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

footyguy

davidsfell wrote: »

I am in the process of switching from a First fixed price deal to anther First fixed price deal - with a longer end date. In the past, a longer end date meant they waived any early exit fees as they kept you as a customer. NOT ANY MORE!! They sneakily changed the policy in December and now charge you anyway. The customer service guy I spoke to about this said they have had a load of disgruntled customers - I'm not surprised. I will be changing supplier on this basis.

Welcome to MSE, davidsfell :hello:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5404834

Which "Stella" deal will you now be switching to instead?

Cerissa

Well they charged us £126 on our latest bill. Apparently, in our 5 room, 2 bed, carpeted, double glazed home where the heating doesn't go on until six, we have used £92 of gas this month. It's obviously nonsense, and it's a deliberate over-estimation.

craig_f

I managed to extricate myself (with help from my Dad) from F'ing U back in March 2015 - one of the 'Big Switch' promo's - can't remember which.
Went to E.ON everything great since, only have to submit readings every 3 months, bills accurate and on time.
More importantly I've switch tariff with E.ON 3 times now, for lower fixed rates (I use MSE to check the competition) AND NO PENALTY CHARGE.
The Tesco clubcard points are useful too......

yakari

I requested a refund as my account was £220 in credit, but had major problems trying to get just some of it. They said they would refund £120 and keep £100, which is one payment.
I was informed that it could take up to 10 working days to complete, but 2 weeks went by and no credit was refunded. I called to find out why and after 20 minutes waiting to speak with an advisor I was told my refund request had not been processed due to human error. They then said it could take up to another 10 working days to complete, so I wrote a letter of complaint.
The issue was resolved eventually via bacs payment, but I was left very frustrated because of poor communication and incompetence on their behalf.
I was kept on hold for long periods of time and cut off when I asked to speak with a Manger.
Over all very poor, I would not recommend Firs-Utility as an energy provider.

footyguy

Cerissa wrote: »

Well they charged us £126 on our latest bill. Apparently, in our 5 room, 2 bed, carpeted, double glazed home where the heating doesn't go on until six, we have used £92 of gas this month. It's obviously nonsense, and it's a deliberate over-estimation.

The only thing I can see as non-sensical here is why you have failed to provide an actual meter reading so that you can be billed accurately. :cool:

footyguy

yakari wrote: »

I requested a refund as my account was £220 in credit, but had major problems trying to get just some of it. They said they would refund £120 and keep £100, which is one payment.
I was informed that it could take up to 10 working days to complete, but 2 weeks went by and no credit was refunded. I called to find out why and after 20 minutes waiting to speak with an advisor I was told my refund request had not been processed due to human error. They then said it could take up to another 10 working days to complete, so I wrote a letter of complaint.
The issue was resolved eventually via bacs payment, but I was left very frustrated because of poor communication and incompetence on their behalf.
I was kept on hold for long periods of time and cut off when I asked to speak with a Manger.
Over all very poor, I would not recommend Firs-Utility as an energy provider.

If you accepted their proposal, it sounds like you knew you were not entitled to all the money you originally claimed! :cool:

Theres's a useful MSE article on reclaiming accrued credit
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/reclaim-energy-bill-refunds

lunarjan

Re #290

.....following on from my last post.....Zinc continued to bombard me with phone calls, texts, letters etc, and reached a point when they threatened me with doorstep collection. I sent them an email asking them to provide categorical evidence of the purported debt from FU themselves, adding that I am innocent until proved guilty, rather than being treated as if it was the other way round. I was adamant that I did not have to prove myself to them in any way-they'd asked me to confirm my identity with them on the phone for "data protection purposes", which I refused to do. Also refused to go through the details of the case, as I'd already spent months doing that with FU and I felt that it was down to Zinc to prove that there was a debt.

Then it all went quiet!!

About three weeks later I received a letter from Zinc:-

"Dear Sir/Madam, We can confirm that your account has now been closed and returned to our above noted client. We have enclosed a refund cheque in the amount of £0.82. Can you please ensure you stop sending any payments to us and send directly to the above noted client. For future queries regarding the account please contact our client directly or of you need specific information from ourselves."
(Grammatical errors are theirs).

I had been making no payments, so I've no idea how I qualified for a refund of £0.82, it's ludicrous compensation for the many hours I've spent trying to clear my name!

So we'll see if FU renew their efforts to extract an imaginary debt from me.

They would be better putting their skills to tax collection, methinks!

Watch this space for the next gripping episode.....⚖

2010

I am now within the 49 day period for switching so no penalty fees apply.
I have also received an email from FU informing me of this and offering new tariffs to switch to now or at the end of March.
I have been with FU for just over a year and have never had any problems at all.
All my bills have been correct and on time after putting in regular monthly readings.
However, having found a cheaper tariff with another provider I`ve decided to switch and implemented the move yesterday.
From my own experience, I would go back to FU if they offered the best deal in the future.

Swipe

2010 wrote: »

I am now within the 49 day period for switching so no penalty fees apply.
I have also received an email from FU informing me of this and offering new tariffs to switch to now or at the end of March.
I have been with FU for just over a year and have never had any problems at all.
All my bills have been correct and on time after putting in regular monthly readings.
However, having found a cheaper tariff with another provider I`ve decided to switch and implemented the move yesterday.
From my own experience, I would go back to FU if they offered the best deal in the future.

Looks like they've just lost their only satisfied customer :rotfl:

2010

Swipe wrote: »

Looks like they've just lost their only satisfied customer :rotfl:

Can only state how i and probably over a million others have found.;)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/energy-bills/11082094/First-Utility-attracts-1m-customers-why.html