Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

1carminestocky

Cardew wrote: »

Thank goodness for a post with some humour! I can't think why you would have posted such sad nonsense in your first post.

Actually it is not difficult to find a better deal overall. U.W. have consistently provided some of the most expensive gas and electricity for the last couple of years. As has been stated many times, their guarantee on prices is meaningless.
Just use the comparison websites to confirm how far down the 'league table' UW always appear.

OK, we are talking price. Yes? I've made it entirely clear, with clear, concise details, why UW are, for me, THE cheapest energy supplier in the UK. Facts. Details. Fully researched. Cannot be questioned. Like I have said on many occasions it's not about the starting price for me, it's about the price I can get it for. On my projected spend, my utility bill will be cheaper than the rest by at least £150 per year. And for that I get things the cheapest aren't prepared to give me for their (higher) price. What's the problem?

Cardew

vinnyph wrote: »

We are paying higher prices than on the continent for our energy. .

Really?

Care to give some figures to prove that statement?

Quentin

vinnyph wrote: »

I must admit I was expecting to get opposition since anyone who posts anything positive about U.W.D.C. will immediately get objection but I am a big man I can take it.

Not "opposition" - just pertinent.

You ask questions on how the comparison sites are funded as a way of showing us how it is better to go direct to you.

Yet the uw uses the comparison sites like all the rest! And allows them to pass on some commission to the customer as cashback.

That seems to contradict what you tell us as to why people should ignore comparison sites and beat a path to your door?

Unless its for the sex you mentioned.

Quentin

vinnyph wrote: »

Quintin. Actually U.W.D.C. don't pay the price comparison sites commission. That is untrue my good friend. It would be dangerous to spread rumours of that because you could be open to prosecution for deformation of character from the U.W.D.C. by spreading bad word. ........

I still cannot see what issue you really have with U.W.D.C. They don't advertise, don't pay money to the price comparison sites and so have less overheads.

The main issue you see throughout this thread is their reps come here and attempt to mislead us with their claims and posts.

You seem no different.

The UW clearly does pay comparison sites. You mention Energylinx. This site is recommended by MSE Martin. The uw pays them a commission for supplying customers, and this is shared by energylinx with the customer.

Another one (recommended by MSE Martin) is UKPower which also passes on part of its commission from the uw to customers. They confirm on their website that uw pay them commission.

Your suggestions I face prosecution for spreading "bad word" would be laughable would it not be the very thing that you and your colleagues do here all the time - tell us lies about the uw!

You also tell us the UW doesn't advertise. Not true. Look up the ASA for their adjudications against the uw for false and misleading advertising.

1carminestocky

vinnyph wrote: »

Quintin. Actually U.W.D.C. don't pay the price comparison sites commission. That is untrue my good friend. It would be dangerous to spread rumours of that because you could be open to prosecution for deformation of character from the U.W.D.C. by spreading bad word. However, the U.W.D.C. wouldn't take you to court because they are not the sort of company to do that to someone and the directors prefer to spend their time trying to get things right and in any case the company is gathering lots of satisfied customers anyway so doesn't need to resort to tactics like that. The U.W.D.C. uses Energylinx for a comparison because it gives our true prices and includes the membership monthly fee. They use Energylinx because also they are independant of the energy companies. Energylinx have not been fined for changing the figures for their favourite company for the month like has been the case with some of the other price comparison sites in the past. I looked on the ASA site.

At the moment also U.W.D.C. have just updated their prices which take effect on April the 1st. However our old prices are still on the price comparison sites so a fair comparison is not possible at this point in time because the other companies have been displaying their new prices for a while before they are actually available. New customers would obviously get our new rates from april 1st because it takes about 21 say to go through. So again you cannot always trust what the price comparison site say in term of price comparison and a few months down the line all the prices change again so any future savings cannot be predicted anyway. In any case in many cases simply because U.W.D.C. will not pay a comparison site a commission they don't give our true rates and that is why we end up low down the list. Often we are simply not even listed. The price comparison sites are profit making companies trying to get people to just swap every few months it seems and make a fortune in doing it by getting people to swap every few months. I personally don't think it fair on customers that the standard rates which the vast majority of customers pay are higher as a result of giving a few new customers a special short term rate that the company cannot sustain at that rate.

