Add your feedback on energy supplier So Energy

dutchism1958

I endorse all of the previous comments regarding good and quick customer service,clear bills,prompt invoices and a friendly person on the other end of the phone.Eon were good but I am saving £27 per month by switching to So Hippo from a MSM collective of March 2017.

Frjack

Moved to SO from EDF in December 2015. There was just a couple of quid difference between their quote and the absolute cheapest fixed price tariff, but service reviews were streets ahead.

Initially, there was a glitch swapping the electricity (EDF's fault), but that was rapidly sorted and everything has been great since then.

Just before my tariff was due to end, I started hunting for a new tariff.They had a suggested tariff listed on my account page and guess what? They were the best with good service again! I had searched all the comparison sites and cheap energy club, which provided the same result.

I'll stay with them, even if this year's quote is a few quid more (but not too much, obviously).

It takes a lot to please me, but SO have done it!

jimbleT

I changed from EDF to SO Energy in May last year on their SO Dolphin tariff. I was delighted with them, saved about £170 compared with EDF's rate, was pleased with their approach, simple website - what's not to like?
...until it came to time to renew. The deal now is So Hippo and the new rates are:
Standing charge: 21p/day (11% increase) on So Dolphin
Day rate: 15.23p/KWh (29% increase) on So Dolphin
Night rate 9.52p/KWh (55% increase) on So Dolphin
...overall a 34% increase! Energy costs have risen, but not by that much.

These day and night rates are more than their Out of Contract rates. Why??

I'm voting with my feet, it's not difficult to find a deal (for my usage) that will save about £100 a year compared with So Hippo.

Shame, I didn't think SO would act like this

So_Energy

jimbleT wrote: »

I changed from EDF to SO Energy in May last year on their SO Dolphin tariff. I was delighted with them, saved about £170 compared with EDF's rate, was pleased with their approach, simple website - what's not to like?
...until it came to time to renew. The deal now is So Hippo and the new rates are:
Standing charge: 21p/day (11% increase) on So Dolphin
Day rate: 15.23p/KWh (29% increase) on So Dolphin
Night rate 9.52p/KWh (55% increase) on So Dolphin
...overall a 34% increase! Energy costs have risen, but not by that much.

These day and night rates are more than their Out of Contract rates. Why??

I'm voting with my feet, it's not difficult to find a deal (for my usage) that will save about £100 a year compared with So Hippo.

Shame, I didn't think SO would act like this

Hi Jimble,

We appreciate any feedback on our service and are sad to see you unhappy with what we have offered.

If we could just clarify a few things. The standing charge is actually lower on So Hippo (18.9p/day on So Hippo compared to So Dolphin which is 21p/day).

The unit rates have increased and the reason why is due to wholesale prices. Electricity prices have increased around 32% since this time last year, and this does need to get reflected in the tariffs we charge.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/04/10/energy-suppliers-market-costs-hit-two-year-high-political-crackdown/

From our perspective, we'd much rather prices never change as it would mean our customers didn't have to budget for higher energy costs, and we wouldn't have to change the tariff we offer. Unfortunately, factors outside our control mean we have to react to wholesale prices.

The So Hippo tariff is, on average, one of the cheapest tariffs currently in the UK (as are all the fixed tariffs we offer at the time they are available). See below for a Which article showing this (it is a couple of weeks old now).
http://www.which.co.uk/news/2017/03/switch-energy-firm-to-get-2008-prices-back/

We can't always be the cheapest in every region and if you can save £100 a year by switching then that sounds like a good deal. We'd love you stay but price is one of the most important reasons in why people switch, and we understand that. Thanks again, and we wish you the best.

jbuchanangb

My switch is complete. First Utility have provided a final bill (They owe me over £50), and SO Energy have created my on-line account.

