First Utility - what are they up to?

hippey

Previously I have partially defended FU on this forum as they are a small operator and you have to give some companies a bit of a chance.

BUT!!!!

Tonight I have received this months electric bill.... and all the prices have changed, the unit prices have gone down a bit, but the standing charge per day has more than doubled! Okay, it works out cheaper than before not by much though, however I had not been notified so I went online to the FU website.... Nothing, no prices for existing customers just new ones, not even a regional price list hidden somewhere for old tariffs, absolutly nothing!

I have called customer services and spoken to a very helpful (but confused) lady who told me my fixed term contract had ended??? But Im in a 24 month contract thats why I haven't changed supplier yet, apparently though there are notes on my account stating the contract has ended, by all my paperwork still states Im in contract until 30/12/10. She says not, but I say I am....

Do this company really know what they are doing? I could well get cheaper electric now as I am out of contract (according to them) but if I move will I get charged the £50 break clause? No one seems to know. Apparently they are going to call me back to confirm.

I am so glad I kept all the paperwork I received from them as it just proves you need to keep on top of these energy contracts, but First Utility seems to make it up as they go along!


They did state that I had been sent an email on 13/07/10 stating that I was out of contract and prices would change, but when I challenged that by checking my mail again (and going through the spam folder) the operator stated that it had not been sent it was just 'notes on the account' it was like the company is trying to fob you off at every turn but if your organised and have proof of something they think again!

I can't wait to find out what I signed up to as upto the start of this month I would have a 19.5 month contract which really ain't going to happen!

Anyway rant over!

mr-mr_2

thanks for this you have put me off the idiots.

KimYeovil

mr-mr wrote: »

thanks for this you have put me off the idiots.

Well, that is two suppliers down. Better stop reading this forum now if you don't have coppices near you and are not free to re-open your chimney.
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samba

The customer service agents at FU are not opposed to lying when it suits them. They missed an appointment back in January to fit my meters, and so I requested the standard £20 compensation and was told on more than one occasion it had been credited to my account. However, on finally receiving a bill last week (for electricity only mind - no gas) there was a credit/debit section on the bill but it said £0.00. Liars.

hippey

Well, they haven't bothered to call back, until now!

Yes, I am in a 24 month variable price contract all along.... So why did they not confirm that intially.

I do think this firm run a very odd business model, they don't seem to know what they are doing nor are they willing to take responsibility for the mis-information that was supplied on my first call.

Roll on Jan 2011!

Former_MSE_Alana

Hi Hippey,

We have received this response from First Utility:

“Dear Hippey

Sorry that you have not had an answer to your query regarding your tariff. I work in the complaints department at First Utility. So that I can investigate this for you, please can you email stacey@first-utility.com with your account i.d, and I will look in to this matter personally.

Warm regards

Stacey”

samba

You can take the bill as notice of a detrimental change in your contract. Thus, under clauses 15.1(b)and 15.12 of the t&c's you have ten working days from the date you received the bill to inform them that you intend to leave without penalty. No need to wait until January. I am in contract until November 2012, but have taken the opportunity to leave as they have just hiked my annual bill up by around £200.

simondav

Huge hike in First Utility daily standing charges - My experience, emailed First Utility
I recently spoke with someone at your call centre today, 30.7.2010, about your standing charges, which were referred to in a recent email from yourselves. For gas they have gone up from 4.7 pence per day to 45.57 pence per day, an increase of 960%, and for electricity from 12 pence per day to 20.16 pence per day, an increase of 168%. Your KWH price per unit for both gas, and electricity have gone up by about 1%. I was told the charges will remain for the time being. The standing charge for both fuels has risen from £5.01 per month or £60.12 per year, to £19.72 per month or £236.64 per year.
The problem I have with this is that it punishes low fuel users and rewards the profligate, and punishes those on a low income who cannot avoid the standing charge. It also negates the use of the Smart meters because usage of fuel is less relevant. I would very much prefer that you put more on the price per KWH, and reduce the standing charge because of the reasons mentioned above. If you cannot do this, then give people an option where they can pay a lower standing charge and higher unit cost per KWH, or higher standing charge and lower unit cost per KWH. I appreciate that the wholesale price of gas has risen 25% recently.....

