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

pjaj

I've been with first:utility since August 2009. Electricity only and a smart meter. Apart from a slight hiccup in the first month or two (I think they were just getting underway with their smart meters and it wasn't reporting correctly). I had to check I was on the correct tariff and switch about a year ago but other than that I have had no problems.
It's still the cheapest tariff for me.
Maybe the people reporting problems are not fitted with smart meters?

pjaj

TangoGolf wrote: »

I am interested in taking advantage of FU Fixed May 2015 package because it seems cheapest for me. I will be coming from British Gas. With BG I pay by DD every month just for the energy I use by sending them a meter reading every month and then they email me an accurate bill and a week or so later take the exact money by DD. Can anyone just let me know if FU offer exactly the same set up--I don't really want to go down the fixed DD route based on a yearly estimate of what I may or may not use. Thanks to anyone in advance.

You'd have to check, but FU fitted me with a smart meter that reports 48 half hourly readings once a day back to base. Highly accurate monthly billing and no work for the meter reader. But I am electricity only, don't know about gas.

Yorksport

TangoGolf wrote: »

I am interested in taking advantage of FU Fixed May 2015 package because it seems cheapest for me. I will be coming from British Gas. With BG I pay by DD every month just for the energy I use by sending them a meter reading every month and then they email me an accurate bill and a week or so later take the exact money by DD. Can anyone just let me know if FU offer exactly the same set up--I don't really want to go down the fixed DD route based on a yearly estimate of what I may or may not use. Thanks to anyone in advance.

This is certainly what I do with FU and I've been on a fixed tariff with them for about a year. At first I went with the fixed monthly dd they suggested but after 3 months they put it up and then tried to do the same after another 3 months even though I was only slightly in debit - and it was March. So I took the option they offered to switch to variable dd and that's worked fine - same as the BG arrangement. As other posters have said, be very wary of their fixed dds as they are greedy - if I'd stayed on that I'd be £100s of pounds in credit and faced with the trial of getting it back.

debzmar

joined first utility last november (2012) switch went fine but after 4 months my meter started playing up (went backwards), unfortunately I couldnt sort online as no one responded to my attempts to contact then and I spent many hours queueing on the phone to try to get sorted, they finally changed my meter in october, ive been getting estimated bills during this time and am yet to receive an explanation as to what happens now
They appear to need more staff on the phones - oh and i asked for the £20 compensation as they had not complied with the customer service guarantee - but I havent got it - that was in may:(

debzmar

joined first utility last november (2012) switch went fine but after 4 months my meter started playing up (went backwards), unfortunately I couldnt sort online as no one responded to my attempts to contact them and I spent many hours queueing on the phone to try to get sorted, they finally changed my meter in october, ive been getting estimated bills during this time and am yet to receive an explanation as to what happens now
They appear to need more staff on the phones - oh and i asked for the £20 compensation as they had not complied with the customer service guarantee - but I havent got it - that was in may:(

caffinebassman

My mothers account has been largely trouble free so far apart from the usual disagreement over the level of payment and in credit balance for winter cover. After the first year she received her dual fuel discount cheque within 30 days.

My account was also mostly trouble free until the end of the first year. I didn't receive my dual fuel discount cheque at all - odd my mothers and my accounts were switched at the same time ...

Chased up several time through the C.S. on the website and by email, various promises - cheque in the post, will be paid into my account etc. none of which materialised.

Eventually, I called them to chase it up - very long wait times.... I spoke to the advisor and he checked into it and promised payment would be made within a week - amazingly it was. Apparently, they lost a number of payments during systems change overs during the year ......

Now, I have recently moved (new house new supplier) but still have First Utility at the old property while I prepare it for sale. They seem completely unable to accept my meter readings and insist on using their estimates (very much higher for an unoccupied property naturally). Calling again now to try to sort it out ...... again, very long wait times.......

I would also have switched my mother away if it wasn't for the fact that I'm not confident she'd get her credit balance back in a timely manner - at least she is covered for winter I suppose.

They don't follow through on C.S. consistently and the wait times are just unacceptable compared to other utilities. Given it appears you have to call them to get anything done that is a real issue - especially if it's a charged call.

Would not recommend First Utility.

Glosjools_2

I switched to FU a year ago with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Despite what the 'blurb' says, I actually pay a variable rate each month based entirely on usage. For a four bedroom detached house I have paid between £34.98 (August) and £121.62 (December) for my combined gas and electricity supply. I have paid under £1,000 for the year. They have contacted me in the last few days (with 6 weeks to go before the fixed price comes to an end) with various (transparent) options, all of which accord with the calculations on the Cheap Energy Club. I have now fixed until June 2015 and fully expect to pay around the £1,000 p.a. Have had NO issues at all with them and would recommend unreservedly - over the years we have bought our dual fuel from British Gas, Scottish Power, Atlantic and other suppliers - I really don't think the 'big boys' are any better than the smaller companies, and at least FU don't hassle you on the phone!

melb01

Two major problems:-

1.Rubbish Billing

Joined in June 2012 - first bill came seven months later in December 2012; second and latest bill was in February 2013, nine months ago!

2. No dual fuel discount

Left in August 2013 because of no bills. Emailed customer services requesting cheque for dual fuel discount ( 13% ), which was part of the offer when I signed up. Was told in September 2013 there was no "duel"(sic) fuel discount due because they withdrew the v10 tariff in June 2013, and I hadn't been on the tariff for 12 months. B...y FU shysters :mad: The fact they automatically moved me to a dearer tariff was ignored.

So, it's now nearly the end of November, I haven't got my final bill, or my Dual Fuel discount.

Stay well clear of this crowd.

Mel

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28/11 Update:- Two days after posting, First Utility responded to earlier emails, AND actioned a refund of Direct Debit overpayment and the payment of the Dual Fuel Discount. Is this a coincidence with my posting on MSE? Anyway, all's well that ends well !

jozo_2

I'm switching from Npower to FU - Npower have failed to bill me, failed to refund me over £800 that they promised to pay over a month ago, took inacurate meter readings because they could not read their own meters...the list goes on. I now believe that all utility companies are totally useless so may as well try a cheaper version. How can anyone else be worse than Npower?

Alex444

You'll be surprised.