Utilita Energy Welcomes 250,000th Customer Independent Energy Firm Reaches Key Milestone
The company reached the milestone shortly after confirming a second reduction to its gas prices this year – taking total cuts in 2015 to 7.91% for an average prepayment customer – as it maintained its Price Commitment to keep its average prices below the Big Six.
Utilita – based in Hampshire – provides energy and smart meters for homes across the country and has grown its customer base from under 100,000 in Q1 2014 to a quarter of a million. The company has been operating for ten years and now employs around 200 people at its Winchester HQ and a further 400 field staff.
Utilita’s Managing Director, Bill Bullen, said: “Reaching the 250,000 customer mark in such a short space of time is testament to the impact the challenger energy brands are having on the market.
“Independent firms are posing a real threat to the Big Six, and this is clear from the rise in our customer base. The public are becoming increasingly savvy about how to get the best deal for their energy and our latest price cut shows we are serious about ensuring we offer the very best deal to our customers – this drives everything we do.
“As the country’s leading provider of smart energy technology, we also have the highest proportion of customers using smart meters – well over 99% – and are working hard to meet the Government’s smart meter roll out by 2020.”
The firm is one of the leading independent energy companies challenging the Big Six firms, which have seen an exodus of customers over complaints of poor customer service and high prices.
Now it has reached the 250,000 customer mark, Utilita will also offer the Warm Home Discount, where eligible customers will receive a one-off payment of £140 towards their electricity bills.
Linda, from Runcorn, Cheshire, has been a Utilita customer for 18 months. She said: “Since moving to Utilita my entire fuel bill has probably halved and I can keep on top of my payments. That is so important when you have a low income.”
Utilita is the first energy supplier to focus solely on the needs of prepayment customers and has developed a range of user friendly ways to pay-as-you-go. Every new customer gets a free smart meter installed to help them monitor their energy usage and reduce their household bills.
Utilita’s smart meters also allow customers to benefit from Emergency and Friendly Credit, ensuring they do not lose power during evenings, weekends or bank holidays, allowing them a little extra time to top-up when needed.