Are those oil speculators forcing up the price of gas again??
As someone else said, these utility companies have us by the short and c's, better start growing some trees and chopping wood. Is the age of cheap, plentiful oil and gas supplies coming to an end, because if so we had better go large on nuclear power and renewables, and get our growing population under control...

KimYeovil

simondav wrote: »

Huge hike in First Utility daily standing charges - My experience, emailed First Utility

I recently spoke with someone at your call centre today, 30.7.2010, about your standing charges, which were referred to in a recent email from yourselves. For gas they have gone up from 4.7 pence per day to 45.57 pence per day, an increase of 960%, and for electricity from 12 pence per day to 20.16 pence per day, an increase of 168%. Your KWH price per unit for both gas, and electricity have gone up by about 1%. I was told the charges will remain for the time being. The standing charge for both fuels has risen from £5.01 per month or £60.12 per year, to £19.72 per month or £236.64 per year.

The problem I have with this is that it punishes low fuel users and rewards the profligate, and punishes those on a low income who cannot avoid the standing charge. It also negates the use of the Smart meters because usage of fuel is less relevant. I would very much prefer that you put more on the price per KWH, and reduce the standing charge because of the reasons mentioned above. If you cannot do this, then give people an option where they can pay a lower standing charge and higher unit cost per KWH, or higher standing charge and lower unit cost per KWH. I appreciate that the wholesale price of gas has risen 25% recently...

So you want the elderly and disabled to subsidise your supply. Why are you not prepared to pay your fair contribution?

TrustMe

simondav wrote: »

Huge hike in First Utility daily standing charges - My experience, emailed First Utility
I recently spoke with someone at your call centre today, 30.7.2010, about your standing charges, which were referred to in a recent email from yourselves. For gas they have gone up from 4.7 pence per day to 45.57 pence per day, an increase of 960%, and for electricity from 12 pence per day to 20.16 pence per day, an increase of 168%. Your KWH price per unit for both gas, and electricity have gone up by about 1%. I was told the charges will remain for the time being. The standing charge for both fuels has risen from £5.01 per month or £60.12 per year, to £19.72 per month or £236.64 per year.
The problem I have with this is that it punishes low fuel users and rewards the profligate, and punishes those on a low income who cannot avoid the standing charge. It also negates the use of the Smart meters because usage of fuel is less relevant. I would very much prefer that you put more on the price per KWH, and reduce the standing charge because of the reasons mentioned above. If you cannot do this, then give people an option where they can pay a lower standing charge and higher unit cost per KWH, or higher standing charge and lower unit cost per KWH. I appreciate that the wholesale price of gas has risen 25% recently.....

I agree with you, in my case my V2 tariff standing charge was increased from £204 to £404.

I have done the wise thing and switched away even though I was still under a 2 year contract. Part 15(b) of the T&Cs allow this without any penalty incurred (including the cost of the meters) - confirmed by a phone call to FU and by email. By switching I have just saved myself around £400 over the next year!

BTW if you now Google 'first utility increase' you will find the top entry is 'Leaving first:utility | First Utility' - so I guess a lot of customers are considering doing the same.

Also, ignore KimYeovils nonsensical comments about the elderly and disabled subsidising you with your fair contribution. This issue is about a totally unfair increase in prices that seems to affect every existing customer - I am severely disabled (100% housebound and 70% bed-bound) and I was affected by this price increase as much as the next person.

KimYeovil

TrustMe wrote: »

Also, ignore KimYeovils nonsensical comments about the elderly and disabled subsidising you with your fair contribution. This issue is about a totally unfair increase in prices that seems to affect every existing customer - I am severely disabled (100% housebound and 70% bed-bound) and I was affected by this price increase as much as the next person.

That does not contradict my point. Try again.