to not want our neighbour ''going over'' our energy bills ....

[Laiste]

DH has had a text message from a neighbour. A nice chat to in the street neighbour, but we're not close. DH reads it out.

They are wanting to ''make a little money'' and ''need 'guinea pigs''. They ask if we would we be prepared to go and ''watch a presentation''.

I'm thinking god, ok, as long as it's not too long. It's going to be oils or tupperware or something. Then DH continues; ''We'll go over your energy bills together and see where you can save money ...''.

Will we heck!

How would you reply?
(if you didn't want to go)

And, as an aside, how do they make money out of this?!

This is very good and very relevant advice and needs repeating. Seems obvious, but it was something which only dawned on me properly when i was reading the threads on here about the price hikes a couple of months ago:

With regards to choosing a provider - it is ALL about the price per unit.

When it comes to saving energy in your own personal circumstance then it's all about turning off heating, lights, ect.

No one can say ''i'm paying this, so you should/could be paying that''. We're all different. No one else's bill has any real relevance to your own.

Price per unit people!

Personally I’d respond and say oh I would but we literally did this with a mate last week, was some mlm scheme for a company called utility warehouse , lol, ever heard of them? Thanks for the offer but don’t want to do it twice.

We wouldn't be interested but thanks very much for thinking of us.

I have to say I'm really pleased with the service from UW. Have been with them for years, since a friend "went through" the bills. I spoke to their customer services recently when we were all panicking about whether to fix. He was honest and said that it looked as if we were better off not fixing - so no pressure at all to sign up for a deal. In terms of the networking side of things, it's tainted by association with so many rubbish companies, but as a customer it causes me no problems at all.

You never have to do something a friend or neighbour asks. It's ok to say "no thanks"

I would hate to be stuck listening to a presentation and someone being nosy about my bills and lifestyle, so this would be a no straight away anyway from me. Let alone you don't need a presentation... they can give you a post it note with their unit prices on. That's all you need

MLM, avoid

I’d be annoyed. Classic bait and switch.

Yeah, we had the this time or that time option.

The bit about the presentation was tagged onto the end of a text thanking us for something personal. So it felt 'nice' but makes it hard to ignore.

I've composed something for DH to send back this morn. (he's all at sea with this) It concentrates mainly on the personal bit, with a quick no thanks we're totally happy as we are. She's a lovely lady. It just feels awkward.

I'd say 'No, as ever since we tapped into the lamppost outside, our electricity is free!'

I recently had a leaflet through the letterbox from utility warehouse, followed up by man on the doorstep, offering to help me choose better/cheaper power suppliers. He was pushing the benefits of talking face to face, rather than struggling with things online. I explained that I was happy with my present choices, and I am on a 3 year contract at prices much lower than can be obtained this year. He said he and his wife could come round for a chat over coffee and biscuits! I had difficulty keeping a straight face, at being treated like a lonely elderly technophobe, who couldn't sort her own household bills, and would be grateful for a bit of company.
🤣

No thanks
we no longer use our own supply but have bypassed it and using the neighbours

I've composed something for DH to send back this morn. (he's all at sea with this) It concentrates mainly on the personal bit, with a quick no thanks we're totally happy as we are. She's a lovely lady. It just feels awkward

She isn't a 'lovely lady' though. She is pushy and she is being sneaky. She's lied to you about being a ginne pig. UW is a bad choice for a lot of people but she was going to try and push you into signing up so she gets more money. She could have been upfront and honest but she is playing on the fact you are too nice and the type to feel awkward.
I'd politely tell her that you don't like what she is doing and that if she wants to sell UW she needs to be more upfront. I'd also tell her that you hope she isn't contacting other neighbours.

There is no need to be rude to her but you should be straight with her.

Send them a link to moneysavingexpert forum which gives very mixed reviews of UW

With regards to choosing a provider - it is ALL about the price per unit.

Correct - but even then, there's nothing stopping them increasing the prices once they've signed you up - or just having an 'introductory' tariff that doesn't last long before it 'expires', if it isn't fixed.

They all like to make out that they're so much better than the rest on price, but I don't think that there's that much in it, really - especially now that prices have had to be capped. Is there actually much profit to be had anymore, now that the wholesale price is so high?

”yes, love to! Actually you could return the favour and come to our UW presentation this afternoon? “

Or just tell them thank you but you are busy and are on a fixed tariff that is very favourable.

They've been at it in my work place, trying to get people to sign up. I was tempted to look into it but what happens if they go under and collapse. How do they actually make the money?

Just wanted to add that my experience of UW has been broadly positive.

Did have a bit of a faff getting our fried modem sorted out after a severe thunderstorm took it out - BT seemed to be the issue rather than UW as obviously it’s sun- contracted, however I was compensated for missed appointments at 25.00 a pop so got 75.00 off my next bill - swings and roundabouts….

I live in a weird large house with three other adults and combined electricity and broadband is holding steady at around 175.00 a month despite tumble drier use etc. And it’s on a smart meter….

Not keen on the MLM aspect but that’s not how we got it - like everything it’s a mixed bag and I guess you have to do what works for you ….

I am not with Utility Warehouse any longer, because they didn't work out as the cheapest supplier where we are.

I was with them for almost ten years when I lived in a previous property... utilities and landline.

I wasn't recruited by anyone, I actually just called them to sign up.

I always found them to be fine. Good prices and good customer service.

They aren't the bogeyman!!

No thanks
we no longer use our own supply but have bypassed it and using the neighbours

"Luckily, you're they're with UW, so it's so extremely cheap that they haven't even noticed!" '

However nice these people might be intending to be, it's a very unequal relationship and they are not your friend. The whole idea of a broker for financial products/services is that they look across a big, wide section of the market, including some deals that are not available direct to the public, and FIND you the best deal they can. If all they can do is 'compare' ONE provider - and 'recommend' that one company's tariffs which are freely available to anybody who goes online or phones them - they are NOT doing you any favours. It's all for their benefit and you are just their chosen source/conduit.

😂

I swapped to UW several years ago. My rep sorted out nonsense with sSE. I didn't have to do anything except send the meter readings. She's been brilliant at managing my account. Never tried to sell me anything else. Even told her higher ups to stop hassling me about a smart meter as I don't want one. I will be moving soon, and will be taking up their broadband when I do. My gas and electricity bill this month was £34! I was sent a prepay card, so I make all my purchases with that, reducing my bill. (No, I don't work for them!)

I just want to say, i'm so grateful for all replies here.

I'm glad i'm not alone in feeling the dread at being approached about 'presentations'. It's interesting reading the positive posts about UW also. (we don't 100% know for sure it's UW mind you)(will we ever now ... ?)

Lots learned here - not least how to respond to being approached like this. Be it make up, herbal supplements or electricity!

I wouldn’t give any reason or apology, just no thank you.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

See i knew nothing about UW before this thread, and i've got nothing against it at all.

Over the years I've been that friend/neighbour who said yes to jewellery partys, Denby evenings, make up demo's, storage solution evenings and 2 Anne Summers get togethers. It's always a bit of a ball ache dragging your arse off the sofa and going there, but it's usually a laugh and there's tea and coffee and the rest of the street, and it's fairly easy to not buy or just buy a tiny thing and keep it for an xmas gift or something. And then it's all over.

What's put the wind up me about this one is the combo. of the selling party thing the personal financial info. aspect AND the ongoing connection if you say yes. And yeah the assumption that we haven't been online and done it ourselves. AND, in all honesty, the tag onto the rest of the text.