A smooth swift and trouble free transition.

hawkwind

Gone from the CO-OP to So Energy and everything has gone to plan.
Very happy so far, So energy were not the cheapest but it was customer service i was looking for as well as price and i am happy on both counts.

jimbleT

Thanks for your response
Yes you are right, you have reduced the standing charge (but only by less than £8 per year), but (for my usage):

• You have increased electricity charges by £282/yr (For me, more than a third!)
• You have increased the night rate by more than 50% - this may catch out people who try to save costs (and benefit others) by using off peak electricity - why did you do that?
• Your Out of Contract rates are now less than your fixed rates - why did you do that? I wonder if the regulators will notice?
• This website listed 39 other deals that are cheaper than yours

....but hey - at least you are cheaper than EDF!

All the best

So_Energy wrote: »

Hi Jimble,

We appreciate any feedback on our service and are sad to see you unhappy with what we have offered.

If we could just clarify a few things. The standing charge is actually lower on So Hippo (18.9p/day on So Hippo compared to So Dolphin which is 21p/day).

The unit rates have increased and the reason why is due to wholesale prices. Electricity prices have increased around 32% since this time last year, and this does need to get reflected in the tariffs we charge.

From our perspective, we'd much rather prices never change as it would mean our customers didn't have to budget for higher energy costs, and we wouldn't have to change the tariff we offer. Unfortunately, factors outside our control mean we have to react to wholesale prices.

The So Hippo tariff is, on average, one of the cheapest tariffs currently in the UK (as are all the fixed tariffs we offer at the time they are available). See below for a Which article showing this (it is a couple of weeks old now).

We can't always be the cheapest in every region and if you can save £100 a year by switching then that sounds like a good deal. We'd love you stay but price is one of the most important reasons in why people switch, and we understand that. Thanks again, and we wish you the best.

Nikiya

Updating on previous report: switch to SE went ahead as promised and on time. Their site is hassle free and I although I've had no reason to contact their CS so far I am happy with everything. As previous posters say, it was not the cheapest option but the first of the cheaper ones with good reviews.

Chrissieh

Used MSE for first time to find a cheaper supplier after Eon wanted to up my annual fixed rate by over 50% !!! All has gone well.. Gave the meter readings but when the final bill came from Eon they had not used the reading i had supplied for gas. I rang and asked why and they said So had given them another reading (higher). I emailed SO and they replied quickly saying an independent body checks these readings and decided my gas reading was too low !!! What ?
Anyway So said they would challenge the reading for me if I sent a pic of the meter reading but we decided there was not enough discrepancy to warrant this. The emails were all from one person, quick and personal responses. So far very happy indeed with this switch, did not use the cheapest as heard poor reviews of First Utility, but reviews of So were good.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Chrissieh wrote: »

Used MSE for first time to find a cheaper supplier after Eon wanted to up my annual fixed rate by over 50% !!! All has gone well.. Gave the meter readings but when the final bill came from Eon they had not used the reading i had supplied for gas. I rang and asked why and they said So had given them another reading (higher). I emailed SO and they replied quickly saying an independent body checks these readings and decided my gas reading was too low !!! What ?
Anyway So said they would challenge the reading for me if I sent a pic of the meter reading but we decided there was not enough discrepancy to warrant this. The emails were all from one person, quick and personal responses. So far very happy indeed with this switch, did not use the cheapest as heard poor reviews of First Utility, but reviews of So were good.

Hello Chrissieh and welcome to the Forums.

Just to confirm, with a change of supplier, opening/closing meter readings are checked by third parties (Data Management). They check they're in line with past readings held for the property. This happens with every switch regardless of the suppliers involved. Once they come through, we'll close our account to the same readings your new supplier starts with. This makes sure the same energy isn't charged twice.

These readings can be challenged through an industry wide procedure known as an Agreed Reads Dispute (ARD). Here, the two suppliers re-agree the opening/closing readings and re-submit them. Before an ARD can be used, the difference needs to be above set thresholds. For gas, this difference is 45/125 units for a 4 dial imperial/5 dial metric meter. Sounds like the difference in your switch was less than this. In these cases, this means paying one supplier for more units than expected but this is balanced out by paying the other for less units.

Hope this explains Chrissieh.

Malc