First Utility, Are They Really That Bad?

marbar2k

I posted a thread up the other day about being a first time buyer and mentioned I had switched to first utility via the huge switch £50 cash back on the weekly email.

Some one posted do a forum search on them...it didn't make good reading!

As I've said I'm on a steep learning curve as I've never done this before.

Are they really that bad? should I cancel before my 7 days runs out? if so is it easy to cancel?

HappyMJ

marbar2k wrote: »

I posted a thread up the other day about being a first time buyer and mentioned I had switched to first utility via the huge switch £50 cash back on the weekly email.

Some one posted do a forum search on them...it didn't make good reading!

As I've said I'm on a steep learning curve as I've never done this before.

Are they really that bad? should I cancel before my 7 days runs out? if so is it easy to cancel?

Yes...no...well if you understand the Terms and Conditions exactly and you know exactly what you have to do to get your cash back then they could be good. You must be a medium to high user but not too high. If you are a low user then you risk losing all cash back as you must spend more than £600 on both gas and electricity but no more than £615 on electricity and no more than £770 on gas. Every direct debit MUST be paid on time and in full including the 13% cash back that you will get back by cheque in 12 months. i.e if your estimate comes to £1,044 a year you must pay £100 per month towards it in advance at the beginning of each month. If you miss a payment then your annual bill will be £1,200 a year. If you pay on time every time then at the end of the 12th month you will get a cheque for £156.

marbar2k

only 2 of us in the house and I would say we will be lowish users. I don't think we will clear £100. I think I'm going to cancel the switch from BG.

Anyone any idea how to cancel the switch off the huge switch site, can't see any way to do it.

sithmaster

just phone up bg and say you have changed yr mind they can cancel it

Mr_Sensible

I have just spoken to First Utility with the intention of switching and given instruction. The sales rep very hapily told me the cost which gave me a saving of around £150 a year. She then told me and I cant be more clear about this because I asked het to confirm, that at the end of the year I would receive ANOTHER discount of 13%. She definately didnt tell me that the price included this.Therefore if I leave before the year or dont qualify for the refund I will be paying the same as I am now. Although she informed me that there was no tie in, that certainly feels like one. More to the point it was blatant miss selling. I will be phoning back tomorrow to cancel and moving to another supplier. Apparently, I can get £131 saving with them with out all the deceipt and trickery. It sounded too good to be true and guess what.....

Dave_save

Regarding First Utility, the comparison sites have been duped into placing FU near the top for some users. The reality is that one of their 'fixed' tarrifs is only fixed for 3 months, and the discounts do not apply if you decide to switch within the first 12 months. To me this is blatant deceit, and I was wondering why on earth the comparison sites allow it.

NPowerUser

First Utility are hiking some prices by £100, yet OVO are cutting their prices due to the reduced prices in the wholesale market
http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/news_story.asp?id=197081&title=Ovo+cuts+prices+while+First+Utility+hikes+them

MK55

sithmaster wrote: »

just phone up bg and say you have changed yr mind they can cancel it

No they can't, if op has made contract with a company he needs to ring them....

Terrylw1

MK55 wrote: »

No they can't, if op has made contract with a company he needs to ring them....

The old supplier can object thus preventing anything happening.

jchrisj

Just switched to First Utility and emailed a simple question about my smart meter readings on switch-over. Despite several promises of a reply I'm still waiting and I'm left thinking that if providing an answer to a simple question is such a problem what sort of service will I get if something more serious crops up.:(

Update on 11 July 2012; First Utility finally replied to my email and informed me that I do not have a smart meter! Yet it was fitted two years ago by my previous supplier. FU advises that I must supply meter readings every month!

I can't recommend this supplier and unless service improves dramatically I shall no doubt be switching at the earliest opportunity.

Terrylw1

jchrisj wrote: »

Just switched to First Utility and emailed a simple question about my smart meter readings on switch-over. Despite several promises of a reply I'm still waiting and I'm left thinking that if providing an answer to a simple question is such a problem what sort of service will I get if something more serious crops up.:(

If its about fitting your smart meter, there was a thread about them saying they have stopped doing it despite the promise. It was about a week or so ago so should be easy to search the board for using their name and smart.