Feedback on Utility Point

bxboards

I got a similar sounding e-mail but with no tables or any example calculations. I'm in credit with them anyway so didn't give it much thought really. Too be honest I don't care if the DD goes up (or down) as thats exactly what I'd expect dependent on usage.

poppellerant

I think perhaps my post has confused people. I removed the tables myself, as they didn't format correctly when posting here. I will edit my original post to clarify.

spiderx

Yes, I have received exactly that same email. My DD each month is £62.86 for electric only and they want to put it up to £66.86 even though I am in credit on my account by £92...!

SussexMao

Spider, I have also been advised my DD will rise by £4 per month despite being in credit by £100. I can't see any justification for them doing this. Are they applying an across the board rise to help their cash flow, I wonder?

pooch

I received an email on Wednesday as follows:

From: Utility Point - Important Account Information [do_not_reply@utilitypoint.co.uk]

Subject: Utility Point. Important message from the founder - Reviewing your monthly Direct Debit

Hello,

Thank you for being a Utility Point Member over the past few months. I hope that you found the switching process smooth and the Online Utility Hub useful and easy to use. If you have logged in recently you may have seen Utility Point rewards. A number of our members are already enjoying the various benefits that these can provide.

The energy industry is notoriously bad at allowing customers to build up debt on their accounts, which can come as a surprise at the end of a contract or as customers go through the winter months. At Utility Point we believe in communicating with our members and ensure we help our members look after their accounts, so any potential debt does not build up.

We realise that this year has seen some extreme weather with some areas experiencing cold and wet weather (sometimes snow) when we would usually be expecting to see leaves on the trees and the sounds of spring. Transversely we have seen the hottest summer since 1976 which for some has meant that planning our weekends has been less of a fingers crossed situation in the hope it doesn’t rain. For many of us, including myself, this has also meant having the heating on for longer than usual during spring and having a fan on most of the day during the summer months! This unusual weather has meant that some of us have used more energy than we usually would have in a typical year at this moment in time, and as we head towards the winter months, consumption starts to increase even further. For us at Utility Point, it is important that we monitor your Direct Debits to ensure you are on track to cover your usage for the first year of being with us.

In order to ensure we can provide you with the best possible service, which includes accurate billing, it is so important that meter readings are provided to ensure that we can paint an accurate picture of your annual consumption. As discussed previously, industry data and estimates cannot always be accurate and can cause anomalies and we ask you to be mindful of this if you are relying on estimates and do not provide monthly readings.

Please remember that as summer draws to a close we would expect you to be holding a sufficient credit balance in your account to offset against your anticipated increased winter consumption. Due to this year’s extreme weather conditions, as mentioned above, your credit balance may not be adequate and hence the requirement to review your account.

We will never intentionally increase a Direct Debit beyond the amount that is reasonable for your personal annual consumption and would always encourage you to provide an updated reading each month. If you receive any further communication around a change in your collection value please do not cancel your Direct Debit as this will incur a £15 charge. We feel we are a rather reasonable bunch and would prefer to have a discussion about things and solve any issues.

We will of course give you advance notice of any change, in line with your Direct Debit guarantee to provide you with enough time to contact us if you feel that the industry data has caused us to calculate an unreasonable increase.

Please remember that you will only ever pay for the energy you use.

Thank you again for joining Utility Point and I hope that you continue to enjoy the benefits of being one of our members.

Efficiency. Dedication. Together.

Warmest Regards,



Ben Bolt
Managing Director and Founder
Utility Point
www.utilitypoint.co.uk


Built on the fundamental belief of developing a Smart, Sustainable future, where energy and water is not wasted but stored and saved for when it is required, we strive towards reducing inequality and providing a service to customers which is efficient, honest and reliable. Visit the Utility Point website at www.utilitypoint.co.uk
This message is private and confidential. If you have received this in error, please notify us at [EMAIL="help@utilitypoint.co.uk"]help@utilitypoint.co.uk[/EMAIL] and remove it from your system. The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Utility Point accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email. Please consider the environment before printing this email

Then, shortly before 10pm last night, they sent an email saying they were upping my monthly payment by £4. (that's over 20% - we only have our electric with them)
No explanation why, or how they calculated it.

