Pensioner Rip Offs

Click here if this is your business
★☆☆☆☆
1.4
9.0% of users recommend this

Legin37's review of First Utility Energy Supplier www.first-utility.com

“Pensioner Rip Offs”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Legin37 on 14/02/2016

I have been with First Utility for a number of years, I started a new 12 month contract in April 2015, within a month they tried to increase my DD by 20%, saying that my current DD would leave me in debit, regardless of the fact that their calculation of my DD for the contract was £110 and I was paying £123 per month and already in credit.
In November 2015 they emailed me and told me my DD was being increased from £123 to £177 because of my energy usage, ignoring the fact that I was several hundred pounds in credit.
I phoned them and a woman told me that we were going to have a hard Winter, I told her that they were in breach of their contract and I was leaving them and no exit fee would apply, they were also intimidating ageing pensioners, she agreed to waive the exit fee. A further call and another woman said my credit of several hundred pounds would be paid within 28 days.
After 28 days nothing, I phoned again was cut off several times and finally talked to a man who said I had been put on the wrong rates and agreed to compensate me with £20 for my time wasting of being cut off.
The balance of my credit would also be paid, I then received an email saying that they were imposing the Exit fee and the balance of £6.00+ would be sent to me.
I phoned yet again and was told that I was on a contract until 2018 at a higher rate from October 2015, no contract was ever issued to me regardless of me asking for details and the financial breakdown of the vanishing credit.
They said that I had clicked on a Marketing Link which automatically put me on a new contract around the 12th October 2015, no contract details no option to cancel, absolutely nothing. The fact that I had a blood clot and tubes coming out of me and was seriously ill at the time, the last thing that I would do is change a cheaper short term contract for a long term contract at a substantially higher rate, when energy prices are falling.
In addition there was no way that I would even bother to click on a marketing link, if I could get to my computer in the state that I was in.
They are the worst sort of company who would appear to be using phishing methods where, if you should open an email from them ties you into a fictitious contract at a higher rate.
The only emails that I had opened were the meter reading emails, if submitting your meter reading ties you into a new contract, then I am guilty and glad to get away from First Utility.
They have finally admitted that they owe me money that I was in credit for, two days ago, I doubt whether I will ever get it.
Don't let any pensioners get involved with this company, there is a lot more and I have submitted a file with all their antics to the Ombudsman.
It would appear from my contacts that targeting seriously old pensioners is standard practice, don't let anyone give their date of birth to an Energy supplier, it makes you a target the older you get.
I think everyone that I contacted in First Utility has either lied to me or been very economical with the facts or the truth, they are a very nasty company and FU sums up their attitude.


  • Value For Money

If you are commenting on behalf of the company that has been reviewed, please consider upgrading to Official Business Response for higher impact replies.
Was this review helpful? 0 0