Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

victor2

Consumerist said:

MidlandsGlory said:

. . . They also seem to need confirmation you really wanted to switch. . .

Frankly, I regards this as a plus. It avoids the chance that another supplier is trying to take over your supplies without your knowledge or consent.

Double edged sword really. Sure it gives you a bit of extra protection, but equally it means switching suppliers isn't as simple as we are encouraged to believe. You end up with a supplier like Avro who play things to their advantage and make it difficult to leave them.

Other suppliers make do with a "we are sorry you're leaving us" email or letter.

Anyanka1

Whilst I agree that paying off any balance should remove any grounds for objection Avro might consider they have, once your DD goes through your account will be in credit; given the name they have on here for delaying repayment of credit, I would be loathe to pay them one penny more than I had to.

My whole objection, which to be fair, is a conversation I have had with other suppliers in the past, was the increase in DD amount when I am already in credit by over three times that at this time of year.  Were it December, they might have a point.  The whole thing could have been (and eventually was) resolved in five minutes when they actually deigned to speak to me.  I realise they are a bargain basement supplier but is it really such a bargain when the service is non-existent?

It is the being ignored until you threaten to leave/request your credit back which ticks me off.  Once you actually find "life, Jim, but not as we know it", the customer service is OK.

Consumerist

I noticed that Avro Energy has recently featured in the MSE Money Tips newsletter as a best buy. I would venture to suggest that Avro is more concerned about getting new customers signed up than providing a good service to to their existing customers.

Just a thought.

Telegraph_Sam

It has always been my view that MSE / CEC should give more weight in their ratings to "quality" rather than price alone - based on customer feedback not least from their own forum. If Avro is still being given a good score in spite of these comments then to me that indicates that the system has a malfunction.

Bendo

Getting a bit fed up of them myself. My SMETS1 meter has been through enrolment and adoption onto DCC network but they claim they can't read SMETS1 meters.

Have told them that's nonsense as it's on the DCC network so I'll escalate it further.  What's the point of Ofgem insisting suppliers be DCC users if suppliers cannot be bothered to use it once they are a DCC user.

Alpha_5

Hi all, my fixed tariff ends next month and the renewal quote is £33 per month more than I'm currently paying. I know wholesale prices have risen, but obviously I'm looking to lessen the impact as much as possible. By splitting my providers I can still fix for 12 months with no exit fees and it would save me £10 per month vs the Avro quote.

I recall from a while ago that Avro was putting customers who initiated a switch onto a more expensive tariff during the switch period. Is this still happening?

Also, how quickly are they currently dealing with credit refunds when switching? I'm £140 in credit, and likely a little more by the time I switch away.

Thanks. 

bagand96

Alpha_5 said:

Hi all, my fixed tariff ends next month and the renewal quote is £33 per month more than I'm currently paying. I know wholesale prices have risen, but obviously I'm looking to lessen the impact as much as possible. By splitting my providers I can still fix for 12 months with no exit fees and it would save me £10 per month vs the Avro quote.

I recall from a while ago that Avro was putting customers who initiated a switch onto a more expensive tariff during the switch period. Is this still happening?

Also, how quickly are they currently dealing with credit refunds when switching? I'm £140 in credit, and likely a little more by the time I switch away.

Thanks. 

Just remember that the monthly DD figure is not your bill, it's just an amount that goes into a "kitty" that hopefully will cover your bills. 

You only pay for the energy you use, so it's your use and tarrif rates that count. So have a look at the unit rates and standing charges between Avrinand your other quotes. 

Also make sure your use in KWh is as accurate as it can be for comparing by looking at your bills for the last year.

Reports suggest that Avro take a long time refund credit balances. But they will owe you it so might just take some perserverence on your part. Staying with them won't help that as they are equally poor at refunding credit to existing customers, or reducing DDs.

