Leaving Utilita: no exit fees, 30 days' notice of price rises, moving home and complaints

Utilita Energy Limited (company number 04849181) has supplied gas and electricity since 2003 from Hutwood Court in Chandler’s Ford, near Eastleigh in Hampshire. It describes itself as a smart pay-as-you-go specialist. This page draws on version 6.0 of Utilita’s domestic terms, its moving-home and complaints pages, and Ofgem’s switching rules.

How to leave Utilita

Utilita’s own FAQ puts it plainly: it does not lock customers into a contract, you are free to move to another supplier at any time, and there are no exit fees. Choose a new tariff, sign up, and the new supplier tells Utilita. Clause 6.3 of the terms says your Utilita contract simply continues until the switch completes, which Ofgem requires within five working days.

The one catch is debt. The terms say you must pay in full for energy used before you leave, and Utilita may object to the transfer until you do. If you have been in debt for more than 28 days a switch can be blocked; prepayment customers can take a debt of up to £500 to the new supplier. Once the switch is through, clause 6.12 promises an automatic refund of any unused credit on a prepayment meter; credit customers see it on the final bill.

Notice period and fixed tariffs

There is no notice period and no minimum term on Utilita’s standard tariff. Clause 7.1 says Utilita may offer a fixed-term contract as an optional extra, in which case extra terms are given to you at sign-up and form part of the contract; any exit fee would be in those extra terms, so read them before accepting.

New customers have a 14-day cooling-off period from the contract start date (clause 1.9). Cancel by phone or by returning the form from the welcome book. If the supply has already transferred, clause 1.11 says you must ask a new supplier to take over within 15 days or Utilita keeps supplying you on its terms.

Price rises: your rights

Clause 5.11 commits Utilita to a reasonable amount of notice, or as much as regulation demands, before any change that disadvantages you, including a price increase, and to apply it only from the date stated. On its moving-home page Utilita is more specific: it will always notify you at least 30 days in advance. That is also the Ofgem standard.

Clause 5.12 then gives you the escape route. If Utilita receives notice of your switch to another supplier within 20 working days of the change taking effect, it may decide not to apply the change to your account. Credit customers need the new supplier to take over within a reasonable time; prepayment customers may see the higher price for a short while but are refunded the difference. The same logic for other suppliers is in Fixed energy tariff ending.

Moving home

Clause 6.2 is the rule to remember: tell Utilita at least two working days before you move and give a closing meter reading on the day you leave. If you say nothing, you stay responsible for the energy used at the old address until Utilita receives a change of tenancy notice or the new occupier takes over.

The quickest route is the Moving Out form on Utilita’s website, which asks for the old address, customer reference number and a few personal details. Alternatively call the Change of Tenancy team on 03452 072 000. Utilita asks you to leave the in-home display, user guides and top-up cards for the next occupier, and it will refund credit left on the meter. If you want to stay with Utilita, give the new address on the same form. Our checklist is in Moving house: what to do about your energy supplier.

Contact and complaints

Utilita steers customers to web chat, which it says is available 24 hours a day, and to the help screen in the My Utilita app. Citizens Advice lists the phone line as 0330 333 7442 (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, weekends 8am to 5pm) and the email as customerservices@utilita.co.uk. In the April to June 2026 Citizens Advice ratings Utilita scored 2.53 out of 5, fifteenth of sixteen suppliers.

For complaints, Utilita’s published route is the Customer Care Team on 01962 891 160, customerrelations@utilita.co.uk, or Freepost RTXA-BEUG-KLGH, Utilita Energy Limited, Hutwood Court, Bournemouth Road, Chandler’s Ford SO53 3QB. If you are not satisfied with the final response, or the complaint has been open for more than eight weeks, you can go to the Energy Ombudsman (0330 440 1624, enquiry@energyombudsman.org), free of charge and within 12 months of any deadlock letter. Its decision binds Utilita once you accept it.

What to check before you switch

Check the balance on your meter and any debt older than 28 days, because that is the only thing that can stop a switch. If you are moving from prepayment to a credit tariff, ask the new supplier whether your smart meter will work in credit mode. Find your yearly usage in the app or on a statement (our bill explainer helps) and compare on the UK energy comparison. The guide How to switch energy supplier walks through the steps, and the contract end reminder is useful if you take a fixed deal elsewhere.