Utilities Warehouse. Will it be cheaper or more expensive? slightly awkward situation

Quentin

Decado23 wrote: »

My parents are UW customers for phone + internet. By using the UW cashback card in sainsburys and several of the other stores in the scheme they have acheived massive discounts on their UW bill

But this all started over the deceitful badge worn by uw reps.

You seem to be agreeing that the badge which claims you can get money off your food is indeed deceitful, and agree that all you can get is some discount off your uw bill. And this involves using the uw "risky" prepayment card, and paying cash in advance to use the card when shopping at Sainsburys where you pay the same price as anyone else does!

easy

Well, in order to help out my friend, I signed up, on the assumption that we would be on the high user tariffs for gas & elec, as their brochures said would be appropriate for a 4 bed detatched house. This would have kept our prices about level with what we were paying, so not money saving, but not costing us more either.

They have now sent letters for both Gas and Electricity, saying that they will apply the standard tariffs, as they are unable to confirm our previous usage (they had a copy of our bill !!).

Which makes it more expensive.

Scheming B*st*rds ??

I'm ringing to cancel.

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

But this all started over the deceitful badge worn by uw reps.

You seem to be agreeing that the badge which claims you can get money off your food is indeed deceitful, and agree that all you can get is some discount off your uw bill. And this involves using the uw "risky" prepayment card, and paying cash in advance to use the card when shopping at Sainsburys where you pay the same price as anyone else does!

I suppose the badge could more pedantically say "save un undetermined amount on your utility bill, based on a percentage of your shopping in certain stores, minus some small associated fees. terms and conditions apply".

But, lets face it, that would be a pretty !!!! badge. I think it's fair to say most reasonable people would accept that a rebate of 5%ish of a given spend is pretty equivalent to a 5% discount on that spend.

Of course, some people will disagree, especially if they're particularly cynical, petty people.

regarding the 'risks', they are pretty small imo (even Cardew, no big fan of UW seems to agree, I seem to recall him saying he may even consider taking one UW service so he can get the card). As far as I'm aware, pretty much any payment method has some risks associated with it. If you know of one that doesn't, please enlighten me.

And if you have such a thing against deceit, can you clarify your earlier accusations of me 'cynically' and 'intentionally' posting misleading information. On the grounds that you have offered no evidence to support this accusation, I have offered evidence to support the information I posted and you have refused to retract the accusation and apologise I consider those attempts to disparage me to be deceitful.

You previously implied that another poster, who is an ex-copper, used to 'stich people up'. No evidence offered, no retraction or apology.

You also have a tendency to use partial quotes, out of context material, implied accusations and general attempts at misdirection to convey your anti UW sentiments. If you are not grossly overestimating the UW evil then surely these tactics are not required. Either way, I concider them deceitful.


UW distributor

Decado23

easy wrote: »

They have now sent letters for both Gas and Electricity, saying that they will apply the standard tariffs, as they are unable to confirm our previous usage (they had a copy of our bill !!).

Which makes it more expensive.

If the bill doesn't cover at least a full 12 month period, it doesn't really help much - without knowing for sure that the high user tariff is most appropriate for you it makes sense to put you on the standard tariff (for the majority of customers this would probably be either correct or the lesser of the 2 incorrect options).

On the bright side, the initially determined tariff is not set in stone, you can request a transfer to your preferred tariff by calling customer services. You can do this once every 12 month period I believe, should your usage change in the future.


UW distributor

edit:

high user tariffs for gas & elec, as their brochures said would be appropriate for a 4 bed detatched house

You should be aware that the brochure cannot know your specific usage - high user tariff may be best for a 'typical' 4 bed house, but you may not be typical.

Quentin

Decado23 wrote: »

But, lets face it, that would be a pretty !!!! badge. I think it's fair to say most reasonable people would accept that a rebate of 5%ish of a given spend is pretty equivalent to a 5% discount on that spend.

But you don't get a rebate of "5%ish".

In order to "reap the benefits" of this whole convoluted scheme, you need to first sign up to the UW club and pay their monthly club fee. Then you must take their expensive utilities.

Then you must buy (£10) their risky prepay card. There are then ongoing monthly charges for this as well as charges every time you load it with cash.

Then all you get is a discount (which taking into account the cost and ongoing charges can never be 5% of your spend) off your UW bill.

As I have tried to point out, there is nothing off the food bill at Sainsburys!

