Tag: Suppliers – Utilita

There are many energy consumers all over the country who prefer to use a prepayment meter. It helps them to feel in control of their usage and spending, and ensures that they only pay for what they use. Instead of throwing money away on estimated bills. But a common frustration is that it seems as though there are fewer good tariffs for energy consumers with prepayment meters. Utilita aims to buck that trend, offering tariffs that hello customers to take control of their usage. Utilita claims to be the ‘smart energy experts’. But do the Utilita reviews tell the same story as the soundbites? Do the lived experiences of real customers match the company’s ambitions.

Is Utilita any good?

Utilita can be tricky to quantify for energy consumers looking to find out more about the brand. Everywhere we look, it seems as though we find a new source of contradictory information. For instance, when we look at the Citizens Advice domestic energy suppliers customer service comparison, the outlook seems rather grim.

On this site, Utilita is ranked #37 out of #38 suppliers at the time of writing. The only supplier beneath them is Bristol Energy. They rank poorly in terms of complaints to third parties (44.7 per 10,000 customers), customer guarantees, and switches carried out within 21 days (75.4%).

With 75% of their energy fuel mix coming from fossil fuels and just 3% coming from renewables, this will likely be disappointing news for eco-conscious energy consumers. However, when we look elsewhere, the news looks a little brighter...

What is Utilita’s customer score?

For the purposes of this article we’ll be looking at the reviews that customers have left on Utilita’s [Trustpilot page]https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.utilita.co.uk). This gives us a useful overview of how real customers feel about Utilita. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

In total, Utilita have accumulated 29,086 customer reviews on the platform at the time of writing.
This is impressive for a smaller niche energy supplier that specialises in prepayment tariffs. They also boast a very respectable customer score of 4.2 stars out of 5. This makes them rated "Great" by Trustpilot.

Of these 29,086 reviews:

• 18,919 (65%) were "Excellent"
• 2,323 (8%) were "Great"
• 1,222 (4%) were "Average"
• 936 (3%) were "Poor"
• 5,787 (20%) were "Bad"

As we can see, there are more than three times as many "Excellent" reviews as there are "Bad" reviews.

Let’s get into the specifics...

Utilita customer reviews: What do customers say about them?

By looking at Utilita’s customer reviews, we can gain a better understanding of what real customers like and dislike about the supplier. Hopefully, by looking at the full gamut of customer opinion, you can make an informed decision about whether or not they are the best supplier for your needs.

The good

Positive customer reviews focused on helpful and pollute customer service staff, prompt issue resolution, and positive experiences using the Utilita app. Numerous reviews mentioned specific customer service agents by name, indicating that the customers felt that the member of the team really went above and beyond to help. After all, would you make a point of remembering someone’s name if they only gave you lacklustre service?

Below, we’ve included some quotes from customer reviews that hopefully illustrate their positive experiences.

• "I spoke to a lovely lady ... who helped me set up my new My Utilita app. She was very professional and friendly making the whole process quick and easy."
• "She took the time to answer other questions I had and was very professional, helpful and polite."
• " I had never before heard of Utilita so was dubious however, experience so far has demonstrated that the organisation is professional and efficient. Thank you."
• "I have been with them for years now never had a problem excellent experience and excellent service".
• "Very easy transition over, hassle-free and great communication if you have any problems and quickly sorted out".

The bad

Of course, like any energy supplier, Utilita has some negative reviews sprinkled in among the good. Negative reviews largely focus on slow issue resolution, billing errors and miscommunications, and complications when making a referral to the company. We have included some quotes from customer reviews to illustrate these issues.

• "I have had nothing but problems with this company. The app doesn't work. My Utilita account doesn't show usage. It’s so disorganised and chaotic".
• "I was reassured and promised that no matter what happened with COVID that I would still be able to get [a smart meter] installed. Now I’ve found it this isn’t possible and won’t happen until April".
• "I asked when my smart meters will be fitted to be told they are no longer in stock. Feel like I've been mis-sold into switching. Give it a month and I'll be going elsewhere".

The ugly

Every now and then, every energy supplier has moments where things go awry with customers. In the interests of fairness, we have included some very negative reviews concerning "lost" payments on the app, and bills way in excess of Ofgem’s Prepayment Energy Price Cap of £1,104.

