Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

NigeWick

Decado23 wrote: »

Incidently, Is Nige still owed an apology from you? I know I am.

Yes. But Quentin is ignoring my posts reminding him and does not have the good grace to offer proof of his allegation, retract it it or even explain the intended meaning of the words.

1carminestocky

Cardew wrote: »

Presumably the grocery store poll?

I am not really qualified to judge on that issue; one gets ones food delivered by Harrods!

Err, no. Never mind, I think I have my answer.

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

Why do you as one of the the most outspoken critics of this discredited industry, staunchly defend the most discredited company with just about the highest prices in the UK.

Perhaps because he has a need for utilities and has found the best deal he can get is with Utility Warehouse. You keep saying the prices are high but can not show Carmine a better deal for his particular wants. You also admit that by using the pre payment card, I can pay less for my utilities than with any other company. If Utility Warehouse can work out best value for two, it can work out best value for may others as well. I disagree with you that Utility Warehouse is discredited.

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

I am not really qualified to judge on that issue; one gets ones food delivered by Harrods!

This being a money saving site, what do Harrods offer the cheapest of?

Maz

From the brochure, hopefully settling an altercation between IDs and their detractors on one point-

Telephony - " Every month we compare the prices we have charged for your calls against BT's latest prices and we will give you an additional credit if necessary to ensure we are cheaper"
(I have personally received a credit against my account, can't remember when or for how much as it's quite some time ago now but I received it)

Again from UW brochure -
"To ensure our prices remain competetive, we compare them every month against British Gas, your regional electricity supplier and the average of the cheapest direct debit tariff available from the Big 6 suppliers, on a like-for-like basis. And if necessary, we will adjust them regularly in line with our unique "Triple Value" guarantee.

Hope this helps.

Cardew

Maz wrote: »

From the brochure, hopefully settling an altercation between IDs and their detractors on one point-


Again from UW brochure -
"To ensure our prices remain competetive, we compare them every month against British Gas, your regional electricity supplier and the average of the cheapest direct debit tariff available from the Big 6 suppliers, on a like-for-like basis. And if necessary, we will adjust them regularly in line with our unique "Triple Value" guarantee.

Hope this helps.

I think all the regulars are fully aware of the UW guarantee.(the TVG)

It was Keggs' statement that UW give a discount/rebate to customers to bring down their prices to BG's level that was disputed.

He/she* then went into wriggle mode, and then sulked off(yet again) when it was obvious that his/her input was rubbish.

We are also all aware exactly how meaningless the TVG is in practice.

UW take the most expensive BG tariff, the most expensive electricity tariff, for comparison purposes.

They then exclude from the comparison any dual fuel discount the other companies give.

They also exclude the Direct Debit discount from other companies; but the UW prices are for payment by DD. If you don't want to pay UW by DD you pay extra.(not certain what this means 'and the average of the cheapest direct debit tariff available from the Big 6 suppliers, on a like-for-like basis.'

They also exclude the monthly membership payment that UW charge from the comparison.

Lastly and most importantly any on-line tariffs are excluded, so UW charge £x hundred more that the cheapest tariffs available.

* Does anyone know for certain Keggs' gender?

SwanJon

Maz wrote: »

from UW brochure -
"To ensure our prices remain competetive, we compare them every month against British Gas, your regional electricity supplier and the average of the cheapest direct debit tariff available from the Big 6 suppliers, on a like-for-like basis. And if necessary, we will adjust them regularly in line with our unique "Triple Value" guarantee.

Maz, does this mean that the TVG no longer excludes other suppliers' DD tariffs from their comparison?
Earlier quotes seem to suggest that the comparison is only against the quarterly bill without DD or DF discounts.
A welcome move, especially if they are billing to reach into their pocket when the guarentee is broken.
This is the type of this you need to be sharing when challenged that the TVG is useless. You have to admit you need to comapre like with like.

Quentin

The uw do not operate the worthless guarantee as Maz details.

See the answer given by the UW HO to the disgruntled rep who lost a customer because (despite the guarantee) he found the BG charge for gas to be cheaper than UW.

Thanks for your email.

The Triple Value Guarantee (TVG) still applies.

However, it only applies when compared with a like for like direct debit tariff and does not allow for any duel fuel discounts, non standard or internet tariffs.

If compared with a like for like tariff the Guarantee applies over a period of a year. It is possible at any given point within that year that the companies covered by the TVG may be cheaper. We monitor our prices against their prices to ensure that over the course of a year the customer would pay less with us than with those companies.

I hope this clarifies how the TVG operates and should be interpreted or explained.

Gerrard_8_lfc

Maz wrote: »

Again from UW brochure -
"To ensure our prices remain competetive, we compare them every month against British Gas, your regional electricity supplier and the average of the cheapest direct debit tariff available from the Big 6 suppliers, on a like-for-like basis. And if necessary, we will adjust them regularly in line with our unique "Triple Value" guarantee.

Hope this helps.

Thats great... I recently just noticed my beloved auntie had been bullied into taking this service again with an old friend whos business wasnt going great and he had took part in UW.

So when my auntie turned to me to check the bills against there tier prices and BG who she was with... soon to be back with.... UW lure people into a false sence of security saying we are cheaper the BG for gas standard tariff isnt hard, but there electricity is very competitive. the comparison up in glasgow is SP in UW leaflets yet again showing UW are great. Triple value guarentee .... yeah right.

looking at tier prices it worked out with all the hidden prices of UW in this region she would be £80 worse off with UW a year than BG standard Tariffthe standing charge for both gas and electricity worked out at like £40 alone.:eek:

As cardew said they use BG most expensive tariff for gas and im more than certain SP most expensive tariff for elec

jimexbox

1carminestocky wrote: »

You're forgetting one thing - at various times I have been a customer of all of the Big 6! UW is part of a discredited industry in general. We have to get our gas and leccy from somewhere, it may as well be the cheapest and/or the one who gives you the best 'incentive'. UW is a definite alternative for me on price, no idea what they are like to be a customer with (not with them now and never have been), although on the surface they give you 'more' - certainly none of the Big 6 would be willing to issue 12 monthly paper bills per year - the costs of that must be enormous. I also really like the idea of being able to basically pay as you go on a monthly basis. Surely even you would consider that a great initiative? In fact, most of the Big 6 are migrating to the quite scandalous 6 monthly billing model. A practice any credible regulator should have outlawed straight away IMO.

I thought the 'other' part of my post was at least as worthy of comment/condemnation. How strange you've completely ignored it.

Carmine, you are clearly a big fan of UW, and have shown us on endless occasions that they would offer you a great deal. UW would even indulge your peculiar peccadillo of endlessly ringing 0845/0870 numbers. So the question is why not join them? Then became a UW salesman?

I mean how long can you sing the praises of a company without actually using them, before your credibility is affected?