Switching to Utilita Energy

FAQs

• I’ve just signed up to Utilita, what happens next?

  We’d like to start by thanking you for switching to Utilita – we can’t wait for you to join us! Once you’ve signed up to us, you’ll be in the 14-day cooling off period, during this time you can cancel your agreement with us if you change your mind (we hope this won’t be the case though).

  We will start processing your switch from your old supplier and send you your new top-up cards - you should then switch to us within 5 working days or on the date chosen by you, with your cards arriving within 5 working days of your energy switching to us.

  If your top-up cards have not arrived by the time you switch, you’ll be able to find your top-up e-cards for your smart meter in the My Utilita app. If you have an older style key/card meter, you’ll be able to continue topping up with your existing cards until your new key/card arrive.

• Do I have to tell my current supplier that I’m switching to Utilita?

  No, you can sit back and relax, we’ll handle the whole process for you. The transfer will be completely seamless as the same pipes and wires are used by all suppliers.

• Can I change my mind?

  We hope this won't be the case, but if you decide to cancel your agreement within the 14-day cooling off period, all you have to do is confirm this in writing using the form enclosed in your Welcome Book, or call our Customer Switching Team on 0330 3337 432. If your energy has not already switched to Utilita, you will stay with your current supplier. If your supply has already switched, you will need to choose and contact a new supplier, which may take a further 5 working days.

• Will I be locked in a contract, or can I easily switch to another supplier?

  No, we don’t lock our customers in a contract. We work hard to ensure our customers want to stay with us, however you’re free to move to another supplier at any time - with no exit fees.

• How do I know that my gas and electricity supplied will be secure?

  We are licensed by Ofgem, the energy regulator, to provide gas and electricity to domestic households. We meet all required industry regulations, and our tariff is protected by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) price cap.

• How can I be sure that you’re not going to increase your prices as soon as I switch?

  We can’t guarantee that prices aren’t going to change, but we’ll always ensure that our tariffs stay highly competitive. It’s our belief that customers should be rewarded for paying for their energy up front, rather than being penalised with higher tariffs.

  By specialising in smart prepayment metering, we also eliminate the costs of regular meter readings, estimated bills and quarterly statements, so we can pass these savings on to you. If we do need to increase our prices, we’ll always notify you at least 30 days in advance - so, you’ll have time to make sure you’re on the best tariff for you.

• Will my meter type effect my switch to Utilita?

  No, once you switch to us, we’ll offer you a free smart meter install. If you already have a smart meter but it’s not compatible with our system, we’ve got you covered! We'll either upgrade your meter, or we'll offer you a meter exchange.

  If your meter isn’t compatible and requires an upgrade, we’ll attempt to remotely upgrade it within 3-10 working days after you’ve made the switch to us.

  During that time, you’ll be transferred to Credit mode, and you’ll be billed for your energy usage – but don’t worry, you’ll still be on the prepay tariff. Any outstanding balance will be added to your meter as debt once in you’re in Pay As You Go mode at a Recovery Rate of 25%.

  If we successfully upgrade your meter remotely, you’ll be notified and placed into Pay As You Go mode, but if we’re unable to upgrade your meter, we’ll book an install so one of our engineers can replace it.

  If you sign up as a Credit customer, you can request to have your meters upgraded so you’ll become eligible for Pay As You Go.

• Why has my current supplier rejected my switch?

  Your switch should go through within 32 days of you signing up to Utilita, however in some cases it may take longer if the switch is rejected by your current supplier. Your switch may be rejected because:

  • The name provided is different to the one your current supplier has on record.
  • We’ve not been able to get hold of your current supplier to process your switch.
  • You have over £500 of debt with your current supplier.
  • Your current supplier can’t transfer any existing debt to us.
• What happens if I have debt with my current supplier?

  Debt Assignment Protocol

  • Normally, if you wanted to switch supplier but you had a debt that you hadn’t repaid for over 28 days, your current supplier would block it. We call this an ‘objection’. However, if your debt is stored on a Pay as You Go meter (e.g. A percentage or your top-ups go towards repaying it) you may still be able to complete a switch (to us, or away from us) by transferring the debt to your new supplier with a ‘Debt Assignment Protocol’
  • The Debt Assignment Protocol (DAP) is an energy industry procedure that allows people with Pay as You Go meters to switch gas and electricity suppliers, even when there is debt on the meter. It allows customers with debt of up to £500 on each meter to transfer their supply along with their debt, to a new supplier.
• How and when will debt be transferred?

  It may take a while for the debt to finish transferring to us, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll need to start making repayments the day your supply is switched to us.

  Once your debt is ready, we’ll check to see if you’ve had your smart meter(s) installed. If you have, you’ll receive a message on your In-Home Display when the transferred debt has been added to your meter(s). The debt will then be recovered by taking 35% of your top-ups, meaning that £0.35 for every £1 your top-up will go towards the outstanding amount, until this has been repaid.

  If you don’t have your smart meter(s) fitted yet, we will contact you to arrange an install. If for any reason this can’t be completed, we will work with you to find another way for you to make payments towards this.

  If you have any concerns about the amount you are repaying, you can find advice about paying for your energy here.

• Will I get a bill or statement?

  If you are a Pay As You Go customer, you won’t receive any bills as you’ll pay for your energy upfront. Once you have been with us for a full 12 months, you can request an annual statement - this is for your reference only and is not payable.

• What support is on offer to help me save energy?

  Once you have your smart meter installed, you’ll have access to many of our perks that are there to help you save money and energy. You can: View your energy usage in real-time on your In-Home Display, check your balance or top-up on the go with My Utilita, get energy saving advice tailored to your home with Smart Score, plus much more.

• What if I want to switch away from Utilita?

  While we’d love to keep supplying you, you’re welcome to switch at any time – all you’d need to do is contact the supplier you’d like to switch to. If you have between £20 - £500 of debt on your Pay as You Go meter, you’ll need to ask the new supplier to transfer the debt with you, when you switch.

  To initiate your new supplier’s Debt Assignment protocol, we’ll object the transfer request. However, as long as your new supplier agree to the amount of debt on your account, your switch will go through and the repayments for the debt will be arranged with your new supplier.