Add your feedback on energy supplier Shell Energy (formerly First Utility)

sevenhills

ndf9876 wrote: »

I switched to Shell about 6 months ago and ever since, was constantly hounded for Smart Meter installation.

The 3% petrol discount was nice, but the customer service is an absolute shambles. I would not recommend this supplier at all, due to their poor customer service.

I did have a non-functioning smart meter with Zebra Power, changed to Shell Energy and the functionallity has returned.
£50 DD every month and 3% off my fuel, fingers crossed.

pokora

I had this supplier for about 4 months and it took me that time to get the tariff that I chose when I joined. I moved out from the property and they billed correctly. They took about 2-3 days to answer you. 

now3d

Sadly Shell Energy - buyer beware! I have had awful service all this year. I wasn't living at the flat, but they kept getting my correspondence address right. I had told them it was empty. I moved to another gas supplier, but Shell Energy gave them a very large estimated reading (of course there was no gas use while empty). They refused to correct it because I had only one photo of the gas meter reading. 35 emails so far, this has been right to the top. Their management team feel hostile and belligerent. They would not give me a Deadlock letter, finally I got it, so I have passed to the Ombudsman. Awful customer service, represents a dramatic failure. Avoid them!  Our new supplier Igloo and Bulb are giving us very good service.  acc: 3869512

Consumerist

You have to wonder why a company the size of Shell, which is used to million/billion-dollar deals, wants to get involved in retail energy supply which, it seems to be emerging, they are entirely ill-equipped to deal with.

Gerry1

Because they know that oil will run out and new petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2035?

tony6403

Disappointed. I have smart meters but Shell insist that I must send the first readings by email. This is not a good start.

Merryb

I used the Cheap Energy club to switch to a cheaper deal but I am still being charged the same amount

Consumerist

Merryb said:

I used the Cheap Energy club to switch to a cheaper deal but I am still being charged the same amount

When energy prices are rising generally this can happen. Your new deal should, however, be cheaper than it would have been if you had not switched.
You don't say who your new supplier is but some set a higher direct debit during winter months which should be lowered during summer months.

fly-catchers

With SP locking us into their "cheap" tariff until your account is set up do we have any chance to get compensation for the higher costs? Got my final bill from Tonik today and so far its 39 days with SP. And a difference so far of about £42 more for that period than if it was still the Tonik tariff I had been with. And no sign of my account being set up fully with SP. Though the last email did say a DD of £145 would be going out a week on Friday! 

r6owned

my mum who is in her late 80's was with first, then became shell, her energy usage was less than the monthly DD, so credit had been built up over the period, despite being in credit to over 150, they would not amend the DD amount, so she switched to another provider of energy last july
very bad customer service, no issues otherwise, I felt they were more personable before shell bought them out