1/5
GoogleI used Homebox(CheaterBox) to manage all utility bills at my rental property from July 2025. I am writing this review to share my experience honestly so others can make an informed decision. Unauthorised British Gas account on my credit file- In October 2025, I specifically requested that both my gas and electricity be managed under Octopus Energy. Instead, Homebox opened a British Gas account in my name without informing me, without my consent, and without any notification, no email, no letter, no phone call. I only discovered this account existed in May 2026 when I checked my Experian credit profile. When I raised this, I was told their terms allow them to switch to any supplier they choose. That may be the case, but there is no excuse for not notifying a customer when an account is registered in their name on their credit file. Bills not being paid to suppliers__ Despite paying Homebox every month by direct debit, I had to repeatedly chase them after suppliers confirmed they had received no payments. On one occasion, Eon told me directly they had not received a single payment since my tenancy began. Every time I raised this, I was told funds were "being processed", only for the same issue to arise again. Undisclosed charges__ I identified discrepancies between what Homebox recorded as paid out to Octopus Energy and what Octopus actually received. When I questioned this, I was informed that a £30 monthly commission is deducted from energy payments, on top of the £10 monthly service fee I was already paying. This was never clearly communicated to me directly. Poor customer service__ Getting a straight answer required repeated follow-ups across several months. Phone calls went unanswered. I was frequently directed to an AI chatbot or told to check the dashboard, a dashboard that, as I later found out, does not accurately reflect what suppliers actually receive. I have now raised a formal complaint and am escalating to the Energy Ombudsman and the Information Commissioner's Office. I have already resolved my accounts directly with Octopus, Affinity Water, and Luton Borough Council, and I am working to resolve the British Gas situation Homebox created. I trusted Cheaterbox to manage my bills. That trust was not honoured. Update in response to Homebox's reply: Thank you for your public response. I need to address each point you have made, as they are either incomplete or misleading. **"Supplier details were clearly visible on your customer portal"** This does not address my complaint. My issue is not that I could not find supplier names on a dashboard. My issue is that a British Gas account was opened in my name and registered on my Experian credit profile without me receiving any prior notification, no email, no letter, no phone call. Visibility on a portal is not the same as being informed that a new account is being opened in my name. **"Your account history does not reflect successful monthly payments"** I paid Homebox by direct debit every month from July 2025. My final payment was on 5 December 2025, a date your own team confirmed in writing. I stopped paying after repeated failures to forward funds to suppliers, including Eon confirming directly to me that they had received no payments at all. I did not stop paying arbitrarily, I stopped because I had lost all confidence that my money was reaching the correct suppliers. **"Gas supply could not be moved due to an outstanding balance"** This is the first time I have been given this explanation, it was never communicated to me at the time, despite multiple contacts with your team in October and November 2025. Had you informed me of this reason, I could have taken steps to resolve it. Instead I was simply told the switch was "in progress." The failure to communicate this is exactly the problem. **"Switched to the most competitive tariff available"** Choosing a tariff on my behalf is not the same as having permission to open a new account in my name without telling me. I was never informed before or after the British Gas account was created.
Agent replied · 8 July 2026
Hi Pavan, Due to the public nature of your feedback we would like to address some points in your review. When signing up to Homebox, the terms and conditions agreed to included authorisation for Homebox to act on your behalf in setting up and managing utility accounts connected to your tenancy. As part of our service, suppliers may be switched based on the most competitive tariffs available at the time, including where operational or account restrictions prevent a requested switch from completing successfully. With regard to supplier visibility, all utility suppliers linked to your property have always been displayed within your Homebox portal, along with account numers and payment references used. We would also like to clarify that your payment history with Homebox did not reflect continuous successful monthly payments. Our records show that only 6 payments were successfully made against your account between July 2025 and April 2026. This resulted in arrears accumulating on the account, which impacted the management of the utilities and supplier balances. At no point did you request to cancel your Homebox account, you just ceased payments. The negative impact on your credit score is a direct result of several months of non payment. Regarding the gas account specifically, the requested move could not initially be completed due to an outstanding balance associated with the supply. In line with the service agreement, the account remained managed through the active supplier until this could be resolved. We take complaints seriously and are sorry to hear you remain dissatisfied with the service provided. However, we do not accept the characterisation that accounts were opened or managed without contractual authority, nor that supplier information was hidden from you. We remain happy to continue addressing any outstanding concerns directly through the formal complaints process already underway. Homebox
