MSE News: First Utility faces customer backlash as complaints double

BasingstokeBD

Mixed experiences so far with FU. Joined October 2014 after moving house: they were the current supplier to property. Found that old style digital electric meter wasn't working and they had that replaced with smart meter within 2 weeks. Downside was that call centre took nearly an hour to answer call.

They were slow to provide log in details for the online account and had to chase, but once received it has been easy to use and submit gas readings. Bills come through every two months and direct debit has stayed at £80 per month (dual fuel) since Oct 2014. They said they will not increase as summer usage smooth out current debit balance (a marked difference to Scottish Power in my old property).

A billing issue related to the faulty electric meter - there was a gross over-estimate - was resolved without disputed and a £120 credit applied to my account promptly.

You get monthly reminders by email to submit readings, although I only have to do gas as electric is now smart.

Will review situation in November when tariff comes up for renewal, but (call centre aside) dealing with customer services by email has been generally straightforward.

2010

I`ve had no issues whatsoever.
Everything from the switch to first monthly bill went smoothly and I`ve just received my £50 cashback for changing.
I`ve only called them once and got through straightaway.

KDH_2

BasingstokeBD wrote: »

Will review situation in November when tariff comes up for renewal, but (call centre aside) dealing with customer services by email has been generally straightforward.

You do realise you can change to the May 16 tariff now with no charges? - likely to be cheaper than Nov 15 tariff.

No exit charges with FU as long as you are extending to a fixed tariff further ahead in the future than your current one.

Micky-c

Micky-c wrote: »

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.

Finally managed to resolve my dispute with FU. It was amazing that after literally years of ignored emails/letters/phone calls, and multiple broken promises, once I initiated formal legal proceedings they snapped into action, assigned me a competent and honest case worker, and sorted things out within a few weeks. They paid all the bonuses I was entitled to going back the full 5 years, and they paid around three hundred pounds more on top to cover my court fee (£70), interest, and inconvenience. As soon as the money was transferred into my account, I switched via Uswitch, and saved another £1300. I'm very happy to finally part company with FU.

It seems they had/have a (probably deliberate) policy of not paying customers their annual bonuses unless they're threatened with a County Court Judgement. Not even the intervention of the Ombudsman seems to cut much ice with them. I'm a very high user so they owed me around £1500 in missed payments, but I guess they assume that most customers won't bother chasing them over what may only be a few hundred pounds.

I would recommend that anyone who has genuinely reached a brick wall with this company should visit the MCOL website and sue them. It's a very simple and fairly quick process, and there's a decent helpline if you get stuck on some of the legal phrases.

Alex444

Interesting Mickey-c, looks like I will have to go the same route.

Fishcalledwanda

Hi,

First Utility are the worst organisation I have ever dealt with in terms of customer service. I have been trying to get them to send me a correct bill for over 2 years! I made a complaint to the Ombudsman who other then getting FU to promise to do stuff like send me a bill, achieved nothing. FU still haven't sent me a correct bill and will not let me go to another supplier (even though they promised they would), unless I pay what they say is outstanding without sight of a correct calculation. All I get are promises and extremely frustrated. I advise people to avoid this outfit like the plague.

2010

I cannot fault FU.
EVERYTHING went smoothly from the switchover to my first bill which was 100% correct.
Yesterday I got an email informing me all the dates for the coming year when my DD will be taken.
Today I got an email asking for my meter readings by this Wednesday to keep my monthly bills accurate.
(They send a reminder every month)

I would recommend this company to anyone, first class and puts the like of Npower and SP in the shade.
I even got £50 when I switched to them last Feb.

Swipe

2010 wrote: »

I cannot fault FU.

How about updating your tariff via their portal and then report back in the 'promised' 5 days when it hasn't happened? The try again, the following month, and then the one after that when it still hasn't happened.

2010

Swipe wrote: »

How about updating your tariff via their portal

My tariff doesn`t need updating.

Pippox

AVOID AVOID AVOID
Almost £800 in credit, no switch actually occurred!
They said it was our problem to solve with British Gas....who have know idea what FU have been trying to do.
No call centre operative can deal with the issue, repeatedly diverted to other departments and endless Security Questions due to data protection! On the same call!

Bunch of amateurs running a woefully under resourced business that is fleecing honest people and offering minimal service levels to their customers with issues.

Turns out they used the wrong meter number from some national database!!

Like the consumer can fix that!

Happy to say they are now pursuing us for the 'debt' after we recovered all monies via direct debit complaint.

British Gas are still billing for dual fuel after 8 months of the 'switch' that never happened.

Looking forward to my day in court.

AVOID AVOID AVOID

Better the devil you know is my advice.

Oh and be wary of being passed through to credit control! No power, no knowledge and when taken to task become very patronising. There is a reason their department is known as 'overflow'....that's what they call customers with issues?