First Utility new exit fee scam switching tariffs

C_Mababejive

I dont see any scam. Its clearly published. Im currently with FU and have been for a few years. Every time i check , ican find none better. The website is fab,,lots of data. Also the prices are keen.

Im due to go out of contract in July this year and they are already teasing me with new deals, some of which will carve more than £200 a year off my already smallish energy bill

They are even offering to waive the £30/£30 charge if i switch to the 2018 fix.

http://rewards.first-utility.com/go.axd?ref=F3F20T

oldfella

my complaint resulted in an offer to allow one penalty free switch to a new tariff. As prices have reduced considerably in the last few months I am happy with this.

Jack_Griffin

Hengus wrote: »

It is actually a 49 to 42 day rule. All suppliers are required to notify customers that a fixed contract is coming to end BETWEEN 49 to 42 days before the contract end date. Once the notification is received, then the supplier would be in breach of its supply licence if it failed to waive the exit fee.

The lack of notification also puts the supplier into a licence breach - again exit fees cannot be charged.

Thanks for this, it explains why they've been desperately bugging me to switch early so I would incur the extra fee. I got the end tariff notice today, 44 days before the end of the fixed term. (I was always suspicious of that £30/fuel thing , but never understood what triggered it, their website is unclear "we may charge" !!!!!!!).

It is pointless trying to ring them, never been patient enough to wait for an answer, just tried & gave up after 10 mins in queue. Wait much longer & the phone company will end up getting the £30 I don't want to pay!

My plan is to wait till a few days before the end of tariff & switch to their cheapest fixed tariff then.


UPDATE

They obviously realised I was a customer coming to the end of my tariff & phoned me back. I had a good old winge about exit fees & lack of clarity in their T&C. Anyway, the advisor told me that they don't charge exit fees if you respond to an email they sent you, though I did point out that the emails they were sending me were trying to lock me into a higher tariff over a long term & did not seem terribly favourable. End result is that I've signed up to their First Fixed May 17 tariff which is quite a lot cheaper than the First Fixed April 16 tariff that I'm currently on and seems to be cheapest on the market anyway. Just hope that energy prices don't soar next year & I can sign up for another cheap tariff next May.

[Deleted User]

Their conditions read very clearly to me - if the time still left on an existing fixed tariff is longer than a set number of days, then the exit fees apply. When choosing to switch to a tariff within F:U significantly earlier than the current end date, then obviously the annual saving on that tariff for actual usage must be GREATER than the total exit fees, otherwise it is a pointless switch.

Personally, while I am happy with the tariffs I have had before and now, I find F:U customer service absolutely ABYSMAL
If it was down to customer service alone I wouldn't touch F:U with a barge pole.

the_bandit

It's out of hours just now for Customer Services but does anyone know if FU have reversed the exit fees for existing customers switching tariffs?

Until a short while ago if you attempted a switch it would warn you about the exit fees and ask you to confirm if you wanted to go ahead.

Now with the May 2017v2 ONLINE tariff there is no such warning and as before states 'you may be charged'.

the_bandit

The answer is....... the charge still stands!

Now they don't even put the warning message on screen.

System

Jack_Griffin wrote: »

UPDATE

They obviously realised I was a customer coming to the end of my tariff & phoned me back. I had a good old winge about exit fees & lack of clarity in their T&C. Anyway, the advisor told me that they don't charge exit fees if you respond to an email they sent you, though I did point out that the emails they were sending me were trying to lock me into a higher tariff over a long term & did not seem terribly favourable. End result is that I've signed up to their First Fixed May 17 tariff which is quite a lot cheaper than the First Fixed April 16 tariff that I'm currently on and seems to be cheapest on the market anyway. Just hope that energy prices don't soar next year & I can sign up for another cheap tariff next May.

The above is complete tosh. It has got nothing to do with responding to their e-mail. All suppliers have a condition in their supply licence that requires them to notify customers that a fixed tariff is coming to an end. This notification has to be sent out in the period 49 to 42 days before the contract end date. From this point onwards, FU is not allowed to charge exit fees irrespective of whether or not you stay with them or switch suppliers. If they tried to do so, they would be in breach of their supply licence conditions.

John214

I hope that the people who have posted previously respond and update if their intentions have been carried out.
I have been charged the exit fee and escalated the matter to a formal complaint, which has today been dealt with - but with no success. So I have requested the 'deadlock' letter in order that I can refer First Utility to the Ombudsman.
I have been constantly referred to their terms and conditions, in which it states that a exit fee may be charged.
First Utility ignore the last sentence in their confirmation email of my tariff upgrade, which clearly states that the exit fees will be waived if moving to a longer tariff. As far as my understanding of English.... if in Feb16 I move from a tariff ending in Dec 16 to April 17, I am locked into a longer tariff.
I believe the email forms part of my contract with First Utility, in addition to the terms and conditions - which are somewhat standard, and is more specific.
So, I seek to see if the Ombudsman agrees with my understanding of English.
It may take months or years, and I may long be gone from First Utilty, before I get the Ombudsmans decision, but it isn't costing me anything, other than an hour to write my representation to the Ombudsman.
I'll keep my posting active.

victor2

John214 wrote: »

I hope that the people who have posted previously respond and update if their intentions have been carried out....
.

Will be nice to see the outcome of what has become a pretty uncertain issue. I too hope we hear from others in a similar position.

John214

Just to keep the thread informed.

I have today submitted my papers to the Ombudsman in respect of First Utility

Basically, my email confirmation of a tariff change in Nov 15 to Fixed Tariff Dec16 quoted the exit fees but stated that these will be waived if a longer fixed price tariff is selected. I changed tariff in Feb 16 to Fixed Tariff Apr 17 but was charged the exit fees. Feb 16 to Apr 17 is longer than Feb 16 to Dec 16. A total of 2 customer advisors and 3 managers and a Specialist Team Operative don't accept that.

Will post reply / outcome in due course.

Happy Days :-)