Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

1carminestocky

I'm trying to work out what my liability would have been for my July leccy and gas usage on Websaver 3 compared to UW. I've got the UW figure, it's simply a very easy matter of multiplying the exact usage figure by the rate quoted for standard user and adding the standing charge.

My July usage:

Gas 493
Leccy 412

Here's what I'm faced with if I wish to calculate my hypothetical usage on Websaver3 tariff:

Gas

Meter Type: Credit

Postcode: s35 1pp

Payment Method: Monthly Direct Debit

Tier 1

6.716p
per kWh

Tier 2

3.192p
per kWh
(inc.VAT)
Electricity

Meter Type: Single Rate Credit

Postcode: s35 1pp

Payment Method: Monthly Direct Debit

Tier 1
22.126p
per kWh

Tier 2
8.622p
per kWh
(inc.VAT)


Notes

Gas
All numbers below are inclusive of VAT

1. Tier 1 applies to the first 670 kWh per quarter and all subsequent consumption is charged at Tier 2.

2. Gas customers paying by Monthly Direct Debit will receive a discount off their quarterly Tier 2 consumption charges of 0.196 p/kWh, up to a maximum of £8.75 per quarter.

3. Gas customers paying quarterly by either Cash or Cheque, Variable Direct Debit or Quarterly Equal Payments whose payment is received within 14 days of the bill issue date will receive a discount off their next quarter's consumption charges of 1.9% up to a maximum of £3.75 per bill.

4. Gas customers paying by Standing Order will receive a discount off their next quarter's bill of 4.78% up to a maximum of £2.50 per bill.

5. For customers paying by magnetic payment card, an additional charge of 0.373 p/kWh will be applied to Tier 1 prices up to a maximum of £2.50 per quarter.

6. These prices apply to customers using mains gas and to customers using piped propane in Llanfyllin, Llanwrtyd Wells, Colden and Stornoway.


Electricity
All numbers below are inclusive of VAT

1. For single rate credit meters, Tier 1 rate applies to the first 125 kWh per quarter and all subsequent consumption is charged at Tier 2.

2. For two rate meters, the two rate prices apply. The Tier 1 day rate applies to the first 125 kWh per quarter of day consumption and all subsequent consumption is charged at Tier 2. Night means a period, or periods, determined by us (and as may be varied from time to time), totalling 7 hours (at present between 22:00 hours and 08:00 hours) and the night rate applies accordingly.

3. A dual fuel discount is given where British Gas supplies both gas and electricity to the same property (and the accounts are in the same names). No dual fuel discount is available to customers with token or smartcard electricity meters. Only one dual fuel discount per property. Where electricity is supplied through a credit meter, a discount of 0.537 p/kWh off quarterly electricity Tier 2 rates (and night rates where applicable) up to a maximum of £3.75 per quarter appears on the electricity bill.

4. Electricity customers paying by Monthly Direct Debit will receive a discount off their quarterly Tier 2 consumption charges (and night rates where applicable) of 1.429 p/kWh up to a maximum of £10 per quarter.

5. Electricity customers paying quarterly by either Cash or Cheque, Variable Direct Debit or Quarterly Equal Payments whose payment is received within 14 days of the bill issue date will receive a discount off their next quarter's consumption charges of 3.9% up to a maximum of £3.75 per bill.

6. Electricity customers paying by Standing Order will receive a discount off their next quarter's bill of 9% up to a maximum of £10 per bill.

7. For customers paying by magnetic payment card, an additional charge of 2.000 p/kWh will be applied to Tier 1 prices up to a maximum of £2.50 per quarter.

Any Big 6 hugger brave enough (and have enough time on their hands) to have a go? :eek:

WHY T F do they make it so ******** complicated? Do they have summat to hide?

keggs

Cardew wrote: »

The bickering is inevitable in a thread where so many of those posting have a vested interest in promoting UW.

The honest overview is:

1. UW gas and electricity is just about the most expensive available in UK. You can confirm this on any of the comparison websites recommended by Martin.

2. Their Triple Value Guarantee is rendered meaningless by the small print of the T & Cs.

3. Their telecoms package is reasonably competitive.

4. The pre-pay cash card can enable you to make good savings.

Half honest is nearer the truth

1carminestocky

jimexbox wrote: »

Not on this thread that's for sure.

1. I would recommend that you use MSE recommended energyhelpline to compare your current energy tariff, possible cheaper ones and the UW tariffs.

2. Taking into account a discount card which if you use heavily will make the UW cheaper (from a very high level) Then you will need to carefully decide if the phone/broadband packages is suitable for your needs. Take what their distributors say with a pinch of salt, they have a vested interest.

3. Moving your telephone/broadband and energy requirements over to anyone is a major step and not to be rushed. Research its yourself and come to your own conclusions.