• "You promised to look into my problems with your company overcharging me. I have heard nothing from you. Instead, I get another bill, this time saying I owe you £204.20 for the month of October. So, this means I have already paid Utilita £2,301 for electricity only provision this year so far".
• "I have been subjected to persistent, almost daily harassment by Utilita since moving into this flat 3 months ago, and I'm not even a customer of theirs!".
• "I have paid twice via the app and they have lost both payments. After 4 months of me calling them to locate the payment I am getting nowhere and they still have my money".

Utilita boiler cover and homecare reviews

As well as supplying energy, Utilita also offer boiler cover and homecare to protect customers’ central heating and ensure that it’s working perfectly all year round.

Unfortunately, this does not pop up very frequently in customer reviews, and the scant few mentions focus on delays on getting an engineer to carry out repairs. Although this may be exacerbated by the pandemic and lockdown.

Utilita smart meter reviews

Unfortunately, the only references to smart meters in the reviews we found were in tones of disappointment due to having to wait for them. However, many customers seemed not to mind waiting.

Utilita rewards reviews

Utilita has a rewards program called Utilita Extra that offers customers exclusive tickets, prizes and competitions. However, these were not mentioned in the reviews that we found.

Response time: How quickly do Utilita respond to queries?

Despite claims in some negative reviews about long waits to speak to a member of staff, an independent "snapshot investigation" in September 2019 revealed that Utilita were above average in responding to customer enquiries over the phone and on Live Chat. On average it took 4 minutes 31 seconds to get a response. A little faster than the average of 5 minutes and 57 seconds. Live chat responses were even faster, averaging 2 minutes and 29 seconds.

Issue resolution: How do Utilita handle issues and complaints?

Looking at Ofgem’s complaint handling data, we can see that customer complaints have plummeted over the past few years. From their peak of 6,005 complaints per 100,000 accounts, the figure has reached a much more modest 475 per 100,000 accounts.

However, when we dig a little deeper, we can see that only 24% of complaints are resolved by the next working day, while 88% were resolved within 8 weeks in Q2 of 2020.
<h2 Does Utilita listen to their customers?

On Trustpilot, we noticed that Utilita had done a good job of responding to both positive and negative customer reviews. We can also see that Utilita has responded to 95% of negative customer reviews, usually responding within 48 hours.

Have Utilita won awards for customer service?

Although Utilita did not win any accolades for customer service in the 2020 energy awards (indeed, it fell from 8th to 11th in the customer satisfaction chart), it did take the award for "Best App".

Utilita in the news: What the headlines say

Utilita got into hot water in October 2020 when Ofgem found that it had overcharged 40,000 customers. As well as refunding customers, it had to pay £500,000 in redress with overcharged customers getting a £10 goodwill payment (£15 for those on the priority services register).

Source- BBC.

It was also reprimanded in July 2019 for failing to meet its carbon emissions targets, thereby depriving its customers of a shared £30,000 in savings.

Source- Energy Live News.

Thinking of switching to Utilita? We can help!

While some customers’ experiences have been less than stellar, there are still lots of good reasons to consider Utilita, especially if your home uses a prepayment meter.

We can help to ensure that you get the best value tariff for your energy needs, usage and location. We’ll even compare energy suppliers for you and manage your switch from end-to-end so that you get cheaper energy faster.

Call us today on 03300 540 017 to find out more. We’re available from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.

Would you like to know more about energy suppliers in the UK market?

1. British Gas
2. SSE
3. Bulb
4. EDF
5. Utility warehouse

Thinking about switching to Utilita Energy? We can help you out with that! By calling the number on the top of the screen, our experts can help you switch energy suppliers in under 20 minutes!

Is Utilita Energy right for me?

If you’re looking for an energy provider that sits outside the big six and leads with technology, Utilita Energy could be right for you. One of the things that Utilita are best-known for is their use of smart meters and technology, to give their customers control over their energy usage.

Some of their other benefits include:

• Free smart meters and installation
• No exit fees or standing daily charges
• Various payment options including PAYG, with a choice of flexible tariffs
• An app that allows customers to check their balance and add credit online
• Several customer initiatives including: interest-free emergency credit, warm home discounts and participation in the Green Deal Scheme.

