About us
The UK’s leading smart meter energy supplier
We are an energy company with a difference.
We want to help you understand and manage your energy consumption, reduce your carbon footprint, and ensure you receive accurate bills.
Switching to us
How to switch to first:utility
Switching to us is simple; once you've selected your tariff and filled out our online registration form we will handle the rest, keeping you updated at all stages of the process.
Below is a basic outline of the switching process and the length of time each step should take. Please note, timescales are only approximate and may vary depending on the date your supply went live.
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1. Work out the tariff for you and apply online |
Day 1 |
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2. Your 7 day cooling off period ends
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Week 1 |
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3. You become a First Utility customer
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Week 6 |
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4. You select your smart meter installation date |
Week 8 |
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5. We install your smart meter On the agreed date our meter installation partner, OnStream, will come and install your smart meter. You'll need to be at home on this day to let the meter engineer into your property.
Once your smart meter is installed you can start enjoying the great benefits on offer, including viewing your energy usage online via our web portal and accessing Google PowerMeter.
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Week 14 |
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1. Work out the tariff for you and apply online |
Day 1 |
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2. Your 7 day cooling off period ends |
Week 1 |
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3. You become a First Utility customer
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Week 6 |
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4. We will request your meter readings
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Week 9 |
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5. Log in to your account to submit your accurate meter readings Also contained within this email will be a link to your First Utility online account. By clicking this link you can submit your actual meter readings for both your gas and electricity, ensuring your bill is accurate and not estimated.
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Week 9, and every month thereafter |
Questions about switching
- How do I become a First Utility customer?
Use our price calculator to work out the prices and tariff for your area. As soon as you are ready to join us simply register online by clicking the sign up button. The registration process is simple and only takes a couple of minutes.
- How do I get a smart meter?
Please visit our Smart tariff page to find out if you are eligible for a free smart meter and to sign up to our smart tariff.
- Are there any reasons why a smart meter may not be able to be fitted?
Unfortunately on rare occasions we may be unable to fit a smart meter if the signal strength in your area is weak. On the day of installation, the meter fitter will first test for mobile coverage to ensure that your premises can accept smart metering. On the very rare occasion that we are unable to establish communication due to poor mobile network coverage we will be unable to install the smart meter at your premises. Unfortunately we are unable to detect this until we actually visit your premises. If there is a weak signal, or no signal at all, a high gains aerial can be attached to the meter to provide a boost and bring the meter into range. Costs vary between £40 and £80, depending on the strength required. If we are unable to receive any communication from the meter we will allow you to transfer energy supplier.
- I am a vulnerable customer, what services can you offer?
We have a selection of free services for our vulnerable customers. Click here to find out more.
- Do you perform a credit check?
Yes, we use the information that you have given us to make checks with our credit checking agency. If you are rejected due to a credit score this will leave a trace on your credit history.
- I have a pre-payment electricity/gas meter, can I sign up to First Utility?
No. Unfortunately we do not offer a pre-payment service on our tariffs at the moment. This may change in the future. If you would like us to let you know when this service becomes available email your name and address to prepay@first-utility.com.
- Are there any reasons why I can't switch to First Utility?
Yes, on rare occasions we are unable to take over your energy supply. This may be down to one of the following reasons:
- If you have a large gas point meter then, unfortunately you cannot switch to First Utility. A large gas point meter is a meter which consumes more than 73,200kWh in a footprint year. First Utility do not yet accept registrations consuming more than 73,200kWh. It's worth remembering that very few households are a large supply point in the UK.
- Your gas services is on an IGT (Independent Gas Transporter) network.
- You have an economy 7 or economy 10 meter.
- Your current electricity and/or gas meters are prepayment.
- You don't pass our credit check process.
- You are already signed up to First Utility
- You have multiple or de-energized MPANS
- I live in a new-build home with a smart meter already installed, how do I sign up to your services?
Call our team on 0845 215 5000 to set up your First Utility electricity and gas.
- Are you competitive with the 'Big Six' energy providers?
Yes. We have an in-house team who regularly price-check the rates of the big six energy providers, adjusting our prices to ensure our tariffs remain competitive.
- Can I take advantage of your cheap electricity and gas without having a smart meter installed?
Yes, with our iSave tariff, available to all regions.
- Is there a charge for the meter(s) to be installed?
Installation within our standard installation hours is free. Outside of these times it is chargeable as follows:
- 06:00 - 7.59am and 16:01 - 20.00pm £65+VAT per meter
- Saturday and Sunday £90+VAT per meter
- Do I need to contact my existing supplier?
No, we will do this for you, and ensure no loss of supply to your home during the transition period.
- When will you be offering smart meters in my region?
We plan to offer smart meters and our Smart tariff to all domestic customers during 2010. If you are an existing customer on our iSave tariff we will be contacting you within the next 6 months to offer you a free smart meter.