Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

2010

victor2 said:

2010 said:

Out of interest, I`ve just calculated my past annual usage and although I`m £150 in credit currently, and assuming i will use the same amount of energy for the coming 12 months, Avro`s DD current monthly DD calculation is spot on.
...

Is that more by accident than design though? Have Avro actually adjusted your estimated annual gas usage since you joined them? I look after an account that has been with them for four years and the estimated gas usage is still exactly the same as was provided to them at the start of the contract, 

My old tariff with Avro ended in May and I gave them my annual usage and they adjusted the DD for my new tariff with them, and as pointed out it`s spot on.

Telegraph_Sam

Point taken!  It's what they call a "thread"!

[Deleted User]

My feedback for Avro (on Topic  ) is as follows:

(1) I had a longer than expected time before my first bill was raised - I joined 3rd February 2021 and got my first bill 2 months later in April.  It took their Meter Operator (MOP) a long time to verify Meter Technical Details (MTDs).  Whether this is Avro specific I don't know.

(2) I received the Warm Home Discount £140 (WHD) earlier than my first bill so Avro did something right very early on.

(3) Getting this WHD refunded took longer than it should have done (over a month) but in the end I got it.

(4) The chat and phone worked just before I joined and just after but since then it has been email only.  I have always had replies via emails although the time-frame of a 10 day turnaround is much longer than it should be.  Twitter has been good for getting a same-day response to a specific email ticket.  I agree this is not for everyone and I'd rather not use this.

(5)  Bills have always been generated probably 4 working days after the readings have been submiited by me online on the same day each month and been accurate using the actual reads provided from a non-smart meter.  I don't mind looking at the meters monthly (in fact I look at my numbers weekly - sad I know) and it gives me good information about my usage patterns and gives me a very accurate annual consumption (EAC) and whether I am using less energy from month to month and year to year.  I'll be moving to a different house on Friday with SMETS 2 meters.  I will continue to monitor my consumption and am happy to continue giving a manual read from them if I need to.

(6)  I'm just about to test the efficiency or otherwise of their change of tenancy team on Friday.  I have no expectation that they will do anything other than the maximum amount of time to generate a final bill and refund thereafter judging by other leavers. 

Overall they have not been without issue for sure and my expectations of their customer service setup are at a lower level than they were earlier this year.  But at least they still have the cheapest fixed Dual Fuel tariff for my EAC and I shall see what the numbers show once I have moved.  I may go with separates this time rather than Dual.  I know I won't be staying with the incumbent supplier Bulb.   

Anyanka1

Good luck with your move, Derwent Mailman.

Avro are my first foray into non-(historically) Big 6 territory and, so far, their customer service would be better described as non-existent rather than inadequate.  Unfortunately, E.on were no better and both their website and their bills were much harder to read.  They did answer the phone but their reps (always overseas ones) had no clue about anything; I knew more than they did.  I had to explain the WHD to them... I guess it is not that relevant in South Africa but that is so not their UK customers' issue.

It is my opinion that good customer service in the energy industry is a thing of the past and, certainly, not worth paying a premium for.  I just cater to Avro's pathetic mode of working and make the best of it; I have to submit meter readings on the same day every month to avoid estimated bills.  They cannot cope with even 3 days' variance.  You really do get what you pay for, don't you?

oldagetraveller1

Today is the deadline for refunding my closed Avro account credit balance of £163.19. Received an e-mail from them, 9th August detailing when the refund would be credited to my bank, the details of which they have.

Lo and behold, no refund yet. It has now passed the 10 working days they state in the e-mail.

Try to phone them, no chance. I have e-mailed a complaint and question as to where's my money but, from previous occasions, don't hold out much hope of a quick response to that! Even within their 5 to 10 days window.

If there's no joy, what's the next step? How long do I give them. They might be "cheap", but that is certainly reflected in the so-called non existent, customer service.

Consumerist

As you probably know, if they miss the deadline they should automatically pay you £30 compensation. I doubt that will happen without a fight.

If you've emailed a complaint then that's about all you can do for the moment. Hopefully, you will receive an automated response to confirm their receipt of the email.

oldagetraveller1

Yes, I received the automated reply. That's about all I ever received from them for general query e-mails when a customer.

That really was my main reason for switching away, their abysmal service.

Edit to add that I received a voicemail message from Avro advising that they are experiencing delays in issuing refunds and it should be actioned within a further 10 working days.

Well, looks like they owe me an extra £30 which I have told them in another complaint e-mail.

Blood out of a stone! Do they have money flow problems one would wonder?

2010

oldagetraveller1 said:

Today is the deadline for refunding my closed Avro account credit balance of £163.19. Received an e-mail from them, 9th August detailing when the refund would be credited to my bank, the details of which they have.

Lo and behold, no refund yet. It has now passed the 10 working days they state in the e-mail.

Try to phone them, no chance. I have e-mailed a complaint and question as to where's my money but, from previous occasions, don't hold out much hope of a quick response to that! Even within their 5 to 10 days window.

If there's no joy, what's the next step? 

https://www.gov.uk/make-money-claim

oldagetraveller1

Thanks for the link. Saved me searching for it! I hope it doesn't come to that.

I beginning to think they don't have sufficient reserve cash to pay out ex customers' refunds, or monies owed are possibly financing their cheaper energy prices to reel in more suckers.

Going through the MCOL route will cost me money which, even if successful, they might ignore any ruling in my