Who are Utilita?

Founded in 2003 by Bill Bullen, a former British Gas employee, the original Utilita Energy team wanted to bring something more fair and transparent to the energy market. Starting with just a few people around a board table, they now have almost 800,000 UK customers.

Utilita Energy pride themselves on being the UK’s leading pre-pay meter service, and they offer smart meters to all their customers to facilitate this. Utilita customers only pay for the energy that they use rather than getting billing based on estimates, and they make the top-up process really simple by offering a range of options for payment online, via text or through their app. They also have no cancellation or exit fees, giving their customers lots of flexibility with their energy.

Is Utilita Energy any good?

As with all energy companies, choosing Utilita Energy has its pros…

• Value for money
• Prepayment and PAYG options
• Good use of technology
• No cancellation or exit fees

...and its cons

• Poor reputation for customer service
• Difficulties with complaint handling
• Issues with overestimating bills for non-metered customers

Utilita Energy Tariff and Prices

There’s a range of tariffs for Utilita Energy, and of course, the price that customers pay will vary based on factors such as location, fuel type, payment methods and more. However, they offer pay-as-you-go energy and smart meters and, on their standard tariff, customer’s energy costs decrease once they’ve spent 50p on gas or electricity each day. As they don’t use standing charges, Utilita customers don’t pay when they’re not using energy.

Instead of a standing charge, Utilita uses a two rate system to charge their customers. The first unit rate applies to a specific amount of energy use each day, such as the first 2 kWh of electricity or gas used each day for the Smart tariff, or the first 1 kWh of electricity or gas used each day for the Premium tariff. After the set amount of electricity or gas associated with the first unit rate has been used all additional use of electricity or gas will. be charged using the second unit rate.

Utilita customers can choose from a range of tariffs, depending on their location and requirements. Many of their tariffs are variable rather than fixed, and have options for both credit or prepayment. Utilita offers Gas, Electricity and Double Fuel tariffs, including Economy 7.

Utilita Average Annual Total Costs

Hear you can find a list of the average total annual costs associated with Utilita's tariff plans that are available to new customers:

Smart Tariff Plans

In the case of the Smart tariff plan the first unit rate applies to the first 2 kWh of electricity or gas used each day and the second unit rate applies to all additional electric or gas use that day.

Here is the pricing info for the Smart tariff plans:

Premium Energy Tariffs

In the case of the Premium tariff plans the first unit rate only applies to the first 1 kWh of electricity or gas used each day and then the second unit rate applies to all additional electricity or gas use that day. The Premium Energy Tariffs are also name of the standard tariff plan for Utilita, meaning it is the default option for new customers.

Here is the pricing info for the Premium tariff plans:

Utilita Economy 7 tariffs

Additionally, Utilita also offer the following electricity tariff packages for those that have an Economy 7 meter installed in their home.

You can find the pricing information on their E7 electricity tariffs here:

You can visit Utilita’s website to understand all the plans and options available for your area. There are a number of additional tariff plans listed on the Utilita website that are available only to existing Utilita customers, so if you are an existing customer go to the Utilita tariff page for more information.

Utilita Energy price changes

Coming into effect from 1st October 2020, Utilita recently announced that they would be reducing the price of their default tariff known as Smart Energy. For customers on the Smart Energy tariff, they can expect savings of around £79 a year, with the annual total reduced to £1,040.

What are Utilita Energy’s customer initiatives?

Utilita have a range of initiatives to support their customers from emergency top-ups to high-tech smart meters, a mobile app and access to warm home discounts.

Utilita Energy emergency credit

It’s a little-known fact that Utilita gives all their customers a £15 emergency credit for their energy. Recently, Utilita has launched their PowerUp™ service, which gives customers a £30 credit for gas and £20 electric interest-free if they’ve run out of credit, and lets customers pay it back when they are able.

Utilita smart meters

Utilita Energy was one of the early adopters of smart meters. Their smart meters come with an In-Home Display -- a portable screen that allows customers to understand their current energy usage in kWh as well as pounds and pence.

