Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

jalexa

catsstripeypjs wrote: »

Hi Jalexa

I have tried to describe the wiring in my answer to johnjames.

Well done for getting the picture to work eventually:T. My question about the wiring was different to other questions (and has not been answered) however from the picture it is clear why your heaters are not restricted. The tails are doubled up in the black boxes. One set of tails must go to your restricted hours fuse-box. Originally that set would have gone to the timeclock.

The removal of the (defective) timeclock required the provision of a meter with an integral restricted hours contactor (such as I posted much earlier in the thread). Complete incompetence from the "meter fixer".

I cannot identify the model of meter installed and therefore whether it features an integral restricted hours contactor. Perhaps johnjames1 will oblige.

Terrylw1

johnjames1 wrote: »

Quote "It won't be a domestic style meter if recording Day & Night with no time switch I reckon unless its set to work as half of a dual MPAN set up. If its fit to work as a 24hr meter, it still has to include a time switch or its not compliant with the industry data used to programme the meters."

Some meters that are domestic dont need a time switch! Sorry but you are talking to a certain extent waffle.

The main thing is by description there are serious issues with what the meter fixer has done!

I have fitted more meters than the whole of this forums members have had hot dinners!

Only the other week I found an installtion when the numpty before me had wired off peak and 24/7 into the meter wrong. The public would be shocked if they knew what training some of these "meter fixers" have or have not had!

2 rate domestic metering being E7 in MDD means it be operating with a timeswitch. I can't see someone intentionally fitting a Day + Night meter without this. There are some in MDD but they are linked to the original meter description of E7.

Not waffle, the markets view of how meters operate as used to configure meters.

I don't have your knowledge of metering but you won't have mine in terms of the settings. Hopefully, between us all, the OP will get what they need to resolve it.

I just leave it open until the issue because I know that if it even had a time switch connected, there are ways to switch the Night up to 20hrs. Its incorrect of course, but its possible.

johnjames1

Siemens and others do an E7 meter with in-built time clock. Ive seen and fitted enough of the dam things in my life!

catsstripeypjs

An update for everybody...........
I have an engineer visit booked for the 1st October!!!! :j
Will let you all know the outcome after the visit.

billsavings

Woops UW on the carpet again with the ASA .

The complainant challenged whether the claims:
1. "'TRIPLE VALUE' GUARANTEE Guaranteed savings wherever you live - thanks to our 'Triple Value' guarantee";
2. "we guarantee our prices will always remain competitive compared with the cheapest standard tariffs available from the 'Big 6' suppliers*";
3. that The Utility Warehouse were guaranteed cheaper than British Gas; and
4. that they were guaranteed cheaper than regional suppliers
were misleading and could be substantiated, in particular because he believed the ad implied the claims applied to all tariffs whereas he understood that was not the case.


All four of their complaints were upheld.


http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2012/9/Telecom-Plus-plc/SHP_ADJ_197504.aspx

Cardew

They will think of new wording to imply they are the cheapest, when they are close to being the most expensive provider of gas and electricity for the majority of consumers in UK - just look at any comparison website.

The problem is that UW products are sold primarily by the 30,000+ UW salesmen to family , friends and neighbours. I wonder how many give their prospective clients accurate information on UW gas and electricity prices.

oldharryrocks

Cardew wrote: »

They will think of new wording to imply they are the cheapest, when they are close to being the most expensive provider of gas and electricity for the majority of consumers in UK - just look at any comparison website.

The problem is that UW products are sold primarily by the 30,000+ UW salesmen to family , friends and neighbours. I wonder how many give their prospective clients accurate information on UW gas and electricity prices.

Quite a few i would guess judging by internet posts/twitter/and facebook.

As you have always pointed out I quote from ASA ruling

" We noted the evidence submitted, which appeared to relate to standard tariffs for only one year, showed that The Utility Warehouse were, in the vast majority of cases for low, medium and high users in each region, more expensive than at least one and up to five of the competitors for gas, standard electricity and Economy 7 electricity. Whilst in some instances the difference between the price offered by The Utility Warehouse and the cheapest competitor was small, it others in was much greater and was up to almost £90"

MillicentBystander

It's their leccy prices that let them down imo. Their gas is competitive (plus their telecom products are also). I'm sure they are big enough now to source their own supplies but it doesn't look like that is going to happen for the foreseeable future. To be fair, no one energy company is cheapest for everyone and UW are (bizarrely imo) very competitive for very low users especially (for every massive user like Cardew there must be several very low users to get to the OFGEM average user figures). And I agree, always check the comparison sites (and the small print).

Quentin

billsavings wrote: »

Woops UW on the carpet again with the ASA .......All four of their complaints were upheld.


http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2012/9/Telecom-Plus-plc/SHP_ADJ_197504.aspx

This was the UW's cynical response to the asa about the (now officially exposed) "worthless guarantee":

The Utility Warehouse said they had not received any complaints about the 'triple value' guarantee claims before....

How many years has it been exposed and complained about here in this thread?

And at last the uw now agree on another worthless aspect:

The Utility Warehouse said that "competitive" did not mean the same as "cheapest".....

The asa went further, and confirmed that this claim is "misleading":

We (the ASA) concluded that the claim was misleading...

lovewealthhappiness

The problem is that the distributors genuinely think that they are competitive and can save people money and so long as they believe it they'll be able to convince other people too. UW aren't likely to tell their distributors about this after all and the distributors don't tend to find these things out themselves. It's like Cardew said, they will just find another way to word it.