utility warehouse

[Surfer01]

Tyr777, well written. Although I never worked for one fo the Big 6 I have been there, done that and got the T-shirt!

[shining Light]

Hi TYR775, welcome to the thread and I think you have explained the overall workings very well as well as the problems. Dealing with a 3rd party can sometimes lead to unnecessary problems however, when you consider the likes of B.G., BT etc etc they have hardly covered themselves with glory and they are the ones "in control" of the networks.

 

Regarding UW, in the past 2-3 yrs I have only had 2 problem transfers with energy, both relating to "objections" from the previous supplier and both of which were resolved quickly.

 

UW are not perfect (as I previously stated it only takes one CSA to have a bad day or say the wrong thing), but I genuinely believe the customer service is good in general with improved training etc.

 

Regarding "Green energy" I wrote a similar thing a while back mentioning an excellent article which basically called it a "[problem]" with very little "Green energy" being generated in relation to the customers paying for it.

Funny really but I have actually met people who because they are paying for "Green energy" actually believe the gas/electric coming into their house is from a "green" source.

 

Have to disagree with the "Pyramid" remark though. As said before, Pyramid selling is illegal whilst Network Marketing is a booming business and a recognised business. With Pyramid schemes, the early entrants make money, the ones who join a little later don't. In network marketing you could start tomorrow and be earning a fair, a good or a fantastic income depending on your level of committment. That is fact! At UW there are many who have or are doing exactly that.

 

Great explanation though.

[spacebeagle]

Hello

 

I've just found this thread, and for the most part I've enjoyed reading it. I'll add this to the debate.

 

Financial highlights

 

 

• Revenue up 40% to £124.8m (2008: £88.9m) reflecting increased customer numbers
  
• Profit before tax in line with expectations at £5.8m (2008: £9.8m)
  
• Continued strong underlying cash generation; net cash £27.9m (2008: £28.9m)
  
• Earnings per share 6.3p (2008: 10.8p)
  
• Interim dividend up by 60% to 8p per share (2008: 5p)
  
• Intention to pay a total dividend of 22p for the current year (2009: 17.5p), in the absence of unforeseen circumstances
  

Operating Highlights:

 

 

• Number of services supplied up by 114,819 to almost 910,000
  
• Customer numbers increased by around 36,000 to over 317,000
  
• Focus on attracting higher quality "owner-occupiers"
  
• Successful autumn sales conference attended by 3,000 distributors
  
• Distributor numbers increase by almost 5,000 to 31,852
  

The above is quoted from Telecom Plus plc's (TP) half yearly report published by the regulated news service of the London Stock Exchange on 25/11/2009.

 

Am I a shareholder in TP? Not presently, but I have been in the past and will be again in the near future.

 

Am I a distributor? No and I never have been, I have my own successful business, and 'man who chases two chickens catches neither'.

 

My interest in TP is purely from an investment perspective, and I think the number above prove the case for TP as a high quality company with fantastic prospects.

 

Now you might think of shining light as someone who has swallowed the company song book, but I would just say that he/she is a comitted sales person who believes in the product (try selling something you don't believe in)!

 

In any event, there is no doubt that TP's is a robust and sustainable business model and in no way can be described as a [problem].

[shining Light]

Hi Spacebeagle, thanks for your input from a 3rd party investors point of view. Every year the figures seem to be improving and its not just increased profits, I think I would be right in saying that the company still doesn't have any debt (certainly was the case last year) which is rare these days.

 

Definately as good a bet as any if you are looking to buy shares. And no, I don't get paid to say that.

[Door to Door]

Hi Stube, some interesting comments.

 

"Failure rate" I honestly don't know, and really it doesn't make any difference for the reasons I previously mentioned. The biz works, many distributors earning great incomes can testify to that but if for example, 8 out of every 10 did nothing and gave up, does that make the biz a failure? No. I know of people who spent a lot of money buying a Franchise, some are successful, others aren't, why? Probably because some tried harder than others.

