Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

brewerdave

Hope it isn't sign of things to come but my switch to Avro was apparently completed yesterday - but I can't input meter readings ,all I get is "Sorry,an error occurred" when I log in - both yesterday and this morning.

Western Power Distribution site lists me as a customer of Avro.
Can't get thru on the phone.

r.jenkins36

Having now been an AVRO customer for almost 1 year (chosen after MSE reviews), I can honestly say that they give the WORST customer service I have experienced in 50 years of paying for utilities, yes, 50 years.
It took 3 days for them to acknowledge my request to repay credit and to say they would look at it; 17 WORKING days to respond to my request and say that as I was only £150 in credit (immediately after deducting use) they would only refund £50; then after 5 working days I still have nothing. I am now over £200 in credit taking into account current use (to 18/09) and current payments (made 15/09).
Electronic bank transfers take 2 days max. so where is my refund?

And now (using MSE energy club) I find they are overcharging me!!!

AVRO = Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish!!!

cranford

If things are so bad r.jenkins36 why don't you switch away as it will cost you nothing and after a few weeks you will get your credit back.
I am also in credit by over £200 but come the spring this will be down to a few pounds. I don't expect a small company to give me credit in the winter and would rather be in credit and have their lower prices.

r.jenkins36

Hi Cranford. Thanks for the advice. I appreciate the input, however, you are missing the point and some facts.
1. There is an early-leave penalty on both elec and Gas accounts up to March 2020, so leaving now WILL cost me.
2. The advice to request the credit came from Martin Lewis for accounts where you are over 1 month in credit - I happen to trust him.
3. If you are in credit you get 0% interest. Not smart. It is a clandestine (and dishonest) way of making money - I wonder how much they make in interest if every one of their customers is giving them a £200 interest free loan?
4. Their prices are not as low as others.
5. As soon as the contract is up I will be changing suppliers.

Even when I am getting ripped off it would be nice to get a reasonable customer service response. I do not see how over 20 working days (i.e. over 1 month calendar) is reasonable to resolve a simple request for return of my money to which I am fully entitled.

polymaff

r.jenkins36 wrote: »

Hi

That's something to look out for. Which AVRO tariff has a non-zero early exit payment?

r.jenkins36

AVRO....Simple and MSE Collective
End date: 16 Apr 2020 (estimated)
as recommended by MSE Energy Savings Club!!

tonycarew

brewerdave wrote: »

Hope it isn't sign of things to come but my switch to Avro was apparently completed yesterday - but I can't input meter readings ,all I get is "Sorry,an error occurred" when I log in - both yesterday and this morning.

Western Power Distribution site lists me as a customer of Avro.
Can't get thru on the phone.

I switched to Avro in July this year and had the same problem regarding the error message when trying to input my meter readings,I think it was about a week from my official switch over date before my readings were accepted by the system,all's been well since.

polymaff

r.jenkins36 wrote: »

AVRO....Simple and MSE Collective
End date: 16 Apr 2020 (estimated)
as recommended by MSE Energy Savings Club!!

Oh, crikey. Say no more.

MSE's collective energy offerings have usually been grotesquely oversold - to the extent of patent untruths, eventually explained as being "simplifications" - by MSE staff.

Not their finest hours.

Biggus_Dickus

r.jenkins36 wrote: »

Hi Cranford. Thanks for the advice. I appreciate the input, however, you are missing the point and some facts.
1. There is an early-leave penalty on both elec and Gas accounts up to March 2020, so leaving now WILL cost me.
2. The advice to request the credit came from Martin Lewis for accounts where you are over 1 month in credit - I happen to trust him.
3. If you are in credit you get 0% interest. Not smart. It is a clandestine (and dishonest) way of making money - I wonder how much they make in interest if every one of their customers is giving them a £200 interest free loan?
4. Their prices are not as low as others.
5. As soon as the contract is up I will be changing suppliers.

Even when I am getting ripped off it would be nice to get a reasonable customer service response. I do not see how over 20 working days (i.e. over 1 month calendar) is reasonable to resolve a simple request for return of my money to which I am fully entitled.

Info below from MSE Article https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/

Under condition 27 of the Gas Supply Licence, suppliers must:
• Set fair direct debits. They must take reasonable steps to ensure customers' direct debit levels are based on the best available information, including the quantity of gas and electricity supplied.
• Give clear explanations. If you ask, your supplier must clearly explain why it's chosen that amount for its direct debit.
• Refund credits. If a credit has accumulated and a customer asks for it back, suppliers must refund it. If the supplier thinks the credit should be withheld, the reasons why must be clearly explained but customers can challenge this (see how to challenge it).

In theory, this should make it much easier for consumers to get fair direct debits set for them and reclaim refunds where due. As this is a licence condition, energy regulator Ofgem can fine suppliers if they breach it. Many energy companies, including all of the big six, now offer automatic refunds when you're in credit (though the threshold for this happening varies). However, in some cases it'll still be up to consumers to demand a refund.

Biggus_Dickus

r.jenkins36 wrote: »

Hi Cranford. Thanks for the advice. I appreciate the input, however, you are missing the point and some facts.
1. There is an early-leave penalty on both elec and Gas accounts up to March 2020, so leaving now WILL cost me.
2. The advice to request the credit came from Martin Lewis for accounts where you are over 1 month in credit - I happen to trust him.
3. If you are in credit you get 0% interest. Not smart. It is a clandestine (and dishonest) way of making money - I wonder how much they make in interest if every one of their customers is giving them a £200 interest free loan?
4. Their prices are not as low as others.
5. As soon as the contract is up I will be changing suppliers.

Even when I am getting ripped off it would be nice to get a reasonable customer service response. I do not see how over 20 working days (i.e. over 1 month calendar) is reasonable to resolve a simple request for return of my money to which I am fully entitled.

Is this the same Martin Lewis that guided you into the rapacious grasp of Avro Energy by way of the ‘CheapEnergyClub’?

I reckon Mr Lewis sold you (and many others) down the river with that Avro ‘Simple & MSE Collective’ tariff!...it’s an absolute rip-off,...and just to rub salt into the wound they slapped £60 early exit fees on it as well!.

The ‘CheapEnergyClub’ is not what it once was, imho;...and contrary to their proud boast that they display the ‘Whole of Market’ in their comparison lists they demonstrably do not!