I agree. This thread has tended to get off track and if I have been part of that sidetracking process my apologies as a newbie here. But as I pointed out in my first post, I did recommend the op contacted UTW via phone to get their issues resolved. The comments which followed related more to the reasons behind using UTW for which I gave experience of my own dealings with this company. This is in no way intended to represent the experiences of every customer and should not be regarded as such. Once again, I am not an agent or representative of this company and certainly on this forum there is nothing to gain in the form of links to websites or other resources so there is no motivation to promote one company or opinion over another. Furthermore, from the comments appearing here it would appear there are still a great many people unhappy with their utilities providers. I was indeed one of them.

Glad you like the objective view! And hey I've already had a JCB sized bill too! The only reason I favor UTW is for the reasons mentioned already. I switched utilities 4 times in one year trying to keep up with the 'most competitively priced package' and discovered, as have a great many other folks who frequent comparison websites, that the savings are short-lived.

It's an interesting point and of course we all have a choice who we give our business to. The initial thread here was all about problems associated with UTW and how to resolve them but this deserves some discussion and is a valid concern. The truth is, no-one likes to be sold to. We all like to make our own decisions, and in the case of utilities this requires research through the myriad of comparison websites. If you have the inclination to keep making comparisons throughout the year, you will no doubt enjoy the most competitive rates available - at the expense of switching provider every few months. The monetary reward for UTW distributors signing up utilities customers is designed, as far as I'm aware, to provide a long-term residual income and not a substantial short-term income like door to door and why not? My point is, UTW distributors are not motivated in the same way as other mainstream utilities companies to get the business. Even BT, the largest telecom company in the UK expects customers to sign an 18 month contract just for its broadband/telecoms package. And again for the record, I am not a distributor for UTW but found through my own research that the utilities companies I switched to and from were all misleading customers at the point of sign up. With UTW, we only get one bill adjustment a year and this suits us. It may not suit everyone.

Alternatively if you mean the company contact number, it's 0844 815 7777. Other std landline numbers are available from saynoto0870.com depending on your enquiry.

The registered company number is 3263464.

Nice one and thanks for the links. I had callers suggesting they 'knew' I was paying too much for my utilities and wanting to check my meters. When I asked them to tell me (all over our intercom as we live in a flat) how much more we were paying, they couldn't tell me. I then added that I thought they 'knew' I was paying too much and if so why couldn't they tell me? When they couldn't, I suggested they call elsewhere.

It's interesting to hear these stories. By the sound of things it would seem we are a minority in that we haven't had any problems with UTW other than a massive gas bill when we first switched. You are right in that your bill(s) are revised annually so it makes sense to ensure your initial payment truly reflects your usage at the time of switching. We had someone actually go through our bill from our previous supplier before we switched. This year our gas price went up a little (last winter was a long one) and our electric has come down and not a comparison website in sight!

Hi loopinlouie - good points all. I can see how it must look switching to a utilities provider who provides neither good service nor competitive rates. But the overall picture of this company in the marketplace is still commendable and the big plus is its customer retention rate of over 90% I believe, compared to other providers, which must count for something. As I mentioned in the post you refer to, we do appreciate UTW are probably not the cheapest provider out there, but when we switched they were more competitive than our then current supplier even for just gas and electric, although like you say they do offer more discount for additional services but this was not competitive for us. We had switched from Southern Electric, nPower, British Gas and e.on within a relatively short period of around 12 months, and each time we switched within weeks it seemed, our bill would go up after receipt of a letter informing us of the latest 'unexpected' price rise, which suggests consumers are being tempted to switch with ultra competitive rates designed to lure in customers, before a rise to more regular rates with the idea that some will switch away and some will stay. We have been with UTW since November 2008 and live in a 2 bed flat paying £32 for gas and £9 for electric which seems pretty good to me although like I say I haven't looked at a comparison website since switching - what a relief! Our last bill with British Gas went up 69% in a matter of weeks after switching which they reduced after a phone call only to give me the same hike soon after. With UTW we only get one price adjustment per year instead of the regular increases from other 'competitive' providers - and to be honest I got fed up perusing comparison websites knowing that as soon as we switched, that company would no longer be the cheapest in a matter of days/weeks. To summarise, I guess if folks are happy to keep switching they will ultimately save, but this needs to be a regular practice as the savings rarely last. We prefer to be with a company who, despite all the horror stories, seem to be doing something right in terms of customer satisfaction and through their price promise, keep their prices competitive so we don't have to keep spending time at comparison websites comparing rates! We don't use their broadband or mobile service as I have found more competitive deals elsewhere, and we don't use their chargecard although I can see the benefit if that appeals. As for the poor service you received from one of their reps, get on to the company and tell them about it, I'm sure they would want to put this right whether you choose to become a customer or not. Thanks. I hope this helps.

Hi Conniff - I have heard comments like the ones you raise in your post and would be interested to learn what search you typed in to Google to find those 2 million other complaints? I would also like to know what other complaints or challenges people face when considering swapping utilities providers, as I was fed up swapping utilities only to be told by the next rep or flier that their utility company had the best deal. Has anyone witnessed some of the less than ethical cold-calling tactics used by utilities reps like 'We just want to check your meter as we think you're paying too much for your gas/electric.' Thanks

Hi Jon - I sympathise with your dilemma. We had some challenges when first signing over to UTW (like a £2000+ gas bill) but they did sort it by phone - fast. I suggest getting in touch via phone and going right to the top to resolve your query, as they like to keep their customer reputation. We only use UTW for gas and elec simply because of their price promise/guarantee. We all know that no matter who your current supplier, there will always be a cheaper deal out there - often short-lived. For that reason I swapped around 4 times in one year and not once did any of my 'new' utilities providers keep to their initial 'competitive' rates for longer than a few weeks. I know UTW are not the cheapest for utilities but at least they're competitive and I don't get letters every 6 weeks notifying me of an 'unexpected' price rise as we only have our bill amended up or down once a year. One less thing to worry about. As for phone, I have a separate mobile and home phone broadband package like you. Our home phone package is with Orange and includes line rental, a free Livebox with second line and number (still with our local area code), unlimited daytime, evening, weekend and international calls (which includes 2 overseas countries not covered by BT or euphony or Talk Talk, Vodafone etc.) plus free evening and weekend calls to our regular land line and all this for £15 a month including VAT. Plus you can make outgoing/incoming calls at the same time on both phones without issue - great if a family member has a touch of the verbals! I hasten to add I am not associated in any way with Orange or UTW but have found both to offer good value and are one less thing to worry about with all those deals being thrown at us endlessly. Hope this helps. Good luck.