Are Utilita or E Lying To Me?

Javik

So, I currently have a gas and electric dual fuel supply, at the moment I still have old style meters. I was approached about 3 weeks back by a salesman from Utilita who convinced me that it would in the long term be to my benefit to switch to smart meters and go with them, as their cheap rates would be to my benefit, and as someone on ESA I am always up for saving a few quid. One of the biggest selling points they offered me was that switching to them would save me money by doing away with the standing charge levied at people using old style meters. So I agreed, I've now switched to Utilita, and am on an old card and key until they fit my smart meters.

However a guy visited me today from E (I was with British Gas before and I suspect I was on their upgrade list), and when he showed me my meter, even after activating my new Utilita key (I know the meter accepted it because I needed it for my emergency credit) to my surprise he showed me that Utilita are actually still levying a £2.10 standing charge on my electric meter and I don't know what level, but there's also still apparently one on my gas meter as well.

So my presumption is that Utilita's salesman neglected to tell me that the standing charge redaction only applied to the smart energy tariff, however I am pretty annoyed that I wasn't furnished with that information. In the end I agreed to go with E, but now the thought on my mind is was it the E salesman being dishonest with me, or was the Utilita salesman being dishonest when he neglected to tell me that there was still quite a hefty charge on the old key meters?

molerat

There are very few tariffs with no standing charge. Was this a doorstep salesman (if their mouth was moving they were lying) ? If so surely the paperwork showed exactly what they would charge.