I still cannot see what issue you really have with U.W.D.C. They don't advertise, don't pay money to the price comparison sites and so have less overheads. I have found them to be very good for support over the years and that is also the experience my customers have found in the vast majority of cases. When there has been a few problem in has got sorted out quickly because I have helped them. There hasn't been a problem that hasn't to my knowledge been resolved. The money goes back to the customer and to the general person in the street because it is based on referral. Every customer gets the same fair rate for energy and when you combine the whole package the rate is very good as well. It keeps getting good press reviews in the which magazine and many other places and has been voted company of the year during a recession. Its not perfect but I know they work hard to get it right as I do.

All I can say is try it before you knock it.

At least you will be free to move elsewhere if you are unhappy unlike the other companies minimum term contracts they try to impose that is against the first principles set down by the code of practice when the energy market was deregulated.

At last someone else has picked up on this. Quintin has often sailed very close to the wind in his hatred of UW, I'm sure some of the claims he makes could be legally challenged but if UW aren't that sort of company then that is to their credit (would serve him right if they were, though). I'm sure even if they are aware of his more outrageous untruths they would view them like I do - the inane ramblings of a particularly obsessed bigot.

The real funny thing is, even if UW were the least moral company in the industry (they are clearly not, but lets' go it with for a second) but could provide him with the cheapest gas and electricity he has already admitted in a previous post that he's not actually interested in morals, just money saving. A very confusing fellow, if truth be known.


http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=19195583&postcount=7

Quentin
Fantastically Fervent MoneySaving Super Fan


Join Date: Nov 2005
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Originally Posted by Pssst
When it comes to official parking tickets, if it is a valid offence the best thing you can do is pay up...........

Seems more like moral advice than moneysaving advice.

This board is for moneysaving.

Morals don't come into it!

Cardew

vinnyph wrote: »

Yes happy to oblige Cardew. From what the press have said a number of times recent reports seem to validate that we pay more here than in europe for our energy. Our energy companies are mainly owned by french, german and spanish companies. I could find many more but that should be enough. Do a few searches on google yourself.

telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2072236/Britains-energy-price-rise-is-fastest-in-Europe.html

thisismoney.co.uk/consumer/bills/article.html?in_article_id=472796&in_page_id=510

energychoices.co.uk/uk-energy-prices-rising-twice-as-fast-as-europe-06112008.html

You haven't 'obliged' at all! in fact just the opposite.

Like so many UW distributers you appear to know nothing about energy prices and your post above is simply bluff!

This subject has been covered many times. Have you actually read the links you posted? Or understood them?

So just produce some evidence that UK prices are higher than Europe or withdraw your comment.

Please don't try more bluff.

1carminestocky

I'll be handing out standard issue ten helmets for anyone who needs them - apparently UW have scored an 83% satisfaction rating in April's Which magazine survey of energy companies (npower again bringing up the rear with 30%). Take one if you wish..

Cardew

vinnyph wrote: »

They don't advertise,

So what are French and Saunders doing on TV most nights?

You can watch their video here.

http://www.utilitywarehouseherts.co.uk/

Care to withdraw that remark as well?

Ditto remark on paying commission to comparison websites?

1carminestocky

Cardew wrote: »

So what are French and Saunders doing on TV most nights?

You can watch their video here.

http://www.utilitywarehouseherts.co.uk/

:rotfl: You've linked to a distributor's personal site and that isn't allowed. I'll report it now


PS Are you sure that isn't your site?


PS I've never seen that vid on TV, which channel?

Mike_by_the_Sea

Quentin wrote: »

The main issue you see throughout this thread is their reps come here and attempt to mislead us with their claims and posts.

You seem no different.

The UW clearly does pay comparison sites. You mention Energylinx. This site is recommended by MSE Martin. The uw pays them a commission for supplying customers, and this is shared by energylinx with the customer.

Another one (recommended by MSE Martin) is UKPower which also passes on part of its commission from the uw to customers. They confirm on their website that uw pay them commission.

Hi Quentin

As we are back to the "UW pays comparison sites", do you have any evidence that this is true? Are you able to furnish anything that proves that Telecom Plus PLC are paying a comparison site for supplying customers?

My concern is that, without such evidence, you are doing the same as the "disreputable UW distributors" that are quoted so often.

This is not intended to be in any way disrespectful, but it is important to keep to the facts if possible.

Thanks

Mike