GB Energy Supply reviews: Give your feedback

backfoot · 15 March 2016 at 3:48PM

stay_away_from_GB_energy wrote: »

Stay Away From GB As Far As You Can!

GB is still showing on the national database as my prospective supplier, 12 days by now after I have cancelled contract with them within the cooling period (because their mess up with my meter details and terrible customer service). This is stopping me from switching to a new supplier now.

Just out of interest, how did you know within the cooling off period that they messed up your meter details? What do you mean by messed up? Are you sure it was them that messed it up?

On a recent transfer of mine to Npower from OVO I was unable to submit gas meter readings for a while because I was told my meter details were not transferred. They also said wait, while the data was requested again and the problem was rectified.I am not sure who was at fault but I would assume it would be the outgoing supplier transferring data over?

backfoot · 15 March 2016 at 4:34PM

I am interested in your experience as I also switched to GB Energy a month ago.I have just submitted my first monthly reading.

How long have you been with GB Energy?

wonko wrote: »

1st invoice landed in the middle of the night. My weekly reading submitted and confirmed through their web pages have, for the most part been ignored and moreover, they claim many of them as their own readings. Another which, is lower than my submitted reading, first thing in the morning (before the heating engaged) which was lower than my own submitted reading - suggesting the reader came in the wee small hours of the night.

What is the point of submitting a weekly reading? They aren't going to issue a weekly bill. I doubt whether any actual readings have been taken by a meter reader.The bill when sent will be from an automated billing process run overnight which is why it arrived then.You can't be serious thinking this is a problem or that a meter reader called and submitted a reading live into the billing system.

Result is, they are using once again an algorithm that estimates the highest possible usage to extract the most they are allowed to without any regard to the actual reading supplied or applying any 'intelligence' to their calculations.

You say that they have used a lower estimate than your reading. How can they be extracting more than they should?

How much is the difference between their estimate in Kwh and your own readings for the same date? Are you sure that you aren't making this over complicated?

System · 15 March 2016 at 6:50PM

I won't quote all the above. Companies such as GBEnergy, Zog etc have a basic approach. GB send out an e-mail reminder for a meter reading about a week before they actually bill. As I have said before, if you want a bill based on an actual meter reading - as opposed to GB's best guess - then provide them with a meter reading each month. My switch went through on the 10th of the month so I provide GB with a meter reading on the 9th. A statement based on the reading that I provided hits my inbox about 3 days later in the early hours of the morning.

backfoot · 15 March 2016 at 6:59PM

Hengus wrote: »

I won't quote all the above. Companies such as GBEnergy, Zog etc have a basic approach. GB send out an e-mail reminder for a meter reading about a week before they actually bill. As I have said before, if you want a bill based on an actual meter reading - as opposed to GB's best guess - then provide them with a meter reading each month. My switch went through on the 10th of the month so I provide GB with a meter reading on the 9th. A statement based on the reading that I provided hits my inbox about 3 days later in the early hours of the morning.

Which was my point. Keeping it simple.

George30 · 15 March 2016 at 9:12PM

I am in the process of moving to GB Energy from EDF and wish I had not it is turning into a nightmare that is costing me money because I am having to pay both suppliers as I am still a customer of EDF until GB Energy ask for meter readings and pass these onto EDF for a final bill.
GB Energy take there payment in advance which was on the 11th March but supply will not start until 20th March , EDF take their payment on the 18th March so I end up paying both suppliers. Having cancelled EDF's direct debit I am receiving texts and emails for unpaid energy from EDF .
It has taken numerous phone calls to both companies to sort this out including having to pay over the phone by credit card for an alleged unpaid bill.
I assumed that the Energy company you are changing to did everything for you "Be careful it is not the case"

System · 15 March 2016 at 9:35PM

George30 wrote: »

I am in the process of moving to GB Energy from EDF and wish I had not it is turning into a nightmare that is costing me money because I am having to pay both suppliers as I am still a customer of EDF until GB Energy ask for meter readings and pass these onto EDF for a final bill.
GB Energy take there payment in advance which was on the 11th March but supply will not start until 20th March , EDF take their payment on the 18th March so I end up paying both suppliers. Having cancelled EDF's direct debit I am receiving texts and emails for unpaid energy from EDF .
It has taken numerous phone calls to both companies to sort this out including having to pay over the phone by credit card for an alleged unpaid bill.
I assumed that the Energy company you are changing to did everything for you "Be careful it is not the case"

This is entirely normal when you switch suppliers. The gaining supplier asks you for meter readings. These are passed to a third party for review/validation and then passed back to the 2 suppliers as closing and opening readings. This process can take a few weeks after the transfer has taken place. Until EDF has received the validated closing reading it will keep your account live. For its part, GBEnergy makes it clear that it will take your first payment 3 weeks after the application to switch. Most smaller suppliers do take payment in advance of supply.

The good news is that once things are sorted out, you will only pay for the energy consumed. Just check that the opening and closing readings are the same.

Edit:

I should have added that if you know that you are in credit with EDF, then call them and ask them if you can cancel your DD. Most suppliers will not object. The losing supplier has up to 6 weeks after the actual transfer to issue you with a final bill.

George30 · 15 March 2016 at 9:54PM

Thank you for your post, I understand now when it is explained what happens but it would have been nice for GB energy to supply a full detailed explanation and wonder how many people like me have to pay out of their pension to two direct debits at once.
Once again thanks

George30 · 16 March 2016 at 1:16AM

This is not about billing or customer service it is about the switching procedure
My two points are that
1. I had no idea what the procedure was for switching or how it worked other than a supplier telling me they will do everything
2. I may have been stupid or naive when switching but with no info on how or what to do I made assumptions wrongly

If my comments are helpful to someone else to save them from the monitory worry then it has not been in vain but I do think there should be more transparency from suppliers about the procedure

victor2 · 16 March 2016 at 8:14AM

George30 wrote: »

Thank you for your post, I understand now when it is explained what happens but it would have been nice for GB energy to supply a full detailed explanation and wonder how many people like me have to pay out of their pension to two direct debits at once.
Once again thanks

The other side of that is that should you leave GB Energy for someone like EDF, you'll have a payment "holiday" for a month as EDF take payments effectively in arrears and, as you have found out, GB Energy (plus quite a few others) take payments in advance.
If OFGEM continue rolling out restrictions in their supposed simplification of tariffs, the situation is likely to get more confusing.

System · 16 March 2016 at 10:40AM

George30 wrote: »

This is not about billing or customer service it is about the switching procedure
My two points are that
1. I had no idea what the procedure was for switching or how it worked other than a supplier telling me they will do everything
2. I may have been stupid or naive when switching but with no info on how or what to do I made assumptions wrongly

If my comments are helpful to someone else to save them from the monitory worry then it has not been in vain but I do think there should be more transparency from suppliers about the procedure

The domestic energy supply industry has procedures that are in desperate need of updating. I agree that it is all too easy for ML, MSE and the Govt to promote greater switching on the basis that it is simple and everyone can do it. What they do not tell you is that every switch carries an element of risk that it will go wrong. It always takes longer than consumers would like to get a final bill - more so, if gas is supplied via an IGT. In all the years that I have been switching, I cannot recall ever receiving an e-mail from a supplier telling me that my switch went through on the planned date with confirmation of the opening reading. Suppliers could do more to communicate with their customers, and I am not talking about fancy online accounts etc which rarely get updated until well after the switch and, sometimes, never.

GB Energy Supply reviews: Give your feedback

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