New Jersey Electricity Switching Rules

If you have a contract with one of the many New Jersey electricity providers, then you might feel like switching at some point. There are various reasons a consumer may wish to jump from one provider to another. Perhaps you're paying too much on your current contract and want to move to a more affordable one from a different provider? Or, you're not happy with the customer service and don't wish to associate yourself with the provider anymore? Either way, a switch may be on the cards and this means there are certain rules you must follow. You can find all of these rules detailed in the article below for you to read over:

Your Consumer Rights

Before you consider a switch, you must understand your consumer rights regarding the matter. Every NJ resident has the right to choose a new supplier at any given time - subject to your contract terms. As a residential customer, you are entitled to make the switch after any amount of time once your contract is signed. Business customers are sometimes required to wait a year before they can switch.

You also have the right to terminate your contract within 48 hours when you switch to a new supplier. So, if the switch doesn't work out, you can cancel it quickly for no fees or excess charges.

Switching Fees

Some people avoid switching suppliers as they think it costs them an extra fee. The fact is, you should not be charged a fee to switch between different suppliers. If someone tries to charge you for this, then you shouldn't pay the fee and notify them that they're breaching your rights.

Unauthorized Switching

It is unlawful to have your supplier switched without your consent. This means that your current provider can't switch you to a different one unless you've approved it. This is known as slamming and is highly prohibited and will result in legal penalization for anyone that slams you.

There are some cases where your supplier may be switched without you making the decision. This is usually through your municipality or county via a government energy aggregation program. However, you still have to give consent, you've just not actively gone out of your way to look for a supplier.

Switching Confirmation

Naturally, you must notify your electricity supplier if you wish to switch. In this scenario, they will likely come back to you with a few incentives to stick with them. This can include changes to your current contract or free gifts to get you to stay. Often, if you're looking for a cheaper energy deal from your supplier, threatening to switch will do it. However, should you wish to go through with your switch, then they have to confirm it in writing. Once you've received your written confirmation, you have 7 days to decide if you have changed your mind or not. If you haven't, wait for the 7 days to pass, and your switch will be confirmed.

When you've left your current supplier, you need to find a new one to switch to. As energy rates in New Jersey continue to fluctuate, switching has become a very smart way of getting the best and cheapest rates possible.