Feedback on Utility Point

[Deleted User]

@griffb

griffb wrote: »

The plan is to sign up to a new small supplier (probably Orbit or Green) on a variable no-exit-fee tariff; then if it goes pear shaped move to Bulb where everyone else seems to be

I went to Bulb in May due to a £75 referral and I am now switching again to Symbio as their deal Mega July is just a few pounds more than last years UP tariff and some £70 cheaper than Bulb. (yearly price difference values).
Symbio is 12 month deal and no exit fees.

griffb

gsmlnx wrote: »

Symbio is 12 month deal and no exit fees.

Symbio is cheapest for me as well, with Orbit and Green not far behind, but I'd need to see a bit more positive feedback on their thread (yes I realise Green don't have any feedback yet!)

PennineAcute

Switch from UP to ZOG occured on 2 July. Credit refund (with a cancelled direct debit) was in my bank, yesterday, 26 July.

Cannot fault them on that score. See if electric is as quick. That happened on 9 July, but not had a final bill yet.

PennineAcute

Looks like I spoke too soon.

Noticed that a new statement was uploaded to my electricity account. Thought something was wrong, as it gave my balance as £49, when I had calculated a closing balance of around £60.

Looking at the statement, they have billed me up to and including 24 July. My start date with EON was 9 July.

Have fired off an email, to see what is happening. Hopefully, this will be easily resolved. Doing a seach, my supplier is showing as EON on the national database.

[Deleted User]

@Energytwist

If you read my review of UP, you will find that they "have form" for billing even after your leaving date and they being in receipt of the approved final reading via the industry checking process. They issued a new bill every month until I emailed and asked them to sort it out.

PennineAcute

EnergyTwist wrote: »

This would probably have been better placed on the Eon feedback thread, as it would be Eon (as your new supplier) who would be entirely responsible for managing your switch to them.

Surprising that Eon have fouled up, based on the glowing feedback generally recently
- that's if you ignore their feedback a couple or so years back when MSEers were saying Eon are dead & buried and would never be used again, after they said they would never use Eon again following quite a hefty price increase they would incur due to the ending of an MSE exclusive tariff (and not offering a renewal on similar very low rates)

Yes, you are correct. Howver, as they closed my gas down and refunded me within 3 weeks, I am hoping it is just the press of the wrong button on UP's part.

I shall await their response before involving further people.

PennineAcute

Phone Utility Point today, as they had not responded to my email.

Final bill is now correct and refund promised within 3 - 5 working days.

Whilst she was sorting out the issue, we did get cut off. Just as I was about to ring back, she phoned me back.


Edit

Less than 24 hours after the phone call, full balance refund paid.

Bloomster2

Joined UP last month and whilst checking my first statement online i noticed there were sections telling me what my personal projections were for Gas and Electricity costs.


Below this was the section titled "Relevant Cheapest Tariff" which informed me:
"We have a cheaper tariff Just Up 19 Wk29 and you could save £35.82"
Given that I would probably have to pay the £60 plus vat exit fee this was obviously not worth chasing.


However, below was another section titled "Alternative Cheapest Tariff" which informed me:
"We have a cheaper tariff Flexi Online Tracker Spring 19 and you could save £157.80"
I decided to phone and see if I could switch to this cheaper tariff.


Having got through and explained reason for my call to "Matt" I was asked to hold whilst Matt spoke to his supervisor.
Matt returned to advise me the cheaper tariff was not available to me as this was for "Renewals Only"


I asked if Matt could expain the logic behind offering me a tariff that was not available to me on my statement.
Matt advised it was all to do with ofgem regulations?


Does this make sense to anyone.


Also amused to note my gas usage:
I was asked to provde meter readings on 26th June as part of the switching process.
I provided a gas reading of 8753.0, this value sent to both new and old suppliers via their websites.
I then also supplied meter readings on 1st July (unfortunately I did not keep a record of this reading)
I then also supplied meter readings on 28th July (gas 8784.0)
So reviewingmy gas usage report on my UP statement I see the following:
Type Date Read
Estimated 01 July 2019 8825.0
Customer 28 July 2019 8784.0
Estimated 31 July 2019 8785.8


Meter units used in the charge period -39.2


I have no idea how they worked that out, but for now, I'm just going to watch this space and see what happens next month

FelineFunk

Bloomster2 wrote: »

Joined UP last month and whilst checking my first statement online i noticed there were sections telling me what my personal projections were for Gas and Electricity costs.


Below this was the section titled "Relevant Cheapest Tariff" which informed me:
"We have a cheaper tariff Just Up 19 Wk29 and you could save £35.82"
Given that I would probably have to pay the £60 plus vat exit fee this was obviously not worth chasing.


However, below was another section titled "Alternative Cheapest Tariff" which informed me:
"We have a cheaper tariff Flexi Online Tracker Spring 19 and you could save £157.80"
I decided to phone and see if I could switch to this cheaper tariff.


Having got through and explained reason for my call to "Matt" I was asked to hold whilst Matt spoke to his supervisor.
Matt returned to advise me the cheaper tariff was not available to me as this was for "Renewals Only"


I asked if Matt could expain the logic behind offering me a tariff that was not available to me on my statement.
Matt advised it was all to do with ofgem regulations?


Does this make sense to anyone.


Also amused to note my gas usage:
I was asked to provde meter readings on 26th June as part of the switching process.
I provided a gas reading of 8753.0, this value sent to both new and old suppliers via their websites.
I then also supplied meter readings on 1st July (unfortunately I did not keep a record of this reading)
I then also supplied meter readings on 28th July (gas 8784.0)
So reviewingmy gas usage report on my UP statement I see the following:
Type Date Read
Estimated 01 July 2019 8825.0
Customer 28 July 2019 8784.0
Estimated 31 July 2019 8785.8


Meter units used in the charge period -39.2


I have no idea how they worked that out, but for now, I'm just going to watch this space and see what happens next month

Sorry, I do not have any details of the terms that apply to who may apply for the Utility Point Flexi Online Tracker Spring 19, but what concerns me is that if you were eligible, then you could save £157.80 per year.

This makes me really worried what tariff you actually applied for last month. You seem to be paying well OTT.

e.g. for the London supply region, the Utility Point Flexi Online Tracker Spring 19 charges the following.

Electricity:
13.492 pence per kWh / 17.372 pence per day

Gas:
2.998 pence per kWh / 17.172 pence per day

Even these prices could easily be beaten irrespective of usage, and apparently you are paying £157.80 per year more than that :eek:

Time to hit the comparison sites again, even if you will suffer £60 exit fees for your earlier error of choice.

PennineAcute

When you give your new supplier your opening reading, this is then sent to an independent verification company.

If the reading you have falls outside the allowed calculated range, they give your new and old supplier an estimated reading, that they have calculated. It seems that this has happened to you on this occasion.

https://octopus.energy/blog/secret-life-opening-meter-reading/