Utilita

newnhak

I rang Energywatch today and they told me it was ok to withhold the surcharge (you won't get cut off).

They also said you do not need to tick any boxes on the form - he advised I cross through them all and then write on the bottom that I am choosing not to pay the surcharge and include this with my cheque for the remaining amount. I explained that I was witholding it partly because Utilita did not honour the 10% annual refund and did not tell us in the original letter that they may have trouble honouring this. If they had I would have switched there and then. He said there was no need for me to give them a justification - just tell them you are not paying it.

He also said Utilita have now agreed the surcharge is voluntary :rolleyes:

Energywatch took my details and asked me to contact them if I have any more problems - so well worth everyone ringing them in my opinion. Here's the number!
Energywatch - 08459 06 07 08

HTH

Karen

Stormer_3

I've raised the Surcharge and the Credit Guarantee with Energwatch. They seem to want to deal with each customers complaint separately even tho' we've all got the same problem.

2 quick points:

The surcharge is actually £42 - they add 5% VAT to the whole bill including the surcharge.
I have the original Tariff dated 1/1/2005 when I joined; it says "The Credit Guarantee Level is 10%(this gives the customer an (sic) 10% rebate at the end of each year if they do not spend any Credits)" Subsequent Tariff sheets left out the bit in brackets.

They cannot duck out of this - if they want to transfer the contract it has to be on substantially the same terms. If not they must honour the contract including future benefits defined in it or offer to compensate for terminating it early - which would be the 10% in either case.

Utilita tell me that they are not removing the surcharge or paying the rebate. They even deny that the Credit Guarantee is a cash rebate! They say they have "transferred" the contracts to EDF. EDF, in turn, say (in writing to me)
"Utilita continue to be responsible for the payment of any energy efficiency credits and credit guarantee payments built up by customers on Utilita products prior to the date of transfer and are required to do so under the terms of the agreement between EDF Energy and Utilita."

Luckily, I owed Utilita more than the surcharge plus rebate so I've paid them what I think I owe and now await the debt collection agency's call and the County Court summons!

Let's hope Energywatch will support the consumers rights in this instance and quickly bang some heads together.

Weymouth_Man

Stormer, I have had problems reclaiming credits, in fact they say I have recently used 20 credits,but in fact have not recieved any credit rewards like energy light bulbs etc, I have questioned why this has happened. :mad: