MSE News: First Utility faces customer backlash as complaints double

Corbusier

I switched to them 18 months ago. It took them 10 months to give me my first bill, and I remember problems with the initial switch too, where my previous account with the other company wasn't closed properly. Now it has happened again, and I haven't had a bill for 3 months, so now I'm in my 49 day get out of jail free card, I'm off! I am a prolific switcher, so I would have switched anyway, but I am advising everyone and anyone not to go with First Utility. My advice is to look at MSE and the customer reviews for service, not just at the savings. I would pay an extra few pounds just to know what my bill is every month. I know it sounds silly, but with first utility you don't have a clue as their IT system doesn't work. On other company websites, you get instant feedback on how much you have used, when you put in a reading. At First Utility you have to wait until a bill is produced, and even then is hit or miss if you get one or not!

Corbusier

Your lucky, it took me 10 months to get my first bill, and that was after a number of hours on the phone. Their IT system doesn't work properly. They ended up haven't to make up a new account for me and restart it. Now the bills have stopped again for no reason, despite me submitting readings.

Micky-c

I've been with this despicable company for 5 years. When I signed up, they offered two cash based incentive schemes: a Dual Fuel Discount, and an annual 7.5% Loyalty Bonus. I've been in dispute with them on an almost permanent basis ever since, because they never meet these payments. I've lost count of the number of letters and emails I've sent (they rarely reply, but with a company as disreputable as this it's good to do things in writing). I've given up trying to ever ring them, as they never answer the phone.

The Ombudsman has found in my favour, but they can only investigate the preceding 12 month period, so I'm suing FU to get them to pay what they owe for the full 5 years (over £1000). I'll switch as soon as I'm paid what I'm owed, and I'll provide an update hopefully in a couple of weeks.

bbb44

Join FU late 2014 and have problems since.

1. They charged me the period before i had my meters installed.
2. Double estimated my Gas usage even though i have submitted my Gas reading twice.
3. Impossible to set up direct debit and keep charging me £2 every month.
4. Charging me with wrong tariff twice.

1. I had my meters installed in the 27th of Nov 2014, but they billed me from the 1st of Nov 2014 instead.

2. I have been asked to submit my Gas meter reading for more accurate estimation, but for some reasons, they chose to ignore my readings and introducing something new called " Annual Consumption ". They have never mentioned anything like this after three and a half months since i joined them. I have calculated my own Gas usage based on my Gas meter reading that i am using 25.95kWh per day, but their estimation is more than double of that.

3. I have tried to set up my direct debit with them 3 times on the phone, each time they confirmed and reconfirmed on the phone, but of course, they have problems taking the money out and charge me £2 for non-direct debit payment.

4. I asked for iSave Fixed v41 tariff from day one, but my first bill was in iSave Everyday v2 ( the more expensive tariff ), I told them that wrong tariff had been charged, they then changed me to iSave Fixed v37 ( also the more expensive tariff ). I have no idea how to make them listen and correct their mistakes.

I am now asking them to confirm a free exit fee as i am planning to change supplier. I simply do not want to check and investigate my bill every month just in case they make another mistake again. I have spent hours of hours to read my meters, do my own calculation, email them and call them. I do not want it to be a full time job.

2010

Funny how we are getting people suddenly just joining the forum, making a postslagging off FU and then never to be heard from again.

About ten minutes ago I phone FU, got through immediately and spoke to an advisor.
I explained I had recently switched to them and had put my readings in on the 16th Feb and I wondered when a bill would be seen online.
He looked up the account told me exactly what the bill would be and it should be viewable within the next day or so.
He was very polite and asked if there was anything else I wanted to know.
Some of the nonsense that has been posted on this thread just doesn`t add up to my experience of FU.
From the initial switch (inside 17 days) to getting my first bill (the bill is exact) and all the info available online when I log into my account can`t be faulted.

http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/uswitch-energy-awards-2014/#step2

FU came second after OVO for customer satisfaction in 2014, ahead of the big six.