 

You may be right about the failure rate, I don't know, but if you are going into a biz (any biz) with a negative attitude you will not succeed!!

 

Regarding your other idea. Sounds interesting but I doubt the many thousands who would lose their jobs would agree.

 

 

UW don't pay for any of the above, just the distributors.[/Hi there, u seem to know a lot about uw, i'm considering setting up a door to door business selling energy do i need a licence for each rep selling door to door for me or can they just go ahead and promote and sell for me without one?]

[Door to Door]

sorry new to this blogging thing, but hopefully you got the idea??

[Door to Door]

I'm working out whether or not to get involved with this company?

I run a b2b telecom management service, I want to break into the residential market but keep that business completely separate from what i'm doing at present. I want to run door to door teams selling uw products, does anyone know if I need a licence to do this or can I just get the reps to sign them up using my membership details.

I'm not bothered about the sign up money as i will probably have to use all that and some to pay the reps, It's the residual income i'm interested in!

Can anyone give me some idea of what i could expect to make in residuals if i have 2 reps selling 15 customers a week each having a min of 3 services from me, i.e. 30 customers a week each spending £100 a month on products. lets say we do that for 6 months therfore 780 customers??? can anyone help me do the math???

 

Cheers!!!!

[spacebeagle]

D2D

 

When you join UW you do so as downline to an existing distributor. You would then sign up your two reps would then become downline to you. The people they sign up will become their customers, they will get commission on their customers spending with UW (as would you with your personal customers). As their upline you will receive an override on their commission, as will your upline, and their upline etc up to 8 generations (I think).

 

Bear in mind the whole business plan with UW is win/win, your upline wants your to earn more, as they will be earning more, and similarly you will want your downline to earn more because of your override. All earnings are uncapped! This 'everyone pulling in the same direction at once' effect is what makes UW such a good business model and such a successful company (IMO).

 

I do not pretend to be fully au fait with all of the finer points of the business plan, but it seems to me that joining an established player with lots of training & support beats the hell out of starting on your own!

 

A number of very successful UW distributors are clients of mine, whereabouts in the UK are you, I can put you in touch with one if you want.

[Nairyhuts]

Hello all,

 

Just thought I would add my two penneth to the great UW debate.What an absolute disgraceful outfit they are.I signed up to UW after a home visit from one of their agents who promised the world.He took away my previous suppliers invoices to see if UW would be able to compare or better my current agreement.After 2/3weeks he returned proclaiming that I had been paying well over the odds with my previous supplier and they UW could offer me a substantial annual saving.Regardless to say I signed on the dotted line,BIG MISTAKE.

Everything seemed to be going fine and to be fair I was happy although a little concerned that my meter readings seemed to be getting ignored in favour of their estimated usage.BANG!!! Twelve months after signing with them I receive my annual review. Due to my using more energy than they expected I was now in debt of £1200 pounds and therefore my new monthly D/D would have to be increased,they weren,t kidding,from paying £70 per month for gas and electric they now wanted a new payment of £260 per month.How could a supposed reputable company like this let this happen especially after they had taken time to study my previous bills and were well aware of my usage.I provided them with regular meter readings yet these were disregarded,I was visited by their agent on a monthly basis yet still I was not forewarned of my alledged D/D payment shortfall.

It has now been 4 years since I disputed this debt and now fending off their debt collectors. As far as I am concerned UW can sing for their money as I truly beleive that it was their incompetence and bad account management that led to this issue.

Sorry that was a bit long winded but when I start about UW I get angrier and angrier.

You have been warned steer well clear.No doubt someone will reply to this stating how glorious UW are but I find they are usually UW employees.

