Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

NigeWick

Cardew wrote: »

Why not assume that Quentin gets his Utilities from one of the Big 6 and address the issue of UW being more expensive?

Because assuming something makes an @ss out of you and me. And, addressing your second point, UW is still the cheapest for me in my circumstances as I have previously stated.

Eydon

Eydon wrote: »

Has anyone else received their email from the Pipeline Card people about UW.

I got one a while back saying that Pipeline were forming an exciting partnership with an energy supplier, and then another saying that I'd been identified as someone who could save money with their new partner, and finally (after several weeks) the latest email which identifies the partner as being UW - what a let down.

In fact, come to think about it, the whole Pipeline Card thing has been a let down, but that's a discussion for another thread.

And now I've just received a second email from Pipeline, because their records show that I haven't called UW yet to arrange a switch, and wanting to know why - hmm. Perhaps it's not all going to plan for Ben then.

DatabaseError

I've just stumbled across this thread, and read a few pages.
Crikey, what a happy bunch you all are
For someone (me) with no axe to grind, currently getting my utilities from various companies (energy based on price, comms on QOS), I'm struggling to see the point of UW, it appears the pricing is not (very) competitive, is the appeal the single bill for all utils? Or is it an elaborate pyramid selling scheme, all these reps must be getting a cut, and introducing other reps getting another cut, right on down the line to Granny Smith paying £50/month more than she needs to in order to provide comission to layers of reps?

ps pipeline card, yeah, what happened to that idea? (no answer required, i have google.)

KimYeovil

That's about the size of it, Tony. You've listed the [STRIKE]pros and[/STRIKE] cons. £25 per month (typically) for a pretty bill!

1carminestocky

Amazing then that, for all but the very very low users (certainly on electricity), UW is cheaper than Ebico, that well known not for profit company, isn't it? I mean, SOMETHING must be wrong somewhere. On my usage there's no way I'm going to pay over the odds so singletons like KY can get a great deal.

I feel I have to state yet again that I am not nor ever have been a distributor or customer of UW but some of the hypocrisy on this thread beggars belief. I'll ask tonyhague likeI ask all the other naysayers on here (only KY has had the courtesy to reply, btw). Do you make it your business to ensure all your friends/relatives/neighbours etc are on the very best tariff for them? If not, you have absolutely no argument whatsoever. None.

Fact is, a UW rep could walk down every street in the UK and find the majority of households paying more for their gas, electricity, phone and broadband than they would be if they were with UW. OK, maybe if they shopped around and spent hours researching their stuff they could get an even better deal. But, what you people seem to not comprehend is these people are on their utility supplier's standard rate and have been for years, do you really think they would be in the slightest bit interested in doing all that? It's clear that if they have friends who 'know their stuff' like the people on here then their friends can't be arsed to sort their utility bills out FOR NO RECOMPENSE or they wouldn't be on the standard rate.

Here's an example I calculated this morning (it's based on actual people, btw):

Yorkshire area, couple with 2 kids living locally in 4 bedroom house, paying npower dual fuel standard rate, BT unlimited broadband, line rental and 24/7 call package.

Gas usage 20,000kwhs
Leccy usage 6150kwhs (that's what kids do your leccy usage, I should know!)

These people have probably been with these suppliers for years. They would pay £400+ per year less with UW for the 'same' package.