star2000

I wanted to comment on my experience of First Utility (partly as I am getting fed up of seeing other comments on here suggesting that people who are complaining about problems with them are not telling the truth) I think the issue is that for some people there are no problems but for many people there are serious ongoing problems. If nothing goes wrong then it is all great - it is only when things do go wrong that you realise that they do not have the systems in place to deal with them. I first joined FU about 9 months ago. I was put on the wrong tariff by mistake (a more expensive one) and it took them over 6 months to correct this. During this time I had endless phone calls and several emails (most of which went unanswered.) Everyone I spoke with on the phone was helpful and polite and promised to sort out the situation (and I didn't have too much of a wait to get through.) However the problem was that they never did sort out the situation so a week later I had to have the same phone call again, and again and again. Eventually after submitting a complaint that was not responded to within the 30 days I emailed one of their directors and then got a response from a "special team" who only deal with complaints that go to directors. The woman who rang me was very helpful, acknowledged that all of the errors I had encountered were FU's fault and that their customer service was not as it should be, sorted out my tariff and gave me compensation
Since then I have had no more problems - I submit my meter readings on line each month and receive my monthly online bill OK. I am happy with them for now but am dreading the next time I have to do anything 'complicated' such as change my tariff or end my contract to move to another supplier as this is when they seem to be unable to handle these type of issues (which clearly they should be able to) In summary I would say they are a well-meaning company who employ nice staff but do not have the systems, training or infrastructure in place to really deliver a fully effective service. I have kept the email address I was given for the director's complaints team just in case as I do predict that I might have to use it again one day!
This is a totally unbiased and honest review of the situation and in summary I think it shows that both types of people who are posting about FU are correct - you can have horrendous problems with them that take months to resolve,but also if you are lucky no problems at all.

2010

star2000, thanks for that interesting post of your experience.
I agree that there`s nothng worse than a utility company making a mess of your account and then not putting it right immediately.
The last thing you need every month if to be on the phone getting things sorted.
I had a horrific time getting my own money back from Scotttish Power.
The main problem is the regulators got no teeth and the power companies play on this.
By the time you complain to the energy company and wait for a reply (if you ever get one) there`s still a delay of eight weeks until you can complain to the ombudsman.
Maybe more people should start using the small claims and bombard these companies with summonses.

Alex444

2010 wrote: »

I switched to FU in Feb,once the 14 day "cooling off" period had ended the change was done in three days.
The online account was all set up before then and I entered the first readings on 16th Feb when asked.
All the info you need is in your account such as the tariff, rates, your meter readings and your DD payments.
It also gives a date for your next meter readings.
Mine was yesterday and after I put them in, it shows the next as 15th April.
The first DD was taken on the day they said it would be and for the correct amount.
So far so good, and I`m saving £75 a year by going to them.
On top of this, the switch was done via topcashback and the £50-50p is confirmed and should be paid 12 weeks after the switch.

I`m beginning to wonder if some of the posts on here are from rival companies just stirring things up because they can`t/wont compete on price with FU and are trying to put people off.

If you want some real hassle try Scottish Power or Npower.

Believe me I wish I had never heard of this "Company" if you search my postings you will find it has been ongoing for nearly 3 years now and still with no resolution on the horizon. They also have the audacity to charge me a higher tariff because I do not pay by Direct Debit, even though that is their fault.
I worked in customer service for 8 years and FU take some beating, never had any problems with Scottish Power by the way, but that was 3 years ago.

2010

2010 wrote: »

About ten minutes ago I phone FU, got through immediately and spoke to an advisor.
I explained I had recently switched to them and had put my readings in on the 16th Feb and I wondered when a bill would be seen online.
He looked up the account told me exactly what the bill would be and it should be viewable within the next day or so.

I have just logged into my FU account and the first bill is there as promised yesterday when I phoned for them to explain the procedure as I am a new customer.
The bill is correct, exact and accurate to my own readings.
The whole switch and set-up has gone through very smoothly with no problems whatsoever.
Obviously with over a million customers there are bound to be hitches now and again but so far I can`t FU at all.
I did PM a poster on here about FU and the experience they had but he/she decided not to answer my question.
Maybe FU have got their act together now and were struggling a bit in the past after gaining thousands of new customers so quickly.
I can only speak as I find and would recommend FU to anyone if you want cheaper energy.

star2000

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Hopefully I will never need to use it again but I certainly would not want to go through the problems I did before and cleary there were serious problems or MSE would not have written their news story on "First Utility faces customer backlash as complaints double" Good luck to everyone else:)