[Surfer01]

Hello all,

 

Just thought I would add my two penneth to the great UW debate.What an absolute disgraceful outfit they are.I signed up to UW after a home visit from one of their agents who promised the world.He took away my previous suppliers invoices to see if UW would be able to compare or better my current agreement.After 2/3weeks he returned proclaiming that I had been paying well over the odds with my previous supplier and they UW could offer me a substantial annual saving.Regardless to say I signed on the dotted line,BIG MISTAKE.

Everything seemed to be going fine and to be fair I was happy although a little concerned that my meter readings seemed to be getting ignored in favour of their estimated usage.BANG!!! Twelve months after signing with them I receive my annual review. Due to my using more energy than they expected I was now in debt of £1200 pounds and therefore my new monthly D/D would have to be increased,they weren,t kidding,from paying £70 per month for gas and electric they now wanted a new payment of £260 per month.How could a supposed reputable company like this let this happen especially after they had taken time to study my previous bills and were well aware of my usage.I provided them with regular meter readings yet these were disregarded,I was visited by their agent on a monthly basis yet still I was not forewarned of my alledged D/D payment shortfall.

It has now been 4 years since I disputed this debt and now fending off their debt collectors. As far as I am concerned UW can sing for their money as I truly beleive that it was their incompetence and bad account management that led to this issue.

Sorry that was a bit long winded but when I start about UW I get angrier and angrier.

You have been warned steer well clear.No doubt someone will reply to this stating how glorious UW are but I find they are usually UW employees.

That is the con they use which is why it appears that your bills have dropped as your monthly payment is lower however when you want to switch and a meter reading is required, you then find that you actually owe them hundreds of pounds and effectively you have to stay with them until the debt is paid so it is a win win sitaution for them and a big lose lose for you.

This con is quite common with other suppliers which is why it is important to make sure that you submit a regular meter reading, preferably at least once a month but definitely no later than 3 months. Now I realise why they can always beat BGAS standard prices!

[shining Light]

Hi nairynuts, sorry to hear of your bad experience. In the past there have been problems unfortunately, i'm not going to come on here and say everything is perfect, but on the whole things have improved in recent years (improved, not perfect).

 

I have never had a meter reading ignored and i'm not aware of any of my customers having had this problem either and I am definately saving money compared to what I previously had.

 

Funny thing though, I read threads on here regarding similar problems with other companies or even worse problems and whilst the writers may not be happy with their suppliers, they rarely call them "a con."

[loopinlouie]

If you are led to believe, whatever supplier, that you are going to save money and then dont it can be known as a confidence trick. When you sign up you do so believing on your usage you will save and are confident with what told, when find out you have not saved you feel tricked. 'Con' no matter the company seems fitting in such cases.

[loopinlouie]

Hey has anyone also noticed the ammount of guests viewing this thread always appears in the double figures. Wouldnt be uw call centre would it, just a thought.

 

Hello again guests:D

[shining Light]

"Hey has anyone also noticed the ammount of guests viewing this thread always appears in the double figures. Wouldnt be uw call centre would it, just a thought."

 

Can't say I had noticed. Why would call centres which are usually target orientated waste their time on here?

 

 

Just an update. New Ofgem regulations mean all suppliers will now have to give potential customers a quotation based on their previous usage or if they don't have that, based on their property, number of occupants etc.

This will certainly help avoid some of thr types of complaints mentioned by many on this forum, however, any quotation is still only a guide because prices can change and peoples usage can change too.

[spacebeagle]

What a load of bull.

 

I was with UW for about 6 years as a customer at my previous address. I paid each month for my usage that month, never on a budget scheme. NOT ONCE did I have a problem.

 

Nairyhuts, if you knew they were underestimating you compared to previous usage then you must have had smaller bills from UW than your previous supplier. What did you do with the surplus cash flow you were accruing in anticipation of the problem?

 

The problem here, not restricted to UW, is accepting any suppliers estimates. Pay for your usage each month and you'll have no trouble.

[Surfer01]

 

Just an update. New Ofgem regulations mean all suppliers will now have to give potential customers a quotation based on their previous usage or if they don't have that, based on their property, number of occupants etc.

