First Utility - any customer experience?

zzzLazyDaisy

Hi MSE'rs, I am considering switching my gas and electricity from British Gas. I am currently on Click 6 dual fuel.

First Utility is coming up as the cheapest, but only by £56 per year, so not really much in it. However I am well fed up with BG and would change like a shot, but I'm wary of the unknown.

There are lots of things I like about FU - getting a monthly bill that is accurate for that months usage instead of continually paying over the odds on BG monthly DD plan - being able to monitor my usage, and also being able to choose a plan that reflects when I use the most electricity.

But I am wary of signing up to a two year deal (although the truth is I'm probably unlikely to switch again that quickly). More worrying is, having had a smart meter fitted what happens if i do want to switch back - say if the projected savings don't materialise and I end up paying more than I do now?

So I just wondered if there are any FU customers on here, and if so whether they are happy with the service, efficiency, cost etc?

Any input welcome, Thanks

zzzLazyDaisy

Bump .............. anyone?

1carminestocky

They are now coming top of the switching sites for me :eek: . They never did before. Of course, not all the supplier's decreases have filtered through yet so who knows? Methinks they are trying to buy customers (nowt new in this industry!). My big worry with this company would be effectively signing up for 24 months. Who knows if their current competitive pricing will be capable of being maintained - they are way smaller than the Big 6! Plus their connection costs must be way higher (committed to installing a new meter for every new customer - expensive, surely?) The smart meter is tempting but I'm suspecting if you decide to jump ship it just reverts back to the usual meter, i.e. requires reading as it will no longer be hooked up to first utility?

Magentasue

I think they remove the smart meter if you 'jump ship', don't they? That's how they justify the exit fee.

Vestra

The meter stays when you change away but it will lose it's smart features, it will just simply read your electric like normal.

Plushchris

I'm sure I read somewhere that one of the other suppliers is commited to fitting smart meters in most of its customers properties by 2012, cant remember which one it was though.

The smart metering really appeals to me its just that 24 month contract that would stop me going to them, apparently they only take a DD ammount for exactly what you have used the previous month, this would mean you would have to budget for the winter months DDs being higher but paying for exactly what you use sounds nice.

I'm sure if every company operated this way we would see an end to all these posts saying "I'm so annoyed with *insert company here* I've been paying £20 by DD for the last 3 years now they have jumped it right up to £250 a month!!"

Magentasue

Plushchris wrote: »

apparently they only take a DD ammount for exactly what you have used the previous month, this would mean you would have to budget for the winter months DDs being higher but paying for exactly what you use sounds nice.

Now, I hadn't realised that, and it puts me off. I like paying a realistic monthly DD of a fixed amount.

zzzLazyDaisy

The problem is getting a realistic DD. Although my gas DD is about right, I have had to cancel my DD with BG for my electricity because they insisted on increasing it to £45 per month. My annual electricity bill has never been more that £250, so that would mean I'd be paying WAY over the odds, even factoring in price increases. But I could not get them to budge. I know I could get it back at the end of the year but I'm just not prepared to line BG's pockets. So that has now cost me my DD discount.

I like the idea of paying for what I use as I go along, even though it means higher bills in the winter months. I also like the idea of having a visual reminder of my electricity usage, as I'd probably be more vigilant in saving energy.

But I'm concerned about the two year lock-in if they don't remain competetive and/or put their prices up once they have enough customers 'trapped'

1carminestocky

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

The problem is getting a realistic DD. Although my gas DD is about right, I have had to cancel my DD with BG for my electricity because they insisted on increasing it to £45 per month. My annual electricity bill has never been more that £250, so that would mean I'd be paying WAY over the odds, even factoring in price increases. But I could not get them to budge. I know I could get it back at the end of the year but I'm just not prepared to line BG's pockets. So that has now cost me my DD discount.

I like the idea of paying for what I use as I go along, even though it means higher bills in the winter months. I also like the idea of having a visual reminder of my electricity usage, as I'd probably be more vigilant in saving energy.

But I'm concerned about the two year lock-in if they don't remain competetive and/or put their prices up once they have enough customers 'trapped'

That would be my worry, to be honest. It's not as if you are accepting the 2 year term due to signing up for a fixed price tariff. They could do what they wanted with their prices and you are still tied-in. I like the fact they are trying to do summat different to the lazy-@rsed Big 6, though...

hippey

I have Electricity from First Utility, found the cusotmer service good, seems a very small company, but meter was changed when they said it would be, a few teething troubles but that was partly my fault.

I'm on the 3 rate tariff, so far so good, you only pay for exactly what you use, prices are not the best, but by no means the worst either, I like the fact that I can view the energy useage from yesterday today and it has brought our use down slightly, also as the cheaper rate starts at 8pm it does mean you can get you washing done easily!

There are a few execeptions on where the meter can be fitted, as it has to be within GSM radio coverage, so I would check first before signing up as if you stay with a 'dumb' meter they put 20% on the rates! But this should only affect the most rural of customers.