Add your feedback on energy supplier iSupply

Jonesmicht

I signed up to isupply energy after the recommendation of this website - huge mistake. At the end of the year there was a huge deficit on the account because despite giving them regular meter readings the direct debit was too low. They said the deficit is shown on the account online and it is my responsibility to check and request my DD increased to cover this. A deficit never showed ony account until the end of the one year contract. I had to sign up for another year and spread the cost - the direct debit doubled and then they reduced it without my consent a few months later. Moved house a couple of months before the end of this one year contract - I had been checking the account regularly and giving meter readings and no deficit was showing but as soon as I have final meter readings I suddenly had £438 owing on the account despite paying by DD monthly. The statements given do not accurately show how this was calculated. I complained and again for the same response that it was up to me to check this deficit and manage it. I told them I had been monitoring it and am now having to go to the ombudsman as it seems to me that they do this on purpose - leave you with a big amount owing at the end of the year so you have to sign up for another year with them with the promise that they will spread this cost throughout the year then don't. It is also very difficult to complain to them as their messaging service is frequently down and don't respond to phone calls. AVOID AT ALL COSTS - we are with Scottish Power now - excellent customer service and transparency.

The_Last_Username

I am now entering my fourth year with iSupply .......... there were two (slightly) cheaper alternatives BUT reviews were even worse than those for iSupply! (Yes, really.)
At least with these, I know what to expect.

HOWEVER - for those who (even occasionally) need to contact this company, please note that their website has changed/is changing.
I'm not convinced it's all for the better either, since I struggled initially to find WHERE to send them a message.

So for those who - like myself - struggle to see where you go to send iSupply a message:
1/ Log into your account
2/ Go to "Your Messages" and click "New Message"
3/ On the "Ask Us A Question" page you land on from the above, go to "My account" and a few of the listed options will produce a pop-up at the bottom right hand side of the screen which says " If you still can't find the answer to your question please click here to send iSupply a message."
(For example, by clicking on "Can I recalculate my direct debit?" will produce the "send a message" link.)
That then produces the message page; not easy and NOT ideal but it worked for me.

Also, here is iSupply's Annual Complaints Report for the year to September 2015 if anyone is interested:

http://www.isupplyenergy.co.uk/ComplaintsReports.aspx

jimbo-2014

I don't know whether they've changed a lot since the last posts but I've found Iswitch to be a great company if you're happy to correspond and check statements online. They reply to my questions and the information they provide seems informative and easy to understand. However currently the unit rate for 2016/17 seems different to the one on this website, of by around 10p

Anthorn

I've been with isupplyenergy for a year now which was marked with repeated attempts to get them to reduce my direct debit monthly payment without success. When I switch next week my credit balance will be over £330.00. They have offered a new fixed 1 year tariff with the standing charge increased by £0.10p per day, no reimbursement of the credit balance and no reduction in the monthly payment.

Bye-bye isupplyenergy!

Anthorn

jimbo-2014 wrote: »

I don't know whether they've changed a lot since the last posts but I've found Iswitch to be a great company if you're happy to correspond and check statements online. They reply to my questions and the information they provide seems informative and easy to understand. However currently the unit rate for 2016/17 seems different to the one on this website, of by around 10p

Straight from the horse's mouth:

ifix 201603 Direct
10.80p per KWh - Standing charge 16.00p per day

Ifix 201703 Direct
9.87p per KWh - Standing Charge 21.13p per day

As I understand it, the above rates are for new customers only and do not apply to customers such as myself who are transferring from an existing contract which has expired.

footyguy

Anthorn wrote: »

I've been with isupplyenergy for a year now which was marked with repeated attempts to get them to reduce my direct debit monthly payment without success. When I switch next week my credit balance will be over £330.00. They have offered a new fixed 1 year tariff with the standing charge increased by £0.10p per day, no reimbursement of the credit balance and no reduction in the monthly payment.

Bye-bye isupplyenergy!

Anthorn wrote: »

Straight from the horse's mouth:

ifix 201603 Direct
10.80p per KWh - Standing charge 16.00p per day

Ifix 201703 Direct
9.87p per KWh - Standing Charge 21.13p per day

As I understand it, the above rates are for new customers only and do not apply to customers such as myself who are transferring from an existing contract which has expired.

How did you ever allow the credit to build to £330 in one year? :eek:

iSupply set their monthly DD values initially based on 1/12th of the cost on the tariff you select based on the usage figures you provided. (unless joining between Oct & Mar where winter weighting temporarily applies in year 1)
If you overestimated your usage to the sum of £330 per year, your comparison could have been wrong in the first place.