This will certainly help avoid some of thr types of complaints mentioned by many on this forum, however, any quotation is still only a guide because prices can change and peoples usage can change too.

 

This would not affect UW as they are NOT a supplier so the above is totally meaningless to them and UW can carry on doing as they please.

[shining Light]

"This would not affect UW as they are NOT a supplier so the above is totally meaningless to them and UW can carry on doing as they please."

 

Surfer01 are you for real? I thought we had already covered this in earlier posts?

 

Of course UW are suppliers and they have the licenses to prove it. No, they do not have a power station or an oilfield outside their offices in London, but then I don't believe Powergen, Eon etc have either (or perhaps I just didn't see them).

 

UW comply with all of Ofgems requiremments, they have even just changed all their paperwork to ensure this latest change is adhered to.

 

I get that you have a "dislike" of the UW, your choice, but please, no more wild, unsubstantiated accusations

 

The facts speak for themselves:

 

1. Growing customer base every year. (without advertising).

2. "Plc of the year" 2008

3. Several "no. 1" or "best buy" recommendations in "Which" magazine.

4. Many distributors earning substantial incomes.

 

Facts are facts, you may not like UW but they will continue to go from strength to strength without you, of that I can be certain.

Edited January 30, 2010 by shining Light

[shining Light]

Hi Nairyhuts, sorry but I forgot to mention something regarding your problem.

 

"although a little concerned that my meter readings seemed to be getting ignored in favour of their estimated usage."

The only reason a customers readings would be ignored is if there is a "dispute" when transferring between the new and previous supplier, it can and does happen and can drag on for months. The new supplier would write to you regarding this.

 

UW's system automatically logs the meter reading and if sent in on the last day of the month would automatically be used (the wonders of modern technology).

 

It does sound as though there may have been some sort of problem but I can only speculate.

[Nairyhuts]

Hi all,

Just to clarify I was on a budget plan because this was recommended as best for me by the highly trained agent.As I worked away at the time I very rarely if at all saw the bills sent and just paid the D/D accordingly.I took out the complete package with UW so my bills varied from month to month,generally between £120 to £150 a month which was actually a saving of about £20 a month from the previous various suppliers.

My argument is that unless unbeknown to me I was powering half the town where I live,how come my £20 a month saving for phone,broadband,gas and electric turned into a debt of £1200 for just gas and electric?Incidentally Spacebeagle how come if for 6 years at your previous address things were so good why are you no longer with them?Or have you too finally seen the light?;-)

[spacebeagle]

Nairyhuts

 

Since you ask, love led me to relocate. My new girlfriend owned the house in which we now live, therefore she calls the shots, that's all. I'd be very happy to move back to UW, as I said, I had six hassle free years.

 

I'll concede that maybe I was a little unsympathetic in my last post, not knowing your circumstances, so I apologise for that. However I stand by my point that you, and indeed anybody else, are better off paying for your usage each month, whoever you're supplier is.

 

Incidentally, I'm not uncritical of UW. I think their mobile tariff is useless for business users. I moved from it some time ago and I wouldn't go back to it without some major changes.

[Surfer01]

"This would not affect UW as they are NOT a supplier so the above is totally meaningless to them and UW can carry on doing as they please."

 

Surfer01 are you for real? I thought we had already covered this in earlier posts?

 

Of course UW are suppliers and they have the licenses to prove it. No, they do not have a power station or an oilfield outside their offices in London, but then I don't believe Powergen, Eon etc have either (or perhaps I just didn't see them).

I am for real and I even pointed you towards the Ofgem site which shows for definite that UW DO NOT have a electric supply licence which goes to show that UW has conned people into thinking that they have an electric supplier's licence. On more than one occasion I have proved to you that UW do not have an electric supplier's licence.