Alpha_5

bagand96 said:

Alpha_5 said:

Hi all, my fixed tariff ends next month and the renewal quote is £33 per month more than I'm currently paying. I know wholesale prices have risen, but obviously I'm looking to lessen the impact as much as possible. By splitting my providers I can still fix for 12 months with no exit fees and it would save me £10 per month vs the Avro quote.

I recall from a while ago that Avro was putting customers who initiated a switch onto a more expensive tariff during the switch period. Is this still happening?

Also, how quickly are they currently dealing with credit refunds when switching? I'm £140 in credit, and likely a little more by the time I switch away.

Thanks. 

Just remember that the monthly DD figure is not your bill, it's just an amount that goes into a "kitty" that hopefully will cover your bills. 

You only pay for the energy you use, so it's your use and tarrif rates that count. So have a look at the unit rates and standing charges between Avrinand your other quotes. 

Also make sure your use in KWh is as accurate as it can be for comparing by looking at your bills for the last year.

Reports suggest that Avro take a long time refund credit balances. But they will owe you it so might just take some perserverence on your part. Staying with them won't help that as they are equally poor at refunding credit to existing customers, or reducing DDs.

Thanks. I did the comparison using the same annual KWh used in the Avro renewal quote (which is the same as my most recent bill.) so I'm comparing like for like as much as possible. I used the Citizens Advice site as that seems to be the most comprehensive.

Your comment about unit rates and standing charge has got me thinking... Hopefully I'll be using a little less energy over the next year with (fingers crossed) fewer restrictions on life. So a higher unit cost and lower SC might be beneficial.

victor2

Alpha_5 said:

bagand96 said:

Alpha_5 said:

Hi all, my fixed tariff ends next month and the renewal quote is £33 per month more than I'm currently paying. I know wholesale prices have risen, but obviously I'm looking to lessen the impact as much as possible. By splitting my providers I can still fix for 12 months with no exit fees and it would save me £10 per month vs the Avro quote.

I recall from a while ago that Avro was putting customers who initiated a switch onto a more expensive tariff during the switch period. Is this still happening?

Also, how quickly are they currently dealing with credit refunds when switching? I'm £140 in credit, and likely a little more by the time I switch away.

Thanks. 

Just remember that the monthly DD figure is not your bill, it's just an amount that goes into a "kitty" that hopefully will cover your bills. 

You only pay for the energy you use, so it's your use and tarrif rates that count. So have a look at the unit rates and standing charges between Avrinand your other quotes. 

Also make sure your use in KWh is as accurate as it can be for comparing by looking at your bills for the last year.

Reports suggest that Avro take a long time refund credit balances. But they will owe you it so might just take some perserverence on your part. Staying with them won't help that as they are equally poor at refunding credit to existing customers, or reducing DDs.

Thanks. I did the comparison using the same annual KWh used in the Avro renewal quote (which is the same as my most recent bill.) so I'm comparing like for like as much as possible. I used the Citizens Advice site as that seems to be the most comprehensive.

Your comment about unit rates and standing charge has got me thinking... Hopefully I'll be using a little less energy over the next year with (fingers crossed) fewer restrictions on life. So a higher unit cost and lower SC might be beneficial.

Don't use Avro's estimated future usage in kWh as they never update the gas figure, although the electricity is closer to reality. Look at your bills over the last year and work out the kWh you have actually been billed for, and put that into the comparison sites.

If your switch takes you past the end of your current contract, Avro will charge you at their standard tariff IME. No amount of quoting their licensing agreement to them will help. But it won't be a lot of additional charge and at least you'll be seeing the back of them.

Consumerist

Alpha_5 said:

. . . Also, how quickly are they currently dealing with credit refunds when switching? I'm £140 in credit, and likely a little more by the time I switch away.

Thanks. 

They usually take the full 8 weeks allowed by Ofgem: 6 weeks to prepare your final bill then 10 working days to refund. If they are late there should be automatic compensation of £30.