First utility

[collisioni]

If you want cheaper energy bills skip this bunch. They ask how much your annual gas and lecky costs, divide by 12 and DD each month . Ok so far. Now that it is summer and all the usage thru winter has panned out ,they decided to offer an extension to our contract at a raised charge. Being smart we told them no chance as we feel it is too early and we will look at the opposition first. So they have increased our DD payments. They seem to have failed to understand what an average is and numerous emails to them have been completely ignored. It has been announced that because the energy comps fear a Labour win these kind of tricks are happening. I feel the next cause of action is the regulator and a trip to the bank to return the DD payment agreed. Further, these monkey's were supposed to send us a 'pack' at the offset, yer right

 

[big-all]

i have had no problem with them except minor niggles
my consumption at there rates is around £740 for gas and electric so i suggested £62 a month as i moved in november so had no "credit" for the winter
when i was in the hospital in may i did not submit a meter reading so the system took my payment correctly but did not add estimated ussage that made me about £40 in credit rather than £22 in debit
they then lowered my d/d to £39

 

[conny]

When any company, utility or otherwise, increases your direct debit because they 'think' it needs to be increased to cover 'possible future costs', you have the right to ask them not to implement the increase until you give them permission to do so.

A lot of people think companies have the automatic right to do this and that they are acting in your best interests. Not so!

A number of years ago BG kept raising my DD each month by £15 even though at the time I was over £100 in credit as it approached the winter months. Each time I asked them to leave it at the level it was at. Without cutting back on my use I was still almost £100 in credit by spring time.

Always question, and calculate yourself, when someone raises your DD without your prior approval.

 

[big-all]

there favorite trick is to ask you for a meter reading and if you don't they simply estimate around 30% more than they think
they automatically will do this every quarter until you contact them and give a reading because your bills are huge
so after 3 estimates you are paying over 2 times the amount 100+30=130+30%=169+30%=220+30% and on the 4th estimate nearly 3 times the amount at 286%

these comments are aimed at the old companies in the past and not first utilities as they are a new company so little track record

 

[collisioni]

Most of content by the previous scribblers I can understand. However, First Utility have taken no notice of the agreed payment average and have not replied to any email sent. Further , no estimates have been given only actual. It was also funny that they raised the DD amount after we turned down their extension deal. We are going to report them to the regulator and get the bank to restrict the DD to the original and agreed amount

 

[collisioni]

oh, I forgot to add that First Utility took the first DD payment without a single unit being used. They don't seem to have taken that into consideration either.