Feedback on Utility Point

EnergyRookie

j4g3d wrote: »

My UP bill has increased from £71 to £95 for apparently "using more energy", But that is incorrect. I haven't contacted them yet about it, but each month my credit is accumulating due to paying too much. I do submit readings every month.

Im in credit £225 now and only 7 months into the contract with them. How does one obtain this credit? do they release it to your bank if you ask? by cheque? or do they take it off your bills.

Please do not confuse what you pay monthly with your bill.
But if you do use more, you will pay more.

In regards to any accrued credit, you can request this to be returned but that may result in you paying more monthly especially at this time f year, as you normally are expected to have accrued some credit to help pay towards the typical highjer usage over winter.
Or you can request the monthly figure is recalculated taking into account the accrued credit

More details here:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/

Any refund from UP will be credited to your bank account, assuming you are paying by direct debit.

Previous comments in this thread have indicated that issues raised over the level of monthly payment are usually quickly resolved by UP

thelight

How long have people found that Utility Point take to reply to emails?

PixelPound

Swipe wrote: »

Well they have 24 hours to pay back my credit refund or they'll be £30 out of pocket. I somehow doubt it'll be paid in time as there's nothing pending in my banking app. I think I'll keep quiet if I don't automatically get my £30 compensation within 14 days and then wait another 14 days and claim the full £60 off them. I used to think they were OK but this whole switching away from them has put me off recommending them to anyone.

Where does it say £30 every 14 days?
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal/compensation-if-there-s-energy-switch-problem

states about credit refunds

Problem: Supplier fails to refund an owed credit balance within 10 working days of sending a final bill.
Compensation: £30 by former supplier

It does also state the credit refund should be within 10 working days, but nothing about what happens if it isn't

(edit) checked on other threads where people have been paid £60 because the initial £30 was not paid in time. The thing is how long do you wait - is it capped at £60?

Swipe

nic_c wrote: »

The thing is how long do you wait - is it capped at £60?

I will wait 42 days from the date the final bill was issued. Yes, compensation for a late £30 payment is capped at £60.

Swipe

thelight wrote: »

How long have people found that Utility Point take to reply to emails?

I recently sent two emails and both went completely unanswered. You are better off using the chat on their website.

fatbeetle

Can I add my voice to the grievances please? I was swapped to Utility Point by "Look After My Bills", as they were only asking £41 direct debit per month. With three months they decided on "historic consumption history" to up this to £86. I'm in the process of withdrawing from them.

ashe

fatbeetle wrote: »

Can I add my voice to the grievances please? I was swapped to Utility Point by "Look After My Bills", as they were only asking £41 direct debit per month. With three months they decided on "historic consumption history" to up this to £86. I'm in the process of withdrawing from them.

Surely any provider offering £41/mo would be suspicious as that would be just £492 a year. Are you sure you aren't on the tariff that charges lower in the warmer months and higher in the colder months to balance out your usage? Our bill was £49 in summer/Autumn and £99/mo in Winter/Spring. This has led us to have a credit balance of £300 heading into winter which I am ok with, our tariff ends in Jan so will likely get a refund.

grumpycrab

fatbeetle wrote: »

With three months they decided on "historic consumption history" to up this to £86.

Looks like UP are trying to make sure that as many customers as possible build up a credit for the Winter season; what 12month usage figures did you give to Look after my bills?

ashe

grumpycrab wrote: »

Looks like UP are trying to make sure that as many customers as possible build up a credit for the Winter season; what 12month usage figures di you give to Look after my bills?

That is specifically how some of their tariffs work though by design - when I joined them I had the option of a fixed payment tariff but it was decidedly more expensive than the variable payment tariff (both were fixed price, was just the payments that were variable).

fatbeetle

Thanks for the replies people. Unsure at present what 12 month usage figures we gave "look after my bills", as we hadn't been in the house for a year!