I wasn't even with UP when last years snow came, and since joining my account has always been in credit at the end of the month, based on actual meter readings. They then take payment in advance on the first of the month.
My latest statement actually indicates according to UP I will use less energy than I predict over the year (but I don't agree with that assumption either)

So, as Mr Bolt promises, "We will never intentionally increase a Direct Debit beyond the amount that is reasonable for your personal annual consumption "

Response sent to UP. Lets see if he is as good as his word shall we?
(He seems to have already failed in regards to the advance notice promised)

I'll keep you informed of progress in this thread.

pooch

PennineAcute wrote: »

Point 5.15 from their T&Cs.


"We aim to review the amount, date and frequency of your automatic payments at least twice a year, for example to make sure you are covering the cost of the energy you use, or reduce the amount if you are paying too much. To make sure together we are balancing your costs with your payments, you must provide meter reads at least once a month to make sure your payments can be reduced if you are paying for more than you need. However, where we intend to make any changes to your automatic payment, we will notify you by email (normally 10 working days) in advance of the payment being taken, or such other period as we may agree."

Not sure if you have the same terms as me; mine were provided in April 2018 and were date 28-Dec-2017

The term you quoted appears as term 5.16 in my terms

5.15 says:

5.15. Your automatic monthly payment amount will be based on the cost of the energy we think you'll use during a year with Utility Point split into 12 equal monthly payments. We will inform you of the amounts of your automatic payments and the dates on which we intend to take the which should be the dates you selected when we set up your account with us.

Which seems to be repeated, at least in principle, in 5.17

5.17. Your monthly Direct Debit amount is based on the personal projection of electricity and gas usage you gave us during the application process. You gave us an estimated usage either High/Medium or Low or you entered an actual amount. We then simply divided this into 12 easy to manage monthly payments. Throughout the time you are with us we make slight adjustments as we get to understand your usage better. We do this so your monthly payments don’t build up too much credit on your account but also, so you do not accrue too much debt.
We’ll always let you know in advance

So perhaps they have updated their terms since, and struck out the duplication, and renumbered accordingly.

But I'm working to the terms I was supplied with on joining, and hence have agreed to.

PennineAcute

pooch wrote: »

Not sure if you have the same terms as me; mine were provided in April 2018 and were date 28-Dec-2017

The term you quoted appears as term 5.16 in my terms

5.15 says:


Which seems to be repeated, at least in principle, in 5.17


So perhaps they have updated their terms since, and struck out the duplication, and renumbered accordingly.

But I'm working to the terms I was supplied with on joining, and hence have agreed to.

I too was with them at the beginning, went live in January. However, this was on their variable package, so I could gauge them.

Went fixed with them in April.

IBW1

I've just been told of an increase in my monthly DDs, by £4 on top of normal £19 payments, also without notice or explanation. Like one of the people posting above, I am also currently in credit. While I accept they need to review things before the winter, my fixed rate was based on the KWh used in previous years and so should been enough. The main point, however, is the lack of explanation and, of course, when you try to contact them, every option goes to voicemail. Should have expected that the low prices were too good to be true. I just hope their obvious ploy to maintain cashflow doesn't mean they're about to belly up!

pooch

So I've had an automatic reponse so far.

It says

We aim to reply to you within 3 - 5 working days.

So whilst I have replied to UP about this change well within the notice period referred to

We will of course give you advance notice of any change, in line with your Direct Debit guarantee to provide you with enough time to contact us if you feel that the industry data has caused us to calculate an unreasonable increase.

I fear they won't even read it until after they have collected the increased amount.


I fear an indemnity claim coming on here, followed by them applying a £15 charge for a cancelled DD (It won't be cancelled, just the errant collection recalled) , and then a failure to agree, so left to the ombudsman to resolve this nonsense


By which time I'll probably have left them.


Keep tuned for further updates on this matter ...:)

pooch

Anyone seeing an emerging pattern here? It seems everyone, no matter what their existing monthly payment, usage or account staus, is having it increased by £4pm

How does that equate with their assurance

We will never intentionally increase a Direct Debit beyond the amount that is reasonable for your personal annual consumption

:cool: