Moving circuit breaker switch

I bought a PPOR, established house. The wiring was suss and illegal in one place, and the sparky made it safe a week or so ago.The switchboard is the old kind, wire fuses, and that will be replaced. He left the main circuit breaker in the off position. I can never remember if Off or On is when that word is visible or when the switch is in that direction. The power has been disconnected.

I found an electricity retailer and they said that the power must be switched off at the board; I said it was, the sparky said so. The retailer said that another electrical company (wholesaler?) - I'm unsure of the relationship - said that the switch was on. I do not know how that happened. The other electrical company said that they could not move the switch, as it was my job. The retailer would not advise me about which direction to move the switch, and the property is two hours away. I gave the other electrical company permission to move the switch, but they declined.

It seems unreasonable to me to expect a person that knows very little about such things to move a switch in a direction that will not be advised. Why can't the person connecting the power move the switch?

Advice about the above would be valued. TIA

 

Connection person can’t move the switch because connection is often (usually?) remote these days.

Was in my case in Melbourne anyway.

 

Thanks. It is remote but the supplier is being interesting. I was at the property yesterday and the switches were in the down position, with the word "off" visible. Usually this means that the circuit is off. (Whatever word you see describes the circuit status.) I moved the switches to the up position and am waiting on advice from the supplier. First day this year, may be busy.