DatabaseError

@1carmiestocky
Those for which my word has any influence do shop around and look to change suppliers around every 6 months, with the exception of telecomms suppliers, I have advised some to go for 12 month contracts and others 1 month, based entirely upon what is right for them, the 12 monthly contracts will be reviewed as and when, and the monthly ones are always up for change, always looking for better deals!
i had to google ebico, never come across it (I don't spend time on the energy utils boards), never mind.
in your example, did you put the details into a comparison engine? If you did, was UW one of the top 2 or 3, or within, say, 3% of the price of #1?
I am not a 'naysayer', I came across this thread and asked a couple of questions, Simple answers would be nice, rather than thinly veiled aggression, which is what I feel to have received.
One thing I have a little knowledge of is the broadband market, do you feel the service supplied by mistral (google, eh?) is a like for like swop with that of BT (which I rate quite badly)? I understand energy is the same from whichever supplier, but comms can be very different

1carminestocky

[quote=tonyhague;15608659]@1carmiestocky
Those for which my word has any influence do shop around and look to change suppliers around every 6 months, with the exception of telecomms suppliers, I have advised some to go for 12 month contracts and others 1 month, based entirely upon what is right for them, the 12 monthly contracts will be reviewed as and when, and the monthly ones are always up for change, always looking for better deals!
i had to google ebico, never come across it (I don't spend time on the energy utils boards), never mind.
in your example, did you put the details into a comparison engine? If you did, was UW one of the top 2 or 3, or within, say, 3% of the price of #1?
I am not a 'naysayer', I came across this thread and asked a couple of questions, Simple answers would be nice, rather than thinly veiled aggression, which is what I feel to have received.
One thing I have a little knowledge of is the broadband market, do you feel the service supplied by mistral (google, eh?) is a like for like swop with that of BT (which I rate quite badly)? I understand energy is the same from whichever supplier, but comms can be very different[/quote]


Thanks for your reply, and you have my admiration for doing what you do (you see, I also do this for my friends for no recompense but I absolutely assure that would make us almost unique on this thread as nobody else apart from you and KY has ever given me the courtesy of a reply when I've asked them that question, I can only assume that's because they can't be arsed to help their friends for no recompense but are happy to slag off UW reps for earning a bit of cash in reply for saving people money).

With regard to BB, I'm afraid I have absolutely no idae as I have never been a UW customer but the figures compared to BT in particular would make ita bit of a no-brainer to maybe just try (I believe there's no minimum time contract with UW but they charge £50 if you leave within the first 12 months but i'm sure Quentin will be along if that's incorrect lol).

There's a HUGE naysaying contributor to this thread who happily admits to paying approx £12 per month for for his phone/broadband package with BT than he would with UW but still doesn't see the irony in labelling UW un-competitive :rolleyes: :rotfl: .

Quentin

tonyhague wrote: »

I'm struggling to see the point of UW, it appears the pricing is not (very) competitive, is the appeal the single bill for all utils? Or is it an elaborate pyramid selling scheme, all these reps must be getting a cut, and introducing other reps getting another cut, right on down the line to Granny Smith paying £50/month more than she needs to in order to provide comission to layers of reps?

From what we have learned the attraction seems to be in what you are told by your uw rep (who could well be your brother-in-law).

When you are told by someone you don't have any reason to mistrust that if you let him look after your utilities you will save a bundle of money, you would be inclined to accept what they say at face value.

In fact we know from all the misleading and false claims that uw reps make here that they are badly misinformed by their trainers. But their in-laws and mates down the gym don't have the benefit of knowing what's in this thread, what the ASA have said about their false advertising and the lies about money saving they even now have on their website.

1carminestocky

Tony, please note that Quentin always refuses to answer when asked if he would recoomend an alternative supplier to UW, most sane people believe this is because he knows full well that whichever of the Big 6 he said, ALL their many ASA adjudications would be brought up on here. So huge pinch of salt required when reading quentin's posts on UW...

NigeWick

Quentin wrote: »

In fact we know from all the misleading and false claims that uw reps make here

I don't know about other distributors, but, I hand the tariff guide to prospective customers so that they can check UW prices against their current provider. People can make up their own mind as to whether they want to sign up or not. My overall package for gas, electricity, mobile phone and landline with broadband is still the best value for me in my circumstances. That of course includes paying the £1.76 per month membership fee.

Nigel, so fed up with seeing rants against the company on here that I've decided to start trying to earn some commission for my UW distributorship again.