Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

1carminestocky

Quentin, you could kill the pro-UW argument in one post if you could post us all the link to the cashback card that you use (and have claimed is 'UW-beating'). No matter how many times you and Cardew (et al) state that UW have high utility prices, it's very easy for the pro-UW people to come back with the cashback card and how it can (and DOES in my case and several others on here) make UW THE VERY CHEAPEST COMPANY FOR UTILITIES. I'm paying less with UW this month for gas/electric/U/L BB and ALL calls than I would be paying just for gas and electric on Cardew's four and a half year old fixed price BG deal. Which is surely rather embarrassing for you (and him, in truth). You could swot away my argument with one link. Why don't you?

You could kill this argument in an instant by posting a link to this prepaid cashback card so why don't you? Even Cardew is interested in it now so be a philanthropist as you claim and get the link up, please.

Plushchris

NigeWick wrote: »

It's not a discount as such is it? It is a bonus to attract new customers. As an existing customer, I already pay less for my utilities than with any other company and am happy with my decision to be with Utility Warehouse. There is no penalty for leaving and that is the difference. Most companies have a stick to keep people for a year and not the carrot as Utility Warehouse has.
.

Not really, its almost exactly the same as Npowers £105 a year "discount" thats paid at the end of the year (with the difference of the unit rates being higher with UW obviously)

1carminestocky

Plushchris wrote: »

Not really, its almost exactly the same as Npowers £105 a year "discount" thats paid at the end of the year (with the difference of the unit rates being higher with UW obviously)

Main difference is the UW price shown on the switching sites, unlike npower, will NOT include this £100 discount in the figure shown. And that's a good thing IMO.

Cardew

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

If the company offer a reward for new customers if they stick around for 12 months, then that's not out of line with most Mortgage companies for example, who give a better deal to new customers to promote more sign ups. I don't see any problem with that. It's not punitive, it's an incentive. The customer can still leave any time they want (I think that's right with UW energy from what i've seen), but they'll understand that they won't get the discount if they do leave. Perfectly reasonable as far as I can see. Many other companies (the cheaper tariff ones?) maybe wouldn't allow you to leave as you'd probably be in a contractual minimum term.

The 'cheaper' versus UW debate as far as I can see is not comparing like with like. Companies who are cheaper will probably tie the user into a minimum contract for energy. Caveats apply which may explain their cheapness. It's a bit like mobile phone deals - you can have the handset free if you pay a little more per month for your calls, and you need to sign a minimum contract agreement. We of course know that you still end up paying for the handset anyway.

If you hold up mortgage companies as a role model for excellent customer relations - by treating new customers more favourably than existing customers ( a sort of reverse loyalty scheme!) - then UW have joined that group.

You clearly haven't done your research into gas and electricity prices.

Just about every gas and electricity tariff in UK is cheaper than UW(WHICH say 20% for the cheapest).

Some tariffs indeed do have a penalty clause for leaving early - generally around £30. However almost everyone would be paying £hundreds less than they would with UW it is hardly a disincentive.

If you don't want to have a penalty for leaving early, again virtually every tariff in UK is much cheaper than UW - usually by a huge amount.

If you care to post your consumption and area we will give you details.

I really wonder why every post you have made on this thread is unobjective and/or inaccurate.

1carminestocky

Cardew wrote: »

If you hold up mortgage companies as a role model for excellent customer relations - by treating new customers more favourably than existing customers ( a sort of reverse loyalty scheme!) - then UW have joined that group.

You clearly haven't done your research into gas and electricity prices.

Just about every gas and electricity tariff in UK is cheaper than UW(WHICH say 20% for the cheapest).

Some tariffs indeed do have a penalty clause for leaving early - generally around £30. However almost everyone would be paying £hundreds less than they would with UW it is hardly a disincentive.

If you don't want to have a penalty for leaving early, again virtually every tariff in UK is much cheaper than UW - usually by a huge amount.

If you care to post your consumption and area we will give you details.

I really wonder why every post you have made on this thread is unobjective and/or inaccurate.

I've posted my monthly consumption and price charged. Get ME a better deal, please...

Plushchris

1carminestocky wrote: »

Main difference is the UW price shown on the switching sites, unlike npower, will NOT include this £100 discount in the figure shown. And that's a good thing IMO.

True, but it wouldnt really make a lot of difference, I've just checked and even if you were to include the extra £100 it still wouldnt put them anywhere near the top of the list not even in the top 10.

jellygoodfellow

I wonder how many people are tempted to join by their Savings Calculator.

https://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/home/Savings/Savings_Calculator.taf

Plushchris

jellygoodfellow wrote: »

I wonder how many people are tempted to join by their Savings Calculator.

https://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/home/Savings/Savings_Calculator.taf

LOL @ Accuracy fail

jimexbox

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

If the company offer a reward for new customers if they stick around for 12 months, then that's not out of line with most Mortgage companies for example, who give a better deal to new customers to promote more sign ups. I don't see any problem with that. It's not punitive, it's an incentive. The customer can still leave any time they want (I think that's right with UW energy from what i've seen), but they'll understand that they won't get the discount if they do leave. Perfectly reasonable as far as I can see. Many other companies (the cheaper tariff ones?) maybe wouldn't allow you to leave as you'd probably be in a contractual minimum term.

The 'cheaper' versus UW debate as far as I can see is not comparing like with like. Companies who are cheaper will probably tie the user into a minimum contract for energy. Caveats apply which may explain their cheapness. It's a bit like mobile phone deals - you can have the handset free if you pay a little more per month for your calls, and you need to sign a minimum contract agreement. We of course know that you still end up paying for the handset anyway.

Have you signed up with UW then?

AvengerSeawolf

Plushchris wrote: »

True, but it wouldnt really make a lot of difference, I've just checked and even if you were to include the extra £100 it still wouldnt put them anywhere near the top of the list not even in the top 10.

What if the current cheapest supplier was someone that I had been with before but I had a bad experience with? I would be reluctant to move back to them at the very least. And what happens a couple of weeks later when someone else becomes the 'cheapest' supplier? Do I move again?

This is the problem with rates/tariffs - it's easy to argue the pro's and cons but you fail to acknowledge that customers have strong feelings about what they want from a supplier and what they have experienced before. Cheapest is not always best, depending upon what I am looking for. And I would wager that many of you have never sat in front of someone and asked.

£100 discount/lock-in/loyalty bonus, whatever you want to call it sounds more appealing to me than the current 'free swim' BG are offering!