Decado23

Quentin wrote: »

But you don't get a rebate of "5%ish".

hmm, last month (or the month before, don't have the paperwork handy) I spent around £550 on the UW card, in appropriate stores. I received 'cashback' (call it what you will, that's how it's listed on my bill) of around £27.50. Subtract £1 monthly fee + 2x 35p top up fee = £25.80.

£25.80 is 4.69% of £550. I consider 5%ish to be an accurate enough approximation. Obviously the exact %age varies depending on the amount of spending and the frequency of top ups.

In order to "reap the benefits" of this whole convoluted scheme, you need to first sign up to the UW club and pay their monthly club fee.

Yeah, it's a member benefit. That means it's available to members. You do indeed need to be a member to gain member benefits that are only available to members. It's kinda the whole point.

Then you must take their expensive utilities.

When asked for an alternative phone + BB provider, all you came up wit was tiscali. Nuff said really.

Then you must buy (£10) their risky prepay card. There are then ongoing monthly charges for this as well as charges every time you load it with cash.

yeah, that £10 really hurt. If it wasn't for the £33, £25, £15, £27, £14 cashback I've had so far, that would be a real bummer. If you plan to use the card a reasonable amount, it's worth the tenner. If you don't plan to use the card, don't apply for it. No problem.

I do find your insistence of always calling it the 'risky' prepay card amusing. Please inform me of a prepay card (or credit/debit card) that doesn't carry some associated risks.

Then all you get is a discount (which taking into account the cost and ongoing charges can never be 5% of your spend) off your UW bill.

It doesn't need to be. I still save a bucket load with it even when the small fees are included, as outlined above.

As I have tried to point out, there is nothing off the food bill at Sainsburys!

£5 off bill a or £5 off bill b... bottom line is £5 extra in your wallet (or bank account) at the end of the day. This is just nit picking.


UW distributor

Decado23

Decado23 wrote: »

I suppose the badge could more pedantically say "save un undetermined amount on your utility bill, based on a percentage of your shopping in certain stores, minus some small associated fees. terms and conditions apply".

But, lets face it, that would be a pretty !!!! badge. I think it's fair to say most reasonable people would accept that a rebate of 5%ish of a given spend is pretty equivalent to a 5% discount on that spend.

Of course, some people will disagree, especially if they're particularly cynical, petty people.

regarding the 'risks', they are pretty small imo (even Cardew, no big fan of UW seems to agree, I seem to recall him saying he may even consider taking one UW service so he can get the card). As far as I'm aware, pretty much any payment method has some risks associated with it. If you know of one that doesn't, please enlighten me.

And if you have such a thing against deceit, can you clarify your earlier accusations of me 'cynically' and 'intentionally' posting misleading information. On the grounds that you have offered no evidence to support this accusation, I have offered evidence to support the information I posted and you have refused to retract the accusation and apologise I consider those attempts to disparage me to be deceitful.

You previously implied that another poster, who is an ex-copper, used to 'stich people up'. No evidence offered, no retraction or apology.

You also have a tendency to use partial quotes, out of context material, implied accusations and general attempts at misdirection to convey your anti UW sentiments. If you are not grossly overestimating the UW evil then surely these tactics are not required. Either way, I concider them deceitful.


UW distributor

Quentin, you only responded to one paragraph of the above post, can I assume you accept the rest as being a true and accurate account?


UW distributor

Quentin

That is because the rest of your post was irrelevant to the topic, and seemed designed to distract from it.

easy

Well, what a coincidence.

Npower have just rung, to check that I want to change supplier to UW. So I've told them I've changed my mind, they're changing me to their cheaper tariff (which is the one UKPower suggests would be best for me anyway), and telling UW to go away, they'll keep my account.

Now I just have to ring my friend to let him know .


For what it's worth, I would just like to say that I started this thread just to get some financial advice (and I suppose help on the tricky personal situation with my friend).

I am very surprised that it has unleashed the vitriol that it has.

OK, so they are not necessarily the cheapest , but everyone is free to do their own research, just as any company is allowed to sell their wares for whatever price they can get

I don't understand why some of you are SOOOO angry about UW. If you don't like them, don't deal with them. If you don't like their distributors, don't be friends with any.

I'll bow out of this thread now guys ...

jimexbox

easy wrote: »

Now I just have to ring my friend to let him know .

I wouldn't feel bad about it, are you a charity?