Add your feedback on energy supplier Robin Hood Energy

cifpower · 14 October 2015 at 3:50PM

I have begun a switch to them today and the customer service seem of a very high level!

I initially wanted to switch to EON with their USwitch collective deal but they wanted a £200 deposit - not happening. Robin Hood was very similar to the EON deal; a bit higher at night but a lot cheaper during the day.

I tried to switch online yesterday but my address didn't show up. When I called them I was asked if I had a prepayment meter. I did but it was swapped out. Robin Hood just had to update their database. The same guy I spoke to yesterday called me back this afternoon to complete the application. Account has been set up and I have registered online. Switch completes on 2 November and first direct debit is taken on 1 December.

Manglewursle · 15 October 2015 at 1:04AM

Nottingham city council have been running the energy company since the 1940s, it is only recently that they have publicised it. Throughout it's whole existence it has been a not for profit company. People in Nottingham get a preferential price, as do their industrial customers.
It's not complicated and you don't need to get technical about it, it's just cheap power primarily for the people of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire but others can also join.

Summerwhiner · 19 October 2015 at 5:49PM

Have just switched to them and so far so good, They are easy to contact (and speak English!), their web site is easy to use, and unlike some companies I've used, they have NOT started me off on a monthly direct debit amount which is way over the odds and ends up with me lending them vast quantities of money.

glider3560 · 8 November 2015 at 10:45AM

Switched my electricity only to Robin Hood just over a month ago.

The switch was smooth, but they insisted on a £20/month direct debit (for the first six months) even though my usage would be around £14/month. If they don't adjust this down as promised, I'll be switching again, as it will end up costing me more every month just to build up a zero interest useless credit balance.

Also, the meter reading website is far too sensitive. Told me I entered a value that was too high. In fact, the daily usage between this and the opening reading was much lower than the estimate I gave when joining! Had to email customer services to get this reading applied.

Not received any bills yet. (Aren't these supposed to be supplied monthly from Robin Hood?)

So far, not too impressed. Probably just teething problems. However, if a better deal does come up, I will almost definitely jump ship.

UnfinishedSympathy · 26 November 2015 at 12:24AM

If this were truly a NFP company it would have been set up as a Community Interest Company [CIC] not a company limited by guarantee.

Facts are: - any profit will go back to the Nottingham City Council's pot, any losses will be absorbed by Nottingham City Council Tax payers. BBC 07/09/15: - "Mr Clark [director] admitted that, as a business, it could lose money."!!!

Got to wonder if this is a good use of Local Authority cash [tax payers' money] and if the NFP claim will stand to any Trading Standards scrutiny.

hwo · 18 December 2015 at 5:55PM

I changed to them 07 September 2015, the switch went reasonably smoothly, although there are industry bottlenecks, for some reason even with dual fuel switches both fuels are not switched together, the electricity can take a lot longer for reasons I still don't really understand properly.

Unfortunately my gas service engineer noticed a small leak on the bleed nipple on the gas meter when servicing my boiler. I reported it as a gas safety issue and the meter was replaced by the National Grid on 06 October 2015, who said I wouldn't need to do anything, my supplier would be informed and things would carry on as normal, oh yes I bet, I thought, so I informed Robin Hood Energy immediately.

It is now mid December and the new meter has still not been registered, I don't even get a bill any more, they say they will bill me when the meter issue has been resolved, but they are still taking the normal direct debit of course !

I have done everything to try and help them with this, contacted the National Grid and the company who replaced the meter, but Robin Hood Energy just keep saying it's nothing to do with them, while the National Grid And the meter suppliers / installers say that it is their responsibility to take the correct steps in order to register the new meter.

They don't seem to have an effective complaints procedure as such, very much ad hoc, you have to send several emails to get a response, but the responses are then always completely incoherent.

Could very likely be the next npower and end up getting fined millions !

Which could be the end for them if they don't have any profits to pay the fine out of !

az-wow1 · 4 January 2016 at 2:35PM

I moved to this company in October, shortly after moving house due to their much cheaper tariff than British Gas.
The switch went smoothly, I was even called on the switch day to confirm the readings I entered and as I'd moved bank's between signing up and the first payment, the correct new bank details were confirmed.
I checked the direct debit was correctly setup with my new bank (which it was) and the first payment came out no problem.

*** That was when the problems started ***

November's direct debit was not taken and instead I was sent an email to say it had been cancelled by me. I was also unable to enter a meter reading as online it said it was too low.

Emails went unanswered.
I called and was told the direct debit payment had been taken (which it hadn't) and then told the person who deals with direct debits was not in and would call me back. Eventually about a week later someone called and said it was my banks fault for declining the direct debit. Bank confirmed no request for payment was made by Robin Hood. Spoke with them again and they said would setup the direct debit again and they took the meter readings manually as their software has bugs.

January payment due and low and behold, no payment taken and no bill yet produced.
I've emailed them again although I don't expect a reply. I've also taken the positive step and completed an online switch to OVO Energy who I've used previously and found their customer service excellent.

No more Robin Hood AKA price of thieves for me :beer:

Petard · 14 January 2016 at 1:46PM

I have today decided not to move to Robin Hood Energy. It would save me money, but I am worried about how they plan to use my personal data. Here is an extract from their Terms & Conditions:

"We may gather information about you in a number of ways, for example [...] from companies that offer databases of information.

"[...] we and our agents can use your information for [...] statistics, test[ing] computer systems and [...] analysis. The formation and analysis can include details about you and your household, your income and your lifestyle. It can also include the way you use energy [...]"

My income, lifestyle, and household? What do these have to do with RHE? I just want to buy electricity and gas. What next? When I visit a cafe, will the waitress want to know how much I earn and how many children I have before she'll serve me a lattè?

No thanks! RHE's Privacy Policy runs to 2,043 words. I think I'll stick with my existing supplier, whose policy is just 262 words, and does not permit them this kind of nosiness.

gilbert_and_sullivan · 16 February 2016 at 3:27PM

Just moved to them so its early days.

Found them to be very friendly and competent on the phone.

They've already sorted one silly problem out that no other electric supplier was able to do and has caused endless issues in years gone by, our bungalow was built 23 years ago about 23 years after the others here, and when first set up someone botched the address so it was always known as ''Bungalow adj to'', the nice young man at Robin Hood sorted that in 5 minutes flat after confirming the correct meter number which i read out to him over the phone.

So already they're doing well far as i'm concerned.

@ Petard, post above...i suspect the data use thing is them letting you know they will keep an eye out for customers who fail to pay bills and the like or who end up in court with CCJ's, if thats the reason can't say i blame them, people who fail to meet their debts cost us all in the long run.

glider3560 · 20 March 2016 at 12:06PM

I'm a very low electricity user, only about £10.50 per month. All my cooking is gas, I'm at work all day and often away at weekends/evenings for work.

When I switched to Robin Hood, they insisted on a minimum direct debit of £20 per month. I've now built up a credit balance of almost £50, so asked for a refund and lowering of the direct debit. Their response (from Customer Services) was to "please contact customer services". Erm, I thought that was what I had done!

Anyway, rather than arguing with Robin Hood over this, I've decided to switch supplier (again). My new supplier is only £1 per month cheaper, but they've offered a direct debit of around £10 per month, so I won't end up with this credit balance building up.

Additionally, I've not had a bill from Robin Hood since the start of February, despite providing two meter readings in this time. So much for monthly billing.

Add your feedback on energy supplier Robin Hood Energy

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