Utilita Energy – Everything you Need to Know
When choosing an electricity company, there are numerous different brands you could consider – and one such brand is Utilita Energy, which specialises in providing energy for the UK market. But who is Utilita Energy, and are they a reliable energy company for you to consider?
If you would like to read more information or learn more about the pricing of business energy, you can do so here.
History of Utilita Energy
Utilita Energy is one of the more modern energy companies and was founded in 2003 by Bill Bullen. When it was founded, Smart Meter technology was not widely available for the market; however, Utilita Energy would become the first company to install a Smart Meter in the UK for 2008. Following on from this, the company would become one of the leading providers of Smart Pay as You Go Energy.
As of 2014, the company achieved a total of 100,000 customers. By January 2021, this number had further climbed to a total of 800,000 customers, and this means that Utilita Energy is one of the United Kingdom’s largest energy companies, and it holds a total market share of 2.6%. Moreover, it provides energy solutions for business customers and commercial energy customers on a Pay as You Go basis.
Ofgem Investigation
Utilita Energy is highly praised and highly rated among its customers. However, it underwent a review by Ofgen in January 2020. This investigation occurred following reports that the company was taking part in bad practices and overcharging customers for the energy they used due to the prepayment meter system.
Does Utilita Offer Value for Money Services?
Utilita offers a selection of different tariffs for its customers, depending on whether the customer already has a smart meter installed. The brand also provides customers with a prepayment meter, which can then be paid with direct debit payments.
A unique feature of the Utilita tariff is charged at varying unit rates daily. Initial energy use (up to two kilowatt-hours per day) is charged at a higher rate than subsequent energy use, which is provided at a lower rate; therefore, for high energy users, Utilita Energy can provide potential cost savings. They also offer the option of a combined gas and electricity package and gas or electric-only solutions.
In terms of overall value for money, Utilita Energy typically offers generally comparable value with other energy providers, although the different unit rates are potentially beneficial. Moreover, bills typically tend to be accurate, based on a Which review of the company.
How Much Does Utilita Energy Cost?
The price for Utilita Energy services is generally about average for most energy companies and depends on your chosen plan. Moreover, energy prices are variable by region. However, prices tend to fall within the following regions:
- Smart Energy plans
- Gas: 8.034 pence per kWh initially, and 3.421 pence per kWh for additional units
- Electricity: 17.516 pence per kWh initially, and 12.875 pence per kWh for additional units
- Premium Energy plans
- Gas: 30.936 pence per kWh initially, and 3.421 pence per kWh for additional units
- Electricity: 40.342 pence per kWh initially, and 12.875 pence per kWh for additional units
- Smart E7 plans
- Electricity: 43.947 pence per kWh initially, 15.331 pence per kWh for additional units, and 4.385 kWh overnight
- Premium E7 plans
- Electricity: 44.219 pence per kWh initially, 15.331 pence per kWh for additional units, and 4.385 kWh overnight
In addition to the solutions mentioned above, Utilita Energy also provides a selection of reliable business electricity and gas tariffs and rates, which can be arranged based on your business’s unique consumption and requirements and paid on a Pay As You Go basis.
Customer Service
Utilita Energy shines on an area of customer service, with the brand responding to phone calls in roughly four and a half minutes on average – around one third faster than the average response times for energy brands, something that’s commendable. Moreover, the average response time for a live chat was even lower at just a couple of minutes. However, it should be noted here that the live chat functionality went down during the Ofgem investigation period.
As an additional benefit of the Utilita Energy customer service, the team is also highly praised for the helpfulness of its colleagues, with many customers reporting that they got support quickly and easily through the contact platforms.
The only drawback in customer service comes from the 2020 Ofgem report, which highlighted the team as slow to respond to complaints. With that being said, the company has likely made improvements in the complaints department specific and general customer service, owing to more recent reviews.
Customer Perceptions of Utilita Energy
A vital indicator of the reliability and success of a company is its customers’ perceptions. To this end, it’s worth considering whether past customers have a good experience with the brand. Fortunately, customers commonly report good results with the company, despite the Ofgem investigation in January 2020.
We should note here that several brands have given the Utilita team a lousy review, including the Review Centre and Citizen’s Advice. However, on the whole, perceptions of Utilita Energy are high from past customers and review brands alike; for example, the brand has, at the time of writing, received an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars based on almost 40,000 past customers, with customers particularly praising the company’s customer service for queries.
Choosing a suitable energy company can significantly influence your overall energy costs and the level of service you experience. Fortunately, Utilita Energy is one company that is rapidly growing in terms of popularity, and with over 800,000 customers as of January 2021, the company has become a more popular choice. To this end, they could be a good choice for your energy requirements, particularly if you are looking for a Pay provider like You Go Smart Energy.
Other useful links about Business Energy
Are Charities Entitled to Energy Discounts?
Switching Business Utilities
Opus Energy for your Business
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