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

Cerissa

I do so as often as possible. However our neighbours have 12 children, and as a result, pile chairs, prams and bikes in the alley between our two houses. Every meter reading requires half an hour of work, moving their stuff. Yes, in theory I could ask them to do it. In reality, they're still touchy after we asked them to stop one of their children breaking the fence, and I'm trying to keep things cordial.

Our last house, which was single glazed and literally twice the size, cost us £65 a month in gas - in winter. I shouldn't have to take a meter reading every single month to prevent them from ripping me off.

2010

Cerissa wrote: »

I shouldn't have to take a meter reading every single month to prevent them from ripping me off.

Part of the T&C that you agreed to when you signed up.

Ask them for a smart meter then you don`t have to give monthly readings;

https://www.first-utility.com/help/My_Meter/__kA1D00000008PaQKAU/What-is-a-smart-meter

cherryaa

So, OK, I might be their new only satisfied customer

Bad things first:
Their billing system was seriously wonky to begin with.

• When I first signed up, they set up TWO direct debits for the full amount. I assumed this was an error which would be corrected, but no - they took my monthly payment, then tried another. There was no money in my account. Because of this failure, my bank cancelled both DDs and First Utility's system would not accept a new one. This meant I didn't get my fixed DD discount for six weeks.

• It took half a dozen phone calls to get them to accept that it was their problem, not my bank's. They did sort it out once I reached a customer service person with a brain!

• The system kept switching me from fixed to variable - I'm on benefits and this was a disaster for me. Helpline would switch it back, then the system dropped it again.

• This all happened between December 2015 - June 2015.

Now the good stuff:
Warm Home Discount.

• Although I qualify on several counts, British Gas had refused me for all 5 years I was with them. With First Utility, the application has been straightforward and successful for 2 years running.

• Customer service have been able to apply the discount in advance, so as to reduce my monthly bills. That is, they adjusted my DD to take account of the £140 that will be credited in March/April. £11.67 off my monthly payments is quite a big deal to me.

Website & App

• I love the usage charts, the easy data download and the ease of submitting my readings with the app (my meters are outside - I just take my phone and it's done in a few seconds.) Usage clearly shows Kwh and £ spent each month; it gives me a nudge to turn the thermostat down when the gas line's climbing too fast - and has shown how much electricity my crappy oven wastes!

Customer Service

• After a very dodgy start, First Utility's helpline has been really good the past 5 or 6 months.

Price

• First Utility has consistently been my best or second-best choice. Even MSE told me not to switch! I'm losing out right now because the recent price drop happened after I'd signed up to a 12-month tariff. I'm going to explore whether there's any way of avoiding the £60 termination fee - if so, I'll be staying with First Utility, as they have one that's a match for British Gas (and BG were horribly unhelpful for me.)

First Utility's billing has been a problem for a long time, it seems. I'm not saying it's perfect now - but they seem to be addressing the problems. I find them far more helpful now, and the tariffs are good.

2010

cherryaa wrote: »

So, OK, I might be their new only satisfied customer

I`m completely satisfied with them as I have pointed out on this thread on a regular basis.
But I always move with price and that`s what I`m doing now, as my FU deal ends in March.

You usually find that the people who come on here and Swipe about FU have usually brought it upon themselves and it`s everybody`s fault but theirs.

If in the future FU comes up with a better price, I wouldn`t hesitate to return to them.
Excellant company all round.
One million plus customers can`t all be wrong. :T

Cerissa

I guess this is the problem, we didn't actually sign up to them, our landlady did. So I didn't know that was the case.

ShadowPuma

Well at my prior property First Utility were great.

So I didn't pay exit fees (and because it was still a good deal for someone with my usage profile - low standing charge as I don't use much actual energy) I got them to refit new smart meters here at my new property.

Once the were fitted I got told only the electric is a smart meter and the gas isn't and needs the reading sent in. However the account online they set up is the basic one that doesn't let me, I have to email or ring.

A few months down the line life got busy and I forgot to take the readings. Discovered in November I hadn't been billed for months so rang them and tried to get this sorted.

Its February and I've just been told they have a problem in their system that mean quite a "few" accounts have this issue and no matter how many times they add it to the billing runs or try to force the accounts to bill they just cannot get them to do it. Another promise has been made for a bill in the next few days.

I guess I should feel quite relieved that unlike others they haven't been taking payments either but I'm not overly happy that I'll get a very large bill when they *do* work this out. Hmm.

2010

ShadowPuma wrote: »

A few months down the line life got busy and I forgot to take the readings. Discovered in November I hadn't been billed for months so rang them and tried to get this sorted.

So it`s not FU`s fault then?

ShadowPuma

2010 wrote: »

So it`s not FU`s fault then?

Entirely? No. However where they had been sending "Its time for your reading" messages to me they actually stopped sending them which didn't help at all. Then they didn't even issue estimated bills or let me know my fix was up either. I hadn't heard from them at all since May until I rang them.

And the fact now that I've been trying to get this back on track for 3 months is the main issue I have with them.

BigBrad_2

It seem customer service is the pits in this country. I have to say have not had much trouble with 1st Utility but they do not seem to want to keep customers. They still wanted me to pay my exit fee to go to one of their new tariffs even though I only have 3 months left but even if I pay the £60.00 in total I would go to Scotish power but only on price as their customer service is worse.

sillygoose

2010 wrote: »

I`m completely satisfied with them as I have pointed out on this thread on a regular basis.
But I always move with price and that`s what I`m doing now, as my FU deal ends in March.

You usually find that the people who come on here and Swipe about FU have usually brought it upon themselves and it`s everybody`s fault but theirs.

If in the future FU comes up with a better price, I wouldn`t hesitate to return to them.
Excellant company all round.
One million plus customers can`t all be wrong. :T

My experience has been the same, they made no errors, nice clear information on the website account.

I especially like their phone app, makes submitting readings a doddle as it show the previous reading so you can ensure your entering something sensible, even lets you put the camera flash on as a torch.

I am leaving because my fix to March runs out and they intend putting me on an astronomically expensive standard rate, they also offered their best rate but I have found a substantially better deal. Not expecting as good a service at my new supplier but we will see...