Utilita’s smart meters mean that customers don’t have to give manual readings, as the data is sent directly to Utilita via Wi-Fi. Not only that, the smart meters give a clear view of the amount spent on energy and fuel each day, giving customers an idea of the amount they’re spending each day. This is a particularly useful feature for their PAYG customers.

Does Utilita take part in the Green Deal Scheme?

The Green Deal Scheme is a government-backed initiative in the UK that encourages people to invest in renewable energy and energy-efficient products such as boilers, insulation, heating and hot water systems. This investment is then repaid via your electricity provider.

Although Utilita isn’t a Green Deal Provider, as a Green Deal Licensee, they can accept customer repayments towards their Green Deal, and pass these on. For Utilita’s PAYG customers, repayments will be deducted automatically from their electricity meter balance. For customers who pay by bill, the charges will be applied to their account and upcoming bills.

Utilita Warm Home Discount

Another UK government-funded scheme, the warm home discount supports lower-income and vulnerable households with their energy costs during the colder winter months. If the criteria are met, those households will receive a payment of £140 towards their winter fuel bills.

For PAYG households, customers will receive two £70 payments in December and January applied to their gas and/or electricity meters. For those who pay by bill, the full £140 will be automatically applied to their accounts in January.

Utilita energy customer reviews

Interestingly, reviews for Utilita are quite mixed depending on the source. They have reviews on Which?, Google and Trustpilot which range between 1.8 and 4.2 overall. Anecdotally, most customers are happy with the value for money they get from Utilita and are less satisfied with the customer service availability and complaints handling procedures.

Utilita 2020 customer rating

In the annual Which? customer survey, Utilita energy came joint-20th out of 35 energy companies rated. Their customer service, bill accuracy and complaints handling all averaged a 4 out of 5, with bill clarity, digital tools and value for money all rated as 3 stars. Interestingly, a report from the energy regulator Ofgem showed that Utilita took longer than six weeks to resolve 40% of their complaints and that only 25% were solved within two days in the same period.

Utilita Energy reviews

As of October 2020, TrustPilot has over 27,000 reviews for Utilita, with an average of 4.2 stars. 65% of these are Excellent, 8% Great, 4% Average, 3% Poor and 20% Bad ratings.

At the same time, Utilita Energy Limited’s Google Reviews have an overall rating of 1.8 out of 5, with most customers discussing frustration with the customer service processes, and lack of available agents to talk to on the phone.

Utilita customer service

If you’re in need of support, Utilita has a few options to get in touch with them. Start by heading to the help section on their website. They have live chat available 24/7, accessible help videos and a help centre so you can find the information you need, regardless of the time of day.

Utilita Energy’s fuel mix

1. 60% of Utilita’s fuel comes from natural gases
2. 18% comes from nuclear resources
3. 9% comes from renewable energy sources*
4. A further 9% comes from coal
5. 4% comes from other fuels

*Renewable energy resources include wind, solar, biomass, wave and tidal, hydroelectric and geothermal.

Does Utilita use renewable energy?

While Utilita does use some renewable energy, it’s only 9% of their total energy source. This is at the lower end of the scale for UK energy providers, with others operating at 50-100% renewable energy. Although they do promote saving energy and energy-efficient practices, they have made no commitment to increasing the percentage of renewable energy that they source in the future.

Utilita’s contact number

Utilita’s customer care number is 0345 207 2000, and they’re available from 8AM to 8PM Monday to Friday, and 8AM to 5PM on Saturdays.

Utilita’s email address

You can send an email to Utilita on customerrelations@utilita.co.uk.

Utilita’s emergency number

If you’re out of power because you’ve lost your supply, Utilita has an emergency line on 0345 2068 999 which is available 24/7. If you’ve lost supply during normal working hours, you can get in touch with Utilita on 0345 207 2000.

Utilita complaints

If you have any issues with Utilita or want to raise a complaint, you can contact Utilita’s Customer Care Team by phone on 0345 207 2000 or by email on customerservices@utilita.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can write to them here:
Utilita Energy Limited
Hutwood Court
Bournemouth Road
Chandler’s Ford
Eastleigh
SO53 3QB.

Don’t forget, if your complaint isn’t resolved to your satisfaction, you can contact the energy ombudsman once eight weeks have passed.