Utility Warehouse

Stanai

I moved into a new housing development just before Christmas last year. Eon installed smart meters in all the properties. I joined Which? recently and they rated Utility Warehouse as the best energy provider. I phoned UW on more than one occasion to double check that they could use my smart meter which they said they could. So I applied to switch. On the last day of the cooling off period they emailed me asking for the opening meter reads. I phoned them to provide them. I asked them if they would be using my smart meters after everything is up and running. The supply start date is 19th November. They turned around and said that they aren't actually compatible with my smart meter. The tariff I had chosen was monthly billing based on smart meter reads. I told them I wanted to cancel then as they had informed me incorrectly and wouldn't be able to keep to my tariff. They are trying their best to cancel the electricity and gas order and for it to remain with Eon. I phoned Eon and they said it might be too late but they will do what they can. They said if the supply goes over to UW and I ever wanted to come back to Eon, they wouldn't be able to use the smart meter again. I am really upset as I face losing my smart meter. I don't want to go back to basics and provide meter reads and have a meter man come out. The term is smart meter turned dumb I read somewhere. If the supply goes over to UW I will be making a complaint to OFGEM and I would want UW to either install a smart meter, apologise or give me a finacial reward that covers the loss of savings I would have made with a smart meter. I can't believe that this has happened. Utility Warehouse obviously just say whatever to lure you in and do not care that they have potentially turned my smart meter dumb that was only fitted recently in a brand new housing development. I also applied for their broadband as there are multiple discounts, but I cancelled this as well and stuck with my current provider. I was just trying to save some money to get things for my new place, and following Which? reviews.

Robin9

Stanai wrote: »

........................ give me a financial reward that covers the loss of savings I would have made with a smart meter........................

A Smart meter by itself will not save you any money. Any savings come from you seeing the info that the In House Device shows and that is up to you to interpret and much is the common energy saving measures you can do - switch off lights, shorter showers, room thermostat down by 1 degree ..............

As it stands no supplier can take over the info from another supplier but watch this space as it is rumoured that with within weeks, months, years some - not all - of the Smart meters already installed will be capable of being taken over.

There have been many, many threads on this forum.

What UW said in that they could use your Smart meter is actually correct - it won't have to be changed.

System

OP - provided you can show that you took action to cancel your UW contract within the 14 day 'cooling off' period and - even if in the case of, say, a letter - this confirmation was received by the supplier after the 14 days had elapsed, then UW has a Licence obligation to cancel your contract even if this means a reverse transfer of supply back to E.oN.

You cannot complain to Ofgem. You have to the follow the supplier's complaints procedure and wait 8 weeks (or for deadlock) before you can escalate your complaint to The Energy Ombudsman.

All suppliers have an obligation to determine whether the smart meter that they fitted can be adopted by The Data Communications Company. Stranded smart meters will have to be replaced. This process of adoption is due to start next year: you will then get any lost smart functions back.

victor2

Unfortunately for you OP, discussions regarding UW are restricted to this thread...
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2473547/utility-warehouse-telecom-plus-discussion