Ofgem protects customers of failed supplier Rutherford Energy Supply Limited

Press release

Publication date

Company

Industry sector

Supply and Retail Market

Rutherford Energy Supply Limited (trading as Uttily Energy), an energy supplier with around 280 business customers has ceased to trade.

Under Ofgem’s safety net, the energy supply of Rutherford Energy’s customers will continue.

Ofgem will choose a new supplier to take on all of Rutherford Energy’s customers. This supplier will contact these customers shortly after being appointed.

The parent company, Uttily Plc, will also cease to trade. Uttily plc does not directly supply energy to customers, but it has commercial arrangements in place with a number of partner suppliers where around 360 customers are supplied under the Uttily plc brand. 

Most Uttily plc customers will continue to be supplied by the relevant partner supplier, therefore, Ofgem will not appoint a new supplier for these customers. Where the partner supplier for a customer is Rutherford Energy, Ofgem will appoint these customers a new supplier. 

Ofgem’s advice to Rutherford Energy’s customers in the meantime is to:

  • Not switch to another energy supplier until a new one has been appointed and you have been contacted by them in the following weeks.
  • Take a meter reading ready for when your new supplier contacts you.

This will make the process of switching customers over to the chosen supplier as smooth as possible.

Philippa Pickford, Ofgem’s director for future retail markets, said:

“Rutherford Energy’s customers do not need to worry, as under our safety net we’ll make sure your energy supplies are secure.

“Ofgem will now choose a new supplier for you and while we’re doing this our advice is to ‘sit tight’ and don’t switch. You can rely on your energy supply as normal. We will update you when we have chosen a new supplier, who will then get in touch about your new tariff.”

Updates are available from our website or through our twitter feed @ofgem.

Customers who have questions should visit the FAQs on our website. Or if they need additional support, call Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06 or email them via their webform. Advice will also be shared on Ofgem’s twitter @ofgem and facebook channels.

Notes to editors

  • Rutherford Energy’s customers should take meter readings today and wait until their new supplier contacts them. Once they’ve been contacted, customers can ask to be put on their new supplier’s cheapest deal or shop around for a better deal from another supplier. They won’t be charged exit fees for switching away from their new supplier.
  • Rutherford Energy Supply Limited is wholly owned by Uttily Plc, which we understand will also cease to trade. Uttily Plc does not directly supply any customers, so Ofgem will not appoint a new supplier for customers of Uttily Plc. Customers of Uttily Plc will continue to be supplied by the partner supplier who is already responsible for their supply. This process will be managed by the relevant partner supplier, in conjunction with Uttily Plc and their appointed administrators.
  • If customers are not sure whether they are supplied by Rutherford Energy (trading as Uttily Energy) or Uttily Plc, they should check their supply contracts. The supplier appointed by Ofgem to take on Rutherford’s customers, or in the case of Uttily plc the partner supplier, will be in touch with affected customers.

Further information

For media, contact:

Michelle Amos: 020 7901 1881

Media out of hours mobile: 07766 511470 (media calls only)

General enquiries (non-media)

If you are an energy customer looking for help and advice, including complaints about energy firms, please see our Business gas and electricity guide. Citizens Advice also provide a free, impartial helpline service across a range of issues on 03454 040506.

We also regularly share news and post general advice to help consumers get the most out of their energy services via our @Ofgem twitter and Facebook pages.If you have an enquiry or complaint relating to Ofgem’s policies or functions, contact us at consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk or on 020 7901 7295.

For all other non-media related enquiries, please visit our Contact us page.

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