Feedback on Utility Point

savemoney

I left them on 30th January had over £130 credit, I did owe a final bill which should just about cover than for a month. I gave my new supplier SO readings when they requested it, I take readings monthly and put in excel spreadsheet. Last week they asked me for readings and I thought it was strange. I gave them current readings at the time. I now get a bill with them readings and dates when I am no longer a customer. The bill doesn't even state final bill either

grumpycrab

savemoney said:

I left them on 30th January

That's only a couple of weeks ago - slow down - these things take a while - especially with utility point. This is what happended for me...  When UP are informed that you're leaving they will set your Direct Debit to 0 but only if you have enough credit to cover your usage.  Only manually cancel the direct debit if you are 100% sure you do not owe them any money.  Next - your new provider. Keep an eye on their billing. You are waiting to see start meter reads as recorded on their system.  Electricity should be confirmed within days - gas can take weeks! Only when your new provider has confirmed your start readings should you then go back to UP and say "stopped with you on X date; my new provider start Elect reading is Y on date Y1  and Gas reading is W on W1 date."   Telephone and email does not work.  The only way I got UP to do anything was Direct Message on twitter

https://twitter.com/utilitypoint

UP will then issue a final bill (well, they don't call it a final bill, but it should reflect your final meter reads).  Getting any credit back?  That's another problem altogether.

savemoney

The bill they sent me cover usage between 10/01/2020 to 09/02/2020 but I have conformation from So that they sent the last readings when they requested them from me to UP and I left on 31/01 so they billed me for 9 days when in fact I had left. I was in credit although now I am in debt but once they sort this out here shouldn't be much debt or credit left as the bill was £158 and I was in credit £130. They shouldn't have asked for a meter reading last week when I had in fact left that's probably what's thrown them off

grumpycrab

Right, no panic, but UP will keep asking for readings and adding charges to your account until they get the final readings from 3rd party "readings validator".  Any readings So send to UP will be ignored by UP.   However, electricity readings should be confirmed by the 3rd party within a couple of days of leaving but gas can take weeks (don't ask me why).  What does this mean?  You just have to be patient.  When UP finally accepts the final readings they will update your account.   As I said before...

1.  only stop your UP direct debit if you are 100% sure that you had enough money in account to 31/1 to pay for your usage to 31/1.  If UP have not set the DD to £0 (look at your account), then its up to you if/when you cancel the DD.  e.g. if you're not sure there was enough money in the account then allow 1 more DD then cancel it.

2. How to get UP to accept the final readings.  When your new provider has confirmed your start readings *on their billing system* you should tweet a Direct Message to UP and say "stopped with you on X date; my new provider start Elect reading is Y on date Y1  and Gas reading is W on W1 date."   Telephone and email does not work.

thelight

Would someone be able to explain how the automatic compensation works for not recieving final bill credit within 10 working days as it has just passed that 10 day point for myself with no payment.

Does the compensation keep rolling on with £30 being added for every 10 days that the refund hasn't arrived, or is there a maximum amount of compensation on offer in total?

Skippyio

There is something dodgy about Utility Point. If you use this company make sure you are good at maths. Their tariffs are good but check carefully that your direct debit is correct for your usage. They amended mine upwards by 50% and it took several weeks to get it corrected as their email and telephone support is abysmal. So, don’t get into a credit situation as it will take you months to get it refunded. (Two months in my case)

fairnessfighter

TERRIBLE company - Steer clear!
I am owed over £300 having switched from this company. 

First they randomly increased my direct debit by a sizable amount so I was accruing a huge amount of credit on my account Then when I left for another supplier they failed to return £330 owed to me. I requested this refund in November  and I am still waiting over 3 months later. I have received several reply emails promising me the money will be paid to me but no money follows. Now they are not responding to me... 
PLEASE STEER CLEAR OF THIS COMPANY

DawnCrush

savemoney said:

I left them on 30th January had over £130 credit, I did owe a final bill which should just about cover than for a month. I gave my new supplier SO readings when they requested it, I take readings monthly and put in excel spreadsheet. Last week they asked me for readings and I thought it was strange. I gave them current readings at the time. I now get a bill with them readings and dates when I am no longer a customer. The bill doesn't even state final bill either

Remember, they are only statements. Now you have left UP, you will receive a final bill in due course, which will correct any errors on a previous statement that occurred following you leaving the supplier. The supplier has up to 6 weeks to produce a final bill, so still plenty of time available.

Patience.

Swipe

thelight said:

Would someone be able to explain how the automatic compensation works for not recieving final bill credit within 10 working days as it has just passed that 10 day point for myself with no payment.

Does the compensation keep rolling on with £30 being added for every 10 days that the refund hasn't arrived, or is there a maximum amount of compensation on offer in total?

With Utilty Point, there is no 'automatic' compensation. If you don't chase it, you won't get it. It's a maximum of £60 for late payment of credit due.

DawnCrush

Swipe said:

thelight said:

Would someone be able to explain how the automatic compensation works for not recieving final bill credit within 10 working days as it has just passed that 10 day point for myself with no payment.

Does the compensation keep rolling on with £30 being added for every 10 days that the refund hasn't arrived, or is there a maximum amount of compensation on offer in total?

With Utilty Point, there is no 'automatic' compensation. If you don't chase it, you won't get it. It's a maximum of £60 for late payment of credit due.

Automatic compensation in the situation described applies to all suppliers.

It is £30 for missing the first 10 working day deadline, and a further £30 if that automatic compensation is not paid within 10 working days.

As described in this MSE article from last year
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2019/04/energy-customers-to-get-p30-compensation-for-delayed-credit-refu/

(There's been a recent update that will entend some of the grounds on which automatic compensation will be paid:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/consumers-to-be-entitled-to-p30-if-they-experience-energy-switch/ )