Anyway, the MSE article advises how to keep a good handle on your Monthly DD figure.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits

No need to have made repeated attempts - just the one and follow it through if necessary.
In my experience they will do everything in their power to stop you going to the ombudsman (unless they firmly believe they will still win) ... but they will only offer the resolution at the last minute i.e. after 7 weeks and 6 days

After 1 year with iSupply, they would have calculated your new anticipated annual cost based on the amount of energy you used last year (unless you give them a good reason not to) and the new tariff.

So maybe the monthly DD has not been reduced because of the increase in cost of the new tariff you refer to?

In regards to the accrued credit, I never had any issue with iSupply (on request) reducing the new monthly DD by 1/12th of the accrued credit, so if you really will be £330 in credit, they will knock £27 a month off the monthly DD.

(Presumably you are aware that the credit shown online will not necessarily be the final credit after the final bill, especially as they only bill quarterly ... and you pay monthly)

But as you have presumably consulted a comparison site, hopefully using more accurate usage figures this time, and found a better deal elssewhere, then of course ditch & switch

footyguy

Anthorn wrote: »

Straight from the horse's mouth:

ifix 201603 Direct
10.80p per KWh - Standing charge 16.00p per day

Ifix 201703 Direct
9.87p per KWh - Standing Charge 21.13p per day

As I understand it, the above rates are for new customers only and do not apply to customers such as myself who are transferring from an existing contract which has expired.

Ifix 201703 v2 is already out.

It has slightly higher unit charges than v1, but significantly reduced daily standing charges. I wouldn't be surprised if it now beats ifix 201603 Direct you quoted.

Btw, it's available to all - there's no special tariffs for brand new customers only.

Anthorn

footyguy wrote: »

How did you ever allow the credit to build to £330 in one year? :eek:

I was stuck with it: There is no response on their support phone number and their online DD control allowed a £10 reduction in the upcoming month but not in the following month. The only way to do it would have been to cancel the DD but there is a monetary penalty for doing that. Overall, by my own calculation my annual consumption of electricity is 1167.884 KWh. For that isupply charged me £41 per month by DD and Peterborough Energy / OVO is charging me £16. Basically whether I stay with isupply or switch to Peterborough Energy is a no-brainer. The only thing left is getting my credit reimbursed and I'm expecting a problem with that too.

Anthorn

footyguy wrote: »

How did you ever allow the credit to build to £330 in one year? :eek:

iSupply set their monthly DD values initially based on 1/12th of the cost on the tariff you select based on the usage figures you provided. (unless joining between Oct & Mar where winter weighting temporarily applies in year 1)
If you overestimated your usage to the sum of £330 per year, your comparison could have been wrong in the first place.

Anyway, the MSE article advises how to keep a good handle on your Monthly DD figure.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits

No need to have made repeated attempts - just the one and follow it through if necessary.
In my experience they will do everything in their power to stop you going to the ombudsman (unless they firmly believe they will still win) ... but they will only offer the resolution at the last minute i.e. after 7 weeks and 6 days

After 1 year with iSupply, they would have calculated your new anticipated annual cost based on the amount of energy you used last year (unless you give them a good reason not to) and the new tariff.

So maybe the monthly DD has not been reduced because of the increase in cost of the new tariff you refer to?

In regards to the accrued credit, I never had any issue with iSupply (on request) reducing the new monthly DD by 1/12th of the accrued credit, so if you really will be £330 in credit, they will knock £27 a month off the monthly DD.

(Presumably you are aware that the credit shown online will not necessarily be the final credit after the final bill, especially as they only bill quarterly ... and you pay monthly)

But as you have presumably consulted a comparison site, hopefully using more accurate usage figures this time, and found a better deal elssewhere, then of course ditch & switch

I didn't submit an estimate because I only just moved in, immediately switched from e.on and there was no history on which to base an estimate. Isupplyenergy based the monthly amount on their estmate of medium useage for that size of property which was £41 per month. It's interesting that OVO / Peterborough Energy estimate that at £28 per month for a slightly more expensive tariff.

Anthorn

Further to my previous posts about isupplyenergy I am now going to complaint and from there to Ofgem if necessary. My account closed on 18 Feb with my account standing at £270.57 in credit, isupplyenergy took yet another direct debit payment on 20 Feb so I deleted the direct debit to prevent further payments from my bank account. Rather incredibly they notified me on 05 March that the latest payment had failed due to me cancelling the direct debit:

Your latest Direct Debit payment has failed. Please can you confirm we are able to reinstate your Direct Debit in accordance with your contract with us.
If you have any issues please reply to this message to make us aware and we will do our upmost to resolve any problems for you.

Your account has now been placed onto a monthly billing cycle.
We apologise if you have already advised us about this matter.

Now on my closing statement isupplyenergy have deducted a direct debit cancellation charge of £10 leaving a credit balance of £317.91 and not a word about reimbursing that credit balance to me. On the contrary they have including information on how I can pay them yet more money!

In conclusion, anyone who sees isupplyenergy should start running in the opposite direction!