1. But they don't even mention ths fact that Eon cancel the discount on your final bill as well as no metion of UWs cash back card. Two suppliers and 2 of the most important elements of their respective businesses to need to know about in order to make an informed decision and they mention neither. Hmm....

2. If you shop regularly at Sainsburys for groceries (in fact anything in store including mobile top-ups and other store vouchers!) and fuel then the figures couldn't possibly be considered 'high' - that's what you spend per week. Only difference is you are using the UW card instead of your debit card. Simple. It's clear that very few people pay for their groceries and fuel on cash back cards (you consider yourself a serious money saver and don't use any such card, for instance). So the vast majority don't derive any financial advantage from one of their biggest monthly financial outlays. UW gives its customers the chance to harness this expenditure in order to potentially make their utlitity deal the cheapest on the market. It's a brilliant initiative.

3. Only been on the UW phone/broadband/calls pacakge 5 weeks so it's early days but it's been absolutely rock solid reliable so far. And their CS has been, so far, absolutely head and shoulders above any of the Big 6 I've used. Light years ahead.

penrhyn

493 KwH Gas
412KwH Electricity.

EDF online 5 £52.66
British Gas Web Saver 3 £59.66
UW £68.92

NigeWick

researcher wrote: »

Where can I get an honest overview?

Carmine is a new customer who signed up with Utility Warehouse because it suited his wants. He is a self confessed "rate tart" and would not have gone with the company unless he was going to save money. I use the pre payment card to good effect and am a happy customer, as well as an independent distributor with the company.

Utility Warehouse may not suit you, but, I believe it does warrant checking your own figures to see if it suits what you want in terms of cost/service/whatever.

The detractors here will tell you that Utility Warehouse is in the top price bracket and the distributors are all disreputable rogues. However, for a certain percentage of the population, Utility Warehouse can work out best value. Obviously, the company is out to make as much profit as possible, just like all the rest. But, they have some innovative systems in place to allow a win-win situation if your circumstances fit with what they offer.

AvengerSeawolf

researcher wrote: »

I was approached yesterday by a UW rep - never having heard of them I took some info and decided to check them out on here.

Got to be honest and say it has been really frustrating as I've read pages of this thread and all I seem to read is people bickering.

Where can I get an honest overview?

Do your won research, and don't be swayed by pro or anti UW folk. For what it's worth, there is plenty of good stuff written about the company, in fact just received my September 2009 Which? Magazine and UW are once again one of 4 companies who have received a Best Buy recommendation for one of their services.

It depends what you're looking for really, as NigeWick says there are many benefits to being a UW customer, not just price.

AvengerSeawolf

Hi Folks, back home for a few days before heading out to France. Have my questions posed on 05/08/09 way back on Page 226 been answered yet? Crikey, it's nearly 2 weeks now...:eek:

Plushchris

So as from Monday there is a far better deal than the cashback card from UW..

The Tesco clubcard! From monday that will give you a potential 8% back when exchanged for deal tokens. People that already have a Clubcard plus account will get 12% also people with a tesco credit card will get more than 8%

Better than UW as you can use it in a bigger variety of ways (as opposed to just spending it on expensive gas and electricity)

Its not CASHback but then neither is the UW card.

jimexbox

Plushchris wrote: »

Its not CASHback but then neither is the UW card.

Agreed, it would be more honest if they called it 'utility discount card'. Not as catchy as a cashback card.

vinnyph

In answer to plushchris its not the full story.

But with sainsburys you can use nectar + the UW cashback card in combination. Its not just when you shop in the supermarket either. There are many other places that give you nectar points and UWcashback when you shop. In any case Nectar has been giving double points for many years. In some cases it is possible to get quadruple points.

There are only certain places the tesco deal tokens can be used. And its quite a hassle to search for the offers to get the best back. The UW card pays money back to the customer through their utility bill. They can spend that money saved however they like. Simple.

Also tesco value curry sauce is like watery soup whereas sainsburys basics curry sauce is still high quality. The same with all the sainsburys basics range. The food is higher quality in sainsburys and the customer service better than tesco's. Tesco's has lost market share the last year because people have shopped around looking for bargains and realised that you can get better quality for better price elsewhere. Whereas Sainsbury's has gained market share over the last year.

Its just your opinion that UW energy prices are high.

What about the discounts by taking the whole UW package of services. You still forgetting about that. What about the addition UW member discounts. What about the multi award winning service.

I am sure carmine will vouch for the sainsburys curry sauce.

I used to use tesco before but switched to sainsburys because I saved a fortune by buying mostly from sainsburys excellent and still high quality basics range. I didn't buy from tesco value range before because the quality was poor. There are many people in the local area who have swapped as well because I used to see them in tesco before, but now they do their main shop in sainsburys.