Add your feedback on energy supplier Shell Energy (formerly First Utility)

grahamh123

Absolute nightmare. Took 5 months to get first bill because they gave my old supplier the wrong reading which started a dispute. Meanwhile they charged me almost £500. Sorted all that out with refund and compensation but then they reset the gas account to the original incorrect readings at the next bill.
Never never use them.

Swipe

Waste of time phoning them, 2 hour wait and an email response now takes 2 weeks. Your best bet by far is to contact them via twitter which takes 24hrs for a response.

Kendall80

With a few notable exceptions (such as the previous poster)there seem to be a lot of single posters signing up to record their apparent annoyance with FU. It does seem a bit peculiar but maybe I'm being overly suspicious (I usually am).


I've had no issues yet but I've admittedly only been with them a week. I have experienced the delay in e-mail response mentioned but that's it. My switch from Swalec appears to have gone without a hitch. Now I've said that though I'm pretty sure its all 'gonna go to hell'.

gatita

Kendall80 wrote: »

With a few notable exceptions (such as the previous poster)there seem to be a lot of single posters signing up to record their apparent annoyance with FU. It does seem a bit peculiar but maybe I'm being overly suspicious (I usually am).


I've had no issues yet but I've admittedly only been with them a week. I have experienced the delay in e-mail response mentioned but that's it. My switch from Swalec appears to have gone without a hitch. Now I've said that though I'm pretty sure its all 'gonna go to hell'.

LOL My feelings exactly! I am just waiting for things to go 'pear shape' sincerely hope it doesn't happen.

POLAR_BILL

Kendall80 wrote: »

With a few notable exceptions (such as the previous poster)there seem to be a lot of single posters signing up to record their apparent annoyance with FU. It does seem a bit peculiar but maybe I'm being overly suspicious (I usually am).


I've had no issues yet but I've admittedly only been with them a week. I have experienced the delay in e-mail response mentioned but that's it. My switch from Swalec appears to have gone without a hitch. Now I've said that though I'm pretty sure its all 'gonna go to hell'.

Have faith. I started changeover mid July and everything is good so far just as you would expect it to be.

millie

I have been with them since April and not have had any problems, it does take about 10 days after submitting the meter reading to be able to view the bill online, but I do not have a problem with that. After all we only used to get bill once a quarter in the past.

seagull104

I have been with FU for two years. Performance has improved but still has some way to go. They have been the victims of their own success, obviously overloaded by customer demand. They are CHEAP and you get what you pay for. Forget phoning. email requires some patience but will eventually get a sensible response. Why it takes ten days to provide a bill puzzles me and can only presume they still need to invest in more resources. My main grouse is that they continually change their tarriffs. For example on my last bill (21st October) I was advised that V33November15 would be my cheapest. I now find from MSE that there is an even later and cheaper version, V35November15. This must be a response to MSE's efforts I suppose. If only they would automatically switch me to the cheapest tarriff all would be great!
Now do I switch to MSE's latest? The prospect is daunting for a break even result.

craig_f

Like seagull104 I've been with FU for about 2 years, I agree that phoning is a waste of time/money, email repeatedly if you need attention, you may get lucky.
The biggest problem for me was when a Fixed tariff ends, they bombard you with offers and threats that if you don't act NOW! you will miss it.
I got suckered into it and pushed the YES button 2 months before my tariff was up - assuming it would take over when the last finished....
Not a chance, they bumped me up immediately and charged me 2 termination fees.
Many emails later I got them to admit it wasn't my mistake, so they 'waived' the fees, but by then I'd lost 2 months of the old (cheaper) tariff - no compensation for that.
Since then I've just hung on, things go OK, bills come eventually, direct debits get taken on time etc. I just keep my fingers crossed nothing goes wrong.
I may pluck up courage to try and switch to someone else (I'm fixed 'till next year) but I dread the prospect of getting screwed or FU'ed.
My father is with iSupply (elec. only unfortunately) he has had no problems. They fix for 1 year, when prompted transfer him to the next fix when his ends AND he automatically got the £12 GOV rebate added to his account!
How many FU customers have been refunded? - I certainly haven't...

secano

I am part of the Cheap Energy Club and switch from Coop Energy to First Utility in Q2 of this year.

I am now becoming increasingly frustrated as First Utility have not sent a final meter reading for both gas and electricity. This has meant Coop are using estimated readings and still charging me each month and First Utility are using actual readings and charging me, so I am effectively paying double.

Hesitant to stop the DD as know there can then be different problems etc, etc.

Sent in a formal complaint to First Utility 2 weeks ago, no response at all.

Pulling my hair out, any ideas???

Better deals are out there now, but will switching again just complicate this too much.

Nickbw

Unimpressed with Cheap Energy Club Offer because at the end of the day (read the comments on here and elsewhere of ACTUAL experience) it is the way an individual is treated by a given supplier which makes the difference, just as much as price. There is still a desperate need for intervention to force suppliers, especially the big six and the minor players to reveal more datail about the assumption they use when calculating/estimating future consumption and calaculating direct debit amounts. I made a real efort to get on top of this over the last three years and changed supplier once. I have been level pegging the last twelve months. August and September supplier reduced my DD from £70 to £50 for those months and then in October (Annual Review?) I got £50 returned to my bank and advice that my DD would rise to £111 per month from November. I would dearly like to know the basis on which this is calculated! So far we have enjoyed exceptionally mild conditions and I know my Electric and Gas coinsumption is minimal but is future consumption based on an average winter, or an exceptional winter? Who knows? They do! And it is in their financial interest, to say nothing of commercial, to take a view favourable to themselves. This and previous governments have stirred the pot and lead consumers a dance, whilst (typically) proving they are absolutely useless!