They are agents for an electric supplier whose name I have already given to you, but obviously you cannot see this and you are misleading people by stating that UW have a licence. Why don't you ask UW for the registration number for their supplier's licence where it specifically states that UW are a supplier?

You will never be able to do that unless they did apply for an electric supplier licence and going by your steadfast belief that UW have a supplier's licence for electric, it does seem that UW have also conned you.

[mounty']

Just an update. New Ofgem regulations mean all suppliers will now have to give potential customers a quotation based on their previous usage or if they don't have that, based on their property, number of occupants etc.

This will certainly help avoid some of thr types of complaints mentioned by many on this forum, however, any quotation is still only a guide because prices can change and peoples usage can change too.

 

 

just want to add on this as my father in law is a distributor for UW and i have read the quote they have to give customers. it basically states that UW will give you a quote based on everything mentioned above and that it is only a guide and as such shouldn't be used as a direct comparison. and as he even said, what's the point in that?! UW and i'm guessing all companies have to give you a quote for comparrison which they then state very clearly shouldn't be used as a direct comparrison ...... why bother.

 

anyhoo to the point, came across this thread as was trying to find more info on UW as i went with them for my F-I-L, extra customer etc etc. but i'm going to change for various reasons. i've heard about how they're meant to be great for ustomer service however i've not exactly found that to be. i wouldn't say as strong as downright rude, but dismissive, abrupt, patronising wouldn't be wrong. and not just one call but many. they even tried to refuse me reducing the amount monthly i was paying for electricity on DD even though their estimates (yes i've given readings too which were noted on the bills then apparently disregarded for the remainder of the month) were way out and i'm now £120 in credit, which i am now having difficulty getting back again. contrastly my gas was going fine but then on the estimates for this month they have decided that my usage will have quadrupled from december in a flat with a single person in it that is out at work all day and have gas heating on for about 4/5 hours a day. and yes i've given meter readings about every other month.

 

i know no-one i perfect but i've got fed up with them so will (once i get my money back) be going with someone else.

 

personal experience here, i've known others who were happy and not had such issues but ... honest advice to anyone would be think carefully before joining.

[shining Light]

(yes i've given readings too which were noted on the bills then apparently disregarded for the remainder of the month)

 

Hi Mounty, I queried this myself some time back and it is due to the automated system. Unfortunately if you were not advised of this you wouldn't know. I advise all my customers to read their meter on a regular basis and phone it through on the last day of the month and then that reading would be used.

 

Like you say nobody is perfect and I have come across some real horror stories involving most of the other companies (and read many others on this forum) so good luck with your change, lets hope you aren't back on this forum in the near future with new problems.

 

Oh and regarding the new changes and what is the point of them....you will have to ask Ofgem that one.

[spacebeagle]

Surfer01, I must be a bit thick. Let's assume you're right about UW merely being an agent for an electricity supplier and not a supplier themselves.

 

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

[mounty']

have been looking into a load of this now as i was trying to work out my bills for this month going by meter readings. electricity estimates and payment plan are out by £30 in my favour yet they dont want me to reduce payments or get my money credited back as " your usage might well go up in other months so it'll give you a fund to fall back on" doubt it'll double so i'll keep plugging away to get it back. Gas ... to be fair, they have got it about right, think it's just the large increase in ammount of heating used and i keep forgetting to turn it off from "constant" to "timed". poxy people coming round my flat getting cold

 

and i happened to notice on my bill so i thought i'd say to clear up the annoying argument on supplier licenses etc - "TelecomPlus PLC (trading as UW) is responsible for management and billing of your gas/electricity supply on behalf of Gas Plus supply limited / Electricity Plus supply limited, your licensed gas/electric supplier." (2 separate paragraphs but same wording and cant be arsed to write both)

 

UW is not the supplier, do not need supplier licenses as they manage the accounts only, not supply the actual service.

 

i read it that way anyway.

 

 

 

edit** just found out actually that npower bought out control of both the companies in 2006. so it effectively comes from npower ... my brain aches