Feedback on Utility Point

Options
1…4748505253…70

Comments

  • Swipe
    Swipe Posts: 5,086 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    Utility Point finally refunded my credit 20 days after my final bill but no automatic £30 compensation received. They have also cancelled my direct debit. I have emailed them. If I get no response (like all my other emails to them) or £30 cheque through the post within 7 days I'll be taking it up with Ofgem.
  • fatbeetle
    fatbeetle Posts: 567 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    Options
    Success...
    Thank you for your email,

    Apologies for the delay in getting back to you, this is due to an extremely high volume of calls and emails.Utility point are currently implementing new procedures to reduce response time and improve service for our customers in the meantime we thank you for your patience.

    I have reviewed your account and decreased your direct debit amount to £49.74 this will be the next payment amount taken on 10/12/19.



    Please continue to submit your meter readings and check your balance each month to ensure that you remain in credit. Should you feel that your payment needs to be increased during the winter months, please contact us.



    If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
    “If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and who weren't so lazy.”
  • elucidate
    elucidate Posts: 114 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Options
    Hi all,

    So I've been with Utility Point since March and nothing beats their price for gas.

    I'm on a variable tariff and contemplating whether to move to a fixed tariff, with the risk that, if something cheaper then comes along, I'll need to pay the exit fee to change.

    So my question is, do any of you know if Utility Point have historically raised prices on their variable tariffs? What makes me ask this is that they're constantly removing the availability of variable tariffs and replacing them with new ones, which makes me think they prefer to "change prices" that way, rather than raise people's existing rates.
  • Streaky_Bacon
    Streaky_Bacon Posts: 656 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    edited 19 November 2019 at 4:30AM
    Options
    I've just received my renewal quote (I'm just under 50 days from the end of my fixed term).

    I'm currently on Up Energy Saver - Electric 11.81p (16.05p SC) - Gas 3.42p (11.85p SC)

    They've offered me Just Up 19 Autumn Renewal - Electric 14.67p (15.55p SC) - Gas 3.02p (11.69p SC)

    That renewal tariff is fixed for 12 months, with a £36 exit fee per fuel

    If I do nothing, I go onto their cheapest variable tariff which they say is -

    Quartz - Electric 15.53p (17.03p SC) - Gas 3.59p (21.27p SC)

    It's likely that I will switch the Electric away (possibly giving Symbio a try). I'll either keep the gas with UP (Just Up 19 Wk 41 tariff) or switch to So Energy.

    So are about £25 more expensive, but their exit fee is £5 per fuel and I may get cashback on the switch (but no guarantees of course).

    I thought it might be useful to post my renewal quote, because I have been unclear on what renewal tariff I would actually be offered (CEC quotes a different one).

    I originally moved to UP because they had by far the cheapest electricity tariff but that is no longer the case (although they do now have the cheapest gas tariff I can find).
  • grumpycrab
    grumpycrab Posts: 4,989 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Bake Off Boss!
    Options
    Streaky_Bacon wrote: »
    I've just received my renewal quote
    Does the quote say how they will take the money? 12 equal payments or higher for the first 6 months?
    If you put your general location in your Profile, somebody here may be able to come and help you.
  • Streaky_Bacon
    Streaky_Bacon Posts: 656 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Options
    grumpycrab wrote: »
    Does the quote say how they will take the money? 12 equal payments or higher for the first 6 months?

    My original tariff was higher for the first 6 months, the renewal documentation makes no explicit mention of a payment schedule.

    It does say (I've rounded the figures)
    Based on your estimated annual consumption the annual cost of this tariff is Dual £1800 or £150 a month.
    but it may just be that they provide that estimated monthly figure for clarity (rather than as an indication of a constant DD amount).
  • andrewjoh
    andrewjoh Posts: 6 Forumite
    Options
    Recently moved away from Utility Point. It wasn't a great experience. They kept wanting to put up the direct debit and although I managed to put them off I still ended up with a large credit balance when I left. Switching from them was painful and I had to keep fighting to get my credit balance paid back to me. Emails were not answered in the advertised time and it was impossible to get through on the phone. The only way to get through to them was to send a complaint to the complaint email address or put a negative review on Trustpilot. Avoid.

    Why can't these companies just send you a bill for the gas and electricity you have actually used at the end of each quarter instead of these dreadful monthly budget plans which always end up with you overpaying? I'm not there to provide them with credit and working capital.
  • Gerry1
    Gerry1 Posts: 9,937 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    andrewjoh wrote: »
    Why can't these companies just send you a bill for the gas and electricity you have actually used at the end of each quarter instead of these dreadful monthly budget plans which always end up with you overpaying? I'm not there to provide them with credit and working capital.
    Some do offer Variable Direct Debit, including E.On. Symbio offers something similar.
  • Swipe
    Swipe Posts: 5,086 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    andrewjoh wrote: »
    Recently moved away from Utility Point. It wasn't a great experience. They kept wanting to put up the direct debit and although I managed to put them off I still ended up with a large credit balance when I left. Switching from them was painful and I had to keep fighting to get my credit balance paid back to me. Emails were not answered in the advertised time and it was impossible to get through on the phone. The only way to get through to them was to send a complaint to the complaint email address or put a negative review on Trustpilot. Avoid.

    Why can't these companies just send you a bill for the gas and electricity you have actually used at the end of each quarter instead of these dreadful monthly budget plans which always end up with you overpaying? I'm not there to provide them with credit and working capital.


    I had the exact same moving away experience and now I'm fighting to get my "automatic" late refund compensation even though they've acknowledged I am rightfully owed it.
  • boliston
    boliston Posts: 3,012 Forumite
    First Anniversary Photogenic First Post Combo Breaker
    Options
    just had my renewal quote from up and seemed quite a big increase so have moved to green (outfox was cheaper but loaded the dd payments for the initial months but green offer even dd payments) - had a call from up today to confirm i want to move and will be cancelling dd as now a good 3 months in credit due to up's upfront dd loading policy
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards