Utilites warehouse - what's it all about?

cosyc

A friend recommended utility warehouse and after looking at current thread just appears like a three way argument.

So is it as simple as all bills become one bill and you get cashback from their pre paid card paid to the bill. Sounds too easy!! Is it?

andybos

in a nutshell!! but obviously you need to get your questions answered and everything explained to you properly,to see if it suits you.
regards andy
uw dis.

jimexbox

cosyc wrote: »

A friend recommended utility warehouse and after looking at current thread just appears like a three way argument.

So is it as simple as all bills become one bill and you get cashback from their pre paid card paid to the bill. Sounds too easy!! Is it?

If you friend is a UW independent distributor be very wary, he/she will get a slice of you bill every month as commission if they sign you up. That's for ever, a cold winter, more money on heating, more in your friends pocket, nice. Even if your friend is just a UW customer I believe they have an inducement programme for recommending a friend which involves a financial reward for the the person who puts your name forward.

Even Which? magazine report that their energy prices are 20% higher than the competition, you can prove this yourself by entering you gas and electric kWh into a comparison site such as energyhelpline. UW energy would cost me an extra £257 this year alone in higher energy prices, they simply resell energy supplied by Npower. I wouldn't recommend their energy, its vastly overpriced.

Their broadband and phone package is quite competitive, especially if you can use their UW discount card enough (at participating retailers) to receive a large discount, though this may involve radically changing your spending habits. Their phone and broadband package would be worth investigating, oh and don't bother with their mobile service either, there are far cheaper deals around.

uptomyeyeballs

cosyc wrote: »

A friend recommended utility warehouse and after looking at current thread just appears like a three way argument.

So is it as simple as all bills become one bill and you get cashback from their pre paid card paid to the bill. Sounds too easy!! Is it?

Yes I think that sums it up. If you want sensible answers to sensible questions though, don't ask here. You'll be jumped on immediately.

jimexbox

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

Yes I think that sums it up. If you want sensible answers to sensible questions though, don't ask here. You'll be jumped on immediately.

I think my response is perfectly reasonable. Please point out what you find unacceptable?

1carminestocky

If you shop at the stores included in the cashback card 5% list (especially if you are a regular Sainsburys shopper for groceries and petrol/diesel), then UW can easily be the cheapest deal in the marketplace, no question.My cashback discount came to £51 this month, just making my regular purchases but on the UW card instead of my bank debit card. To maximise my savings I take the 4 services, gas/electric/phone line/broadband. Taking into account the cashback card discount my bill for September (i input my actual usage at the end of each month and get billed for just that so no debits or credits on my account!) for:

Gas 285
Electric 352
Up to 24mb unlimited broadband
Phone Line Rental
ALL calls (approx 300 of them, including some International ones)
Free calls to UW CS/tech support etc
Club fee
Monthly PAPER bill
One DD payment

...will amount to the princely sum of £29!

Not for everyone but if your retail habits fit the criteria for the cashback card a bit of a no-brainer, TBH.

PS I have never personally met a UW distributor, I did my research after reading about the company on here and signed up direct with the company. In my short time with them (2 months) I can honestly say their customer service has been incredibly good (you are invariably talking to an actual human being in the UK-based call centre within seconds of getting through who will be able to deal with your query without transferring you to someone else. Almost unheard of in my extensive experience of most of the Big 6).

PS And no min term commitments on any of the 4 services I take (subject to a £50 penalty if you leave the phone/BB deal within the first 12 months of it going live, contrast this with the 18 month min terms that seem to be the norm in the telephony market nowadays) so if you don't like them you can be off to pastures new.

uptomyeyeballs

jimexbox wrote: »

I think my response is perfectly reasonable. Please point out what you find unacceptable?

I wasn't talking to you.

Quentin

cosyc wrote: »

A friend recommended utility warehouse and after looking at current thread just appears like a three way argument.

So is it as simple as all bills become one bill and you get cashback from their pre paid card paid to the bill. Sounds too easy!! Is it?

If you take gas and electricity from them you will find they are expensive (they don't give any of the discounts you can get from other suppliers for paying by dd, operating an online account, having both fuels from them). On top of having these expensive tariffs you have to pay a monthly membership fee on top. Which? mag says they are some 20% more expensive than the cheapest tariffs.

Check out how much more expensive they are by inputting your consumption into a comparison website.

You don't get cashback when using their prepayment card. If you use it at their partner retailers, you get a credit paid against your utility bill based on your spend at those specific retailers.

They do warn you that there are financial risks associated with their card (you get none of the usual financial protection you get with normal cashback credit cards, and the money you prepay isn't secured.)

Their services are sold by self employed reps, (30,000+ of them), who tend to be almost evangelical when it comes to promoting them!

NigeWick

jimexbox wrote: »

Please point out what you find unacceptable?

For starters, the bit where you quote a WHICH? report. In the dedicated Utility Warehouse thread you try and discredit them. A bit hypocritical don't you think?

I am an independent distributor with Utility Warehouse and the views I express may not be shared by the company.

NigeWick

cosyc wrote: »

So is it as simple as all bills become one bill and you get cashback from their pre paid card paid to the bill. Sounds too easy!! Is it?

I think Carmine summed up the benefits and drawbacks quite well.

I am an independent distributor with Utility Warehouse and the views I express may not be shared by the company.

jimexbox

NigeWick wrote: »

I think Carmine summed up the benefits and drawbacks quite well.

Is that carmine UW shareholder?:rotfl: