Utilita Energy scam be aware

themanbearpig

Ian1covkid wrote: »

Are Utilita scamming all those who migrated from Eversmart?
I'm one of those who was migrated to Utilita from Eversmart.
I've raised a complaint and finally got my Eversmart end meter readings confirmed. I took these readings on the day of the takeover and submitted them some time ago and also wrote them down.
On reading the end readings on my final eversmart statement I see that all figures for gas and two tier economy seven electricity entered are less than I submitted.
So are Utilita reducing the amount of money due to Eversmart and increasing the amount to be paid to Utilita at their increased rates or have I missed something?

Is this the same for everyone?
By the way I think they are very expensive.

They refuse to even tell me what the reading was from eversmart and what the credit was in my account with them.

I think they are doing something pretty dodgy here, or they are just incompetent.

I’m sure I was in credit with eversmart but they didn’t show the amount on their website so I have no record of it all.

JohnB47

I have all my bills and readings stored from when I was with Eversmart. I have now moved from Utilita to Breeze.

Been with Breeze for over a month now and haven't heard a thing from Utilita, apart from a machine generated 'sorry you are leaving ....'.

Taking into account my Eversmart credit balance and the extortionate bill I ran up while with Utilita, I'm about £9 in credit overall.

I'm fully expecting Utilita to take ages to supply me with an incorrect bill, despite my providing accurate meter readings to all and sundry on the appropriate dates.

Still, for £9 they can take as long as they like.

bonus2010

Hi John847,
I had the misfortune of being transferred to Utilita earlier in the year as a result of OurPower Energy failing who I was with. From the date I left them and switched to ScottishPower, it took them 19 weeks before emailing me that I had a bill that I couldn't access online. When they did sent me a paper bill (aledging it was a reminder), it was wrong showing incorrect opening and closing meter readings etc. Eventually, after waiting a while on the phone I did get through to them, and they did amend the bill quickly though.

I think Utilita are a horrible company for a lot of reasons not just their high prices, but I'm pretty sure you'll wait a long time for your final bill and it will most probably be wrong.

JohnB47

bonus2010 wrote: »

Hi John847,
I had the misfortune of being transferred to Utilita earlier in the year as a result of OurPower Energy failing who I was with. From the date I left them and switched to ScottishPower, it took them 19 weeks before emailing me that I had a bill that I couldn't access online. When they did sent me a paper bill (aledging it was a reminder), it was wrong showing incorrect opening and closing meter readings etc. Eventually, after waiting a while on the phone I did get through to them, and they did amend the bill quickly though.

I think Utilita are a horrible company for a lot of reasons not just their high prices, but I'm pretty sure you'll wait a long time for your final bill and it will most probably be wrong.

Ah well. I'll just have to wait.

Why on earth did OFGEM choose them as Supplier of Last Resort?

Edit: I've just seen a BBC report saying that Which? have published their findings of good/bad Energy suppliers based on the number of complaints.

My current company, Breeze, comes out best (horray) and Utilita is forth from the bottom, with only Green Star Energy, Outfox the Market and Ecotricity worse than them.

andy_e17

Utilita is, without a shadow of a doubt, the worst energy company I've ever had the misfortune to deal with.
In summary, I'm an Economy 7 customer. It went wrong right from the start:
- day 1: they applied the wrong tariff to my meter, so I had no heat or hot water for the first two days
- day 3: they applied the day/night rate the wrong way around

- I didn't know they'd done this because for the first six months they didn't issue me a bill
- when I did manage to get the three missing bills issued, my bill was three times more than it was when I'd been with my previous supplier
- when you try to call them it can take up to 90 minutes to get through. When you do, the person you speak to can't help and is so jaded I'd imagine, they can't be bothered
- when I tried to sort out the wrong meter readings, I hit a brick wall - I have a smart meter and they refused to help. I was told I'd have to prove it was wrong; they just couldn't be bothered
- the only way for me to stop the massive bills racking up was to change supplier. Although their unit rate is higher, my bill is about a third of what Utilita was billing me
- I paid the outstanding balance because I fear for my credit rating; I think they owe me about £400
- I wrote a letter of complaint in October 2019 and in Feb 2020, I've had no reply

Based on my experience, I'd advise you to avoid Utilita like the plague. Their service is AWFUL. They may quote you cheap, but if they do mess up your bill, I don't think you'll ever sort it out. Stay well clear.

WHISTLER

I was transferred by OFGEM to this truly awful company on the failure of EVERSMART .At the time I looked UTILITA up on the Energy Site ,it was described as a "small co. with little feed back '' so why did OFGEM choose a small company with little track record? was the ''old pals'' act? because this rubbish Co. is STILL sending me WRONG bills ,5 on Friday 2 today ,this despite  countless e mails, phone call s,letters ,NOTHING seems to stop them . I was in CREDIT with E/Smart ,I immediately started a transfer to EDF the day E/Smart failed but despite assurances that my FINAL A/C was settled & a credit paid to my bank & that they would NOT contact me again ,they still are . Do NOT under ANY circumstances use them. There needs to be a Public Enquiry into why OFGEM transferred E/Smart customers to a badly run Co. such as Utilita.

Essmum

I cant comment on the standing charge but can comment on the Warm Home Discount..the WHD is paid by energy suppliers who have over a certain amount of customers  
If you are part of the Core group the DWP will contact you to let you know you are eligible..if you are part of the Broader group it is your responsibility to apply when applications open.
The energy companies have no obligation to personally inform customers but most do post the opening and closing dates on their social media. 

gmarkj

Our bills with Eversmart were £60-£80 per month depending on time of the year.
Our latest bill with Utilita (who took over in Sept) shows a balance of nearly £400.
Our usage pattern has not significantly changed, the only thing that has is our supplier.
Trying to swap away from them and they have rejected the change due to the balance!
What can we do to move away from these sharks?

JohnB47

gmarkj said:

Our bills with Eversmart were £60-£80 per month depending on time of the year.
Our latest bill with Utilita (who took over in Sept) shows a balance of nearly £400.
Our usage pattern has not significantly changed, the only thing that has is our supplier.
Trying to swap away from them and they have rejected the change due to the balance!
What can we do to move away from these sharks?

Well, as per usual, the advice is to look at your own readings (past and present) and your latest bill to make sure they haven't used some unrealistic estimates. If you see that their balance is largely correct, you need to pay them. Otherwise give them accurate up-to-date readings and get them to supply a revised bill and then pay that.
A supplier won't let you move away until you settle the bill. Not unreasonable really.

Bear in mind that you may have had a credit/debit on your Eversmart account and this may or may not be included in your Utilita bill (my Eversmart credit balance wasn't included in my recent Utilita bill, which I have challenged).
So you really need to look at your last Eversmart bill too and see how things stood when you were moved away from them.

wendyhowes

I was moved from Eversmart to Utilita last year.  Utilita sent a letter in September saying they would switch everything, but they failed to take the Direct Debit of £44 in October and November 2019.   At that time the money was in my bank account and they would have got it no problem.  Due to Utilita high charges, I have swapped supplier, but now have an outstanding amount of £45 which is there purely due to them failing to take payment last year.   I am a self-employed driving instructor with no hope of returning to work for several months due to Coronavirus and feel Utilita will have to wait for their money, but they are chasing me for it.