How Can I Find My Energy Supplier?

Of course, that’s where we come in! As soon as you find your energy supplier and tariff in your new home, the Papernest team can find the perfect energy supplier and tariff for your new property. So you can start making savings from the day you move in.

How do I find out who supplies my energy?

There are dozens of energy suppliers on the market. And as happy as you may have been with your energy supplier in your old home, your tariff is not automatically carried over to your new property when you move. Instead, you have to use whatever supplier the previous occupant of your new home used.

In most cases the landlord, letting agent, estate agent or previous occupant will be able to tell you who the incumbent supplier is in your new home. If they do not supply this information, you can try using the Find My Supplier website. Just input your postcode and house number.

However, not every property is listed on this site. So it helps to know how to find your energy supplier without the aid of this resource.

How to find out who supplies my electricity?

If your property is not listed on the Find My Supplier website, you can find out who supplies electricity to your new property by calling your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO). These are the companies responsible for ensuring that electricity gets to your home safely and efficiently. They are also responsible for maintaining and upgrading the National Grid, facilitating new connections and moving existing connections and meters.

You can find the DNO for your region in the table below.

Call your DNO, and they will be able to tell you who supplies energy to your new home. This is the first step towards finding out how much you’re currently paying, and how much the Papernest team could save you by switching.

How to find out who supplies my gas?

In many cases, the same supplier provides both gas and electricity to a property. But this isn’t always the case. Your new home’s previous occupant may have found that it was cheaper to get their utilities separately. Especially when there are gas-only suppliers like Zog that offer market-leading rates.

As such, you may find that your gas isn’t supplied by the same company as your electricity. The Find My Supplier website may be able to identify your current gas supplier in your new home. But if they can’t there’s no need to worry!

Just contact your area’s gas transporter.

These companies are to gas what DNOs are to electricity. They arrange new connections, disconnections and reconnections, as well as managing and maintaining the network.

There are fewer gas transporters than DNOs. You can find yours in the table below:

What is an MPAN number?

When you move into your new home, you’re likely to want to switch to a plan of your own choosing as soon as possible, rather than potentially wasting money on a plan with the incumbent supplier. Although Ofgem stipulates that your energy switch should take no longer than 15 days (and you may be entitled to compensation if it takes longer), the more information you have, the faster your switch will be.

This is why it’s a good idea to supply the Papernest team with your Meter Point Administration (MPAN) number if possible. This is your meter’s unique reference number and can help suppliers to identify your unique meter. Of course, we’ll manage your switch to make it as seamless as possible. But having this number can help the process.

It is usually prominently featured on your energy bill. You’ll typically find it on the upper right hand corner near to your unique customer reference number.

What is an MPRN number?

Your MPRN (Meter Point Reference Number) is the gas equivalent of your MPAN number and can help suppliers (and the Papernest team) to identify your unique meter to aid in a swift and seamless switch.

How do I find my MPAN / MPRN number without a bill?

Your MPAN and MPRN number are usually clearly stated on your energy bills. However, it’s understandable that you may not want to wait to find out your unique meter reference numbers. After all, the longer you wait, the more you could be wasting on a needlessly expensive energy tariff with your incumbent supplier.

Fortunately, your DNO and gas transporter can provide you with your MPAN and MPRN numbers respectively. So don’t forget to ask them when you call to find out who supplies energy to your new home.

How do I find what energy plan I am on?

As soon as you know the name of your supplier (or suppliers) and have access to your MPAN and MPRN numbers, you next need to find out what tariff you’re on.

The easiest way to do this is to contact the incumbent supplier directly and ask them:

• The name of the tariff
• The unit rates for each fuel per kilowatt hour (kWh)
• The daily standing charge for each fuel

This will help you to identify how much money the Papernest team could save you by switching you to a brand new tariff in your new home.

Why do you need to know who supplies your energy?

At this point you may be wondering just why it’s so important to find out who supplies energy to your new home. After all, there can’t be that much difference between different suppliers and tariffs… can there?

The truth is that, between them, UK energy consumers are actually spending hundreds of millions of pounds more than they should be. And new movers are almost certainly overspending by virtue of the contract that you have set up when you move in.

When you move to a new home, you are automatically placed on a "deemed contract" with the incumbent supplier, and your energy is supplied on a tariff of their choosing.

And it almost certainly won’t be their cheapest tariff.

What energy plan will I be on in a new property?

When you’re on a deemed contract you’re typically placed on the supplier’s standard or default variable tariff. These often have the least competitive rates and can rise even higher if the price of wholesale energy goes up. The good news is that these tariffs have no exit fees, so you can (and should) contact the Papernest team as soon as possible to find a cheaper alternative. The more you know about the default tariff, the more easily you can identify just how much you could save.

Can I switch energy suppliers as soon as I move in?

Yes. Although you can’t switch suppliers before moving house, you can switch to a new supplier and tariff as soon as you are legally responsible for your new home’s energy supply. Which is usually the day you move in.

How is energy supplied to my home?

The energy supplied to your home is generated in power stations. From here it travels to substations where "step down" transformers are used to reduce the voltage so that it’s safe to use at home. The National Grid is the network of cables and wires that gets the energy from the power station to your home, and regional Distribution Network Operators are responsible for maintaining and upgrading the network so that it’s always fit for purpose.

How many DNOs / Gas Transporters are there?

There are 10 DNOs and 4 Gas Transporters that share responsibility for maintaining and upgrading the electrical and gas networks across the UK.

Who is responsible for my electricity meter in the UK?

Although your local DNO establishes a connection and provides a meter for every new connection, it is not their responsibility to maintain that meter. When an energy supplier takes you on as a supplier they also assume responsibility for your meter. Which means that they have to bear the cost of repairs if a fault is found.

How to switch energy supplier

Switching to a new energy supplier and tariff couldn’t be easier. Just contact the Papernest team as close to your moving-in day as possible. They’ll scour the market for the perfect energy plan to suit your needs. They’ll even manage your switch from end-to-end so you can make a faster and hassle-free switch.

Want to know more?

Call us today on 0330 818 6225.

We’re available from 8am to 6pm.

would you like to know more about switching energy suppliers? Great! Check out these related articles:

1. Cancel energy contract
2. Switch gas provider
3. Switch electricity supplier
4. Switching from prepayment meter to direct debit

FAQ

How do I find out who my electricity supplier is online?

You can find out who your electricity supplier is online by using the Find My Supplier website. However, please be aware that many properties are not listed on here. If you cannot find your supplier on here, you can instead contact your DNO and Gas Transporter.

What is a DNO?

A DNO is a Distribution Network Operator. These are the companies responsible for maintaining and upgrading the national energy grid in different regions of the UK. They also handle making new connections and disconnections. They can also move connections and meters.

What is a Gas Transporter?

A Gas Transporter is a company that’s responsible for maintaining and upgrading the system of pipes, valves and manifolds that transports natural gas to our homes. They also handle new connections and disconnections as well as meter moves.

Essentially, they do everything a DNO does, except with gas.

Can my gas and electricity be from two different suppliers?

Yes! Although many suppliers offer a dual fuel discount there are some instances where it actually works out cheaper to get your gas and electricity from separate suppliers. Which is why you should never assume that the same supplier provides both utilities when you move into a new home.

What is the difference between an MPAN & an MPRN?

Your Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) and Meter Point Administration Number (MPRN) are the unique identification numbers for your electricity and gas meters respectively. It’s important to know both to facilitate a quick and hassle-free energy switch.