First Utility - Anybody else had problems?

frembrit

frembrit wrote: »

Been having issues here too. (this is for my mum)

Seems that they failed to send over the final meter reading for the electric to British Gas for the 21st Nov 2012 (gas is ok and paid for). So BG done an estimate, to which I've not paid.

I contacted FU via their website and got a very quick response from someone by email asking for the reading again, promising to enter it in the system. This was at the beginning of December 2012. I kept logging on to the website and checking for the reading to show but it never did, meanwhile I was still getting emails from them saying that I hadn't been forgotten.

We then got a reminder from BG on the 21st or 22nd December 2012, to which I called them and explained that the final meter reading was incorrect and they said I needed to speak to FU, and once they had the actual reading they would send a corrected bill.
Thinking that FU was still processing it, I left it.

Anyway, during the Christmas break I called FU as it was still not showing on the website, spoke to a nice enough lady and she took the reading for the 21st Nov and 31st Dec, but had to get someone to help her because she didn't know how to use the new system....Hmmm...she said it was done and sure enough it was showing on the website after a few hours. (why couldn't be done like this before??!) she said that BG would get the reading in a few days.

Today, 4th January 2013, we got a letter for a debt recovery agent...great! :mad:
I called BG to see if they got the correct reading and after a 20 min call..they had not. They tried to convince me that the final reading was taken on the 6th Nov, but the chap did not understand that the final day was the 21st (despite looking at a copy of the same bill, apparently) They offered a discount on the final bill and would settle if I paid now, but it meant I was still over paying, and FU have a lower reading to bill me from so I would get charged twice! I said I'd wait for the correct bill.
I then called the debt recovery agent and explained what was going on, they were quite good about it and have put it on hold for two weeks.

We'll see what happens.

Getting stressed now.

Spoke to FU tonight and they seem to believe that my start reading is the same as the BG estimated final reading, so... I called the Debt recover agent and just paid the final BG bill as I've had enough now...let's hope I get billed from that reading. Hopefully one less thing to get stressed about.

SavingJane

Nightmare we are having with them, set up DD but they havn't yet taken a payment. Changed in Nov, just done another reading so see if anything happens this time, or shall be making a call I think

Just wish know why they havn't been taking the DD from the bank?

frembrit

I would call them...though it took me 20 mins before I got through tonight. At least they are taking payments from my mum.

CrimpQueen

TurnaroundTim wrote: »

I switched from E.On to First Utility about 2 months ago, didn't have any problems and I'm now switched over and everything seems fine.

Same here. Got my first bill last week and other than the fact that they set my DD up for £50????? (when I was with BG it was £122) so I just accessed my account and changed it easily, every thing seems fine.

slewts

My DD for Dec taken and then credited!, contacted CS by email took 10 days to reply and said error with their systems but all will be OK for Jan.
Guess what? No payment taken for Jan, hung on the phone and spoke to "overflow" call centre who said aware of problem and hope to get it fixed soon!
My confidence in this company is ebbing away fast.
Anyone else had similar DD issues,perhaps MSE could investigate on our behalf to find out why they don't want to take customer's money.

loracan1

philwakely wrote: »

I would be interested to hear of others' opinions of the company.

I switched to a cheap fix in about October last year after npower kindly put me on a humungous tariff. Took a while to switch over but have received 3 bills up til now, varies by amount (two estimates, one actual usage) no problems so far.

Alex444

I moved to them last year after doing price comparison through U Switch, had welcome call from them, told about cash back and set up figure for Direct Debit all good. Since then I have been e-mailed asking for meter readings and then produced bills, only problem is, I have not paid them one bean. DD was set up initially and further DD mandates have been provided but still no payments processed, no correspondence from FU saying payments have failed. I noticed a lack of DD on my Bank Account last April and advised FU accordingly, still no action by them even though I am contacting them on a monthly basis, their customer relations are shocking. I am now in dialogue with one of their Consumer Affairs executives, still banging my head off a brick wall!!
I now know what FU stands for now.

rizla01

Thank you for this thread.

The £40 Quidco payment expires today and I was all ready to switch but not after reading on here.

Cheers.

jaybeetoo

I switched to them in October. No problems so far. Every month I am asked for my meter readings which I submit online or by SMS. The bills I have received so far have been accurate. They take my DD payment every month for the agreed amount.

From the emails I have received from FU, they were swamped with people changing to them a few months ago. I think they stopped taking on new customers because they couldn't cope with the sudden increase in volumes. I'm not sure if that has been lifted.

george1939

jaybeetoo wrote: »

I switched to them in October. No problems so far. Every month I am asked for my meter readings which I submit online or by SMS. The bills I have received so far have been accurate. They take my DD payment every month for the agreed amount.

From the emails I have received from FU, they were swamped with people changing to them a few months ago. I think they stopped taking on new customers because they couldn't cope with the sudden increase in volumes. I'm not sure if that has been lifted.

Copied from above switched to them in October. No problems so far. Every month I am asked for my meter readings which I submit online or by SMS. The bills I have received so far have been accurate. They take my DD payment every month for the agreed amount.
I agree No problems .They are always on the ball You get full statements online each month which are easy to read, and after 12 direct debits give you a lot of cash back