Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

littlem's

Well I didn't read all 502 pages folks but skimmed bits and pieces of this forum - my conclusion is that we won't be going with UW in anyway, shape or form.

We looked at UW briefly a while back but after an interesting call I'm particularly unimpressed as it'll cost us £99 to get our line connected to them (we are with a cable provider right now) - and we'd have to pay the higher 'Broadcall' rate, as we are non-LLU (?) which is actually MORE than BT (who are doing free reconnection and a better deal) - so simple.

The 'Duel Fuel' looks like a confusing and expensive option to me!

I look to choose where I shop not let someone else choose where I'll be shopping for a start!

Other 'switchers' trying to work out if UW seems worth it, I'd say move on ...

kippen_noedel

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

posting it so often is really unnecessary .

I have to admit I do kind of agree with this Cardew, although you are 100% correct you do post it a lot.

Possibly time for you to be more creative .. :beer:

Cardew

kippen_noedel wrote: »

I have to admit I do kind of agree with this Cardew, although you are 100% correct you do post it a lot.

Possibly time for you to be more creative .. :beer:

However it is dressed up, the important message is still the same; namely that UW charge just about the highest gas and electricity prices in UK.

Now every regular on this thread is aware of that fact, and my admittedly boring and repetitive posts on that issue are not for us regular's benefit.

However it has been a tactic of the UW salesmen to divert the thread away from this central issue and the message on UW's high prices becomes buried several pages back.

New readers who have a genuine query about UW find it difficult to find any useful information without reading page after page of arguments - many posts to this effect.

So for the benefit of these new readers IMO it is worth stating some facts about UW's very high prices.

utilityman_2

whats so risky about the uw cashback card?

Quentin

utilityman wrote: »

whats so risky about the uw cashback card?

As you are a rep for UW you should know that it is the UW themselves who point out its risks at the very start of the ts + cs applicants must accept:

By activating your Card you accept these Terms and Conditions and confirm you understand and accept the risks highlighted in clauses 2(b) and 18(d) of this Agreement.

2 (b) points out the money you prepay onto the card isn't protected.

18 (d) points out that the Financial Services Compensation Scheme doesn't apply to the card, and there is no other compensation scheme so you are "on your own" if you have a problem over a purchase, or the retailer goes bust etc.

littlem's

operastar wrote: »

You make out like UW is forcing you to shop at the shops listed in its 5% list? There are maybe 6 million people who shop regularly at Sainsburys already and I'm convinced the vast majority of them pay with their 'regular' debit card. All I'm saying is that, for these people, it's entirely feasible that they could save money by using at least 1 UW service, be it phone, broadband, gas, electric, mobile etc. and paying by way of the UW card instead. I can't imagine anybody taking serious issue with this claim, no matter how much dislike they feel for the company?

Thanks for replying Operastar - I see you are very passionate about UW and that's great you believe so much in the company - it's just not for me, I don't shop in Sainsbury's or the majority of the listed partners. I am looking to seriously reduce our outgoings so many treats are going out the window for me and my family for the near future. If I was to get the 'cashback' I think I'd rather have a cash back credit card and real money to play with. I don't feel it's right to load my money onto a card for future use, I'd rather pay the traditional way - I've been 'raised that way'. This is purely my opinion but thank you for taking the time to respond.
I just don't feel UW is a good deal - but each of us can make our choices dependent on what we read, hear or feel about a company. Hence my last sentence of my previous comment.
All the best to you :wave:

Quentin

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

so should be getting a bill for no more than £10 for my phone and broadband for the month. :j As you can see, i'm happy with that.

Except your "bill" will be much more than £10.

You will have paid part of it by way of the "cashback" you have "earned" by being a busy fool and prepaying money onto the risky cashback card!

Though you are aware of that, and admit you post in this thread as a WUM!

Quentin

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

Any purchase made is of course still covered by the Sale of Goods Act anyway, so normal legal protections still apply.

The sale of goods act won't help if you return a faulty purchase to a shop to find it has gone bust.

But had you paid with a "normal" mastercard credit card you would be safeguarded. (Though you know that).

And it's not me who originally pointed out the card has risks.

That honour goes to the uW themselves, though as it is only shown in the opening heading to the cards ts + cs, we can safely assume the reps never mention it when selling the card.

In fact we know that the reps are trained in a special way to sell the card so that the objection gullibles might raise that they don't use Sainsburys can be overcome.

They are now taught not to actually mention the word "Sainsburys", but to just talk about how much money a year they spend on "supermarket shopping".

You can hear them being trained in this "ethical" way here:

http://www.teamcalls.co.uk/

(This one is dated 18/10/09)

harrybird

just a comment on a few of the latest posts.
Yes, I know the fuel prices are not the lowest around, but they are lower than my previous suppliers.
The cash back card is used for small purchases only, it is topped up only enough to for normal use so that little if any money is "sleeping" on it, the cash back generates just enough to pay the monthly fee and I do not expect payment insurance on it, surely you don't get this with a debit card in any case? and it protects my main account and card from fraudulent use.
BUT, the big advantage for me in being a member is the savings available on holidays using Prospero Holidays, last year I saved well over £400 on a cruise, this against Thomascooks special offer price, there are also many other special offers on the discount site.

Cardew

harrybird wrote: »

Yes, I know the fuel prices are not the lowest around, but they are lower than my previous suppliers.

Who were your previous suppliers - and when was this?