reasons why your request might be rejected. Here are some of the most common ones: The supplier you’ve requested to switch to cannot confirm your address The company you’ve requested to switch to already supplies energy to your property The property you live at is listed as a commercial property The new supplier doesn’t support the type of meter your energy runs on Your Meter Point Reference Number or Meter Point Administration Number cannot be found on the National Database The company you’ve listed as your current supplier doesn’t match with the information on the National Database If your request hasn’t been approved by the supplier and none of the reasons above sound like they fit your situation, the best thing to do is contact them directly for more details.

Can I switch energy through the Zopa website?

At the moment, we only offer energy switching through the Zopa app. You can download our app using your smartphone for Apple here, and for Android here.

When switching energy supplier, will there be a hard search on my credit file?

No, we won’t run any searches on your credit file when you request a switch.

Can I cancel my application after requesting to switch?

Yes, you can cancel, but you’ll need to request this within 14 days of confirmation that your switch is underway. To do this, you’ll just need to get in contact with the energy provider you've requested to switch to. Please be aware, if you cancel after the 14 day period has passed, you might have to pay an exit fee depending on the supplier’s policy.

How do I find out what type of energy meter I have?

To switch energy provider with Zopa, you’ll need to know what type of energy meter you have. This helps us make sure your quote is accurate. To find out for sure which type of meter you have, you can contact your current energy supplier. However, there are also some clues to help you work out which meter you have: Standard meters: These are the most common type of meter in the UK and measure your energy usage per hour. With these, you’ll probably be billed monthly or quarterly, and you might need to provide regular meter readings. Economy 7/Economy 10 meter: If you get cheaper energy at ‘non-peak times’, such as late at night, you may have an ‘economy 7’ or ‘economy 10’ meter. You’ll need to contact your provider to confirm which you have. Prepayment meter: If your energy is pay-as-you go, you’ve likely got a prepayment meter. Smart meter: If details about your energy usage are automatically sent to your provider, so you don’t need to provide readings, you’ve likely got a smart meter.

How do I find out who my current energy supplier is?

This is the company that bills you for your energy. So, to find out who this is, you could check a bank statement or your latest energy bill. If you’ve just moved into a new property and haven’t paid a bill yet, you can contact the national grid who should be able to confirm the name of the energy supplier assigned to your property.

Why isn’t my tariff showing on the list of options?

If your tariff isn't showing, this is probably because your supplier hasn’t published the information we need in order for us to include it. However, you can still complete a comparison based against the standard rate of your supplier. Please note, this won't be quite as accurate, but we can still switch you using this information.

Why isn’t my energy supplier showing in the current supplier list?

We’re only able to show energy suppliers who publish enough information about their tariffs. If there’s not enough information available, then we’re unable to compare your current supplier with what else is out there in order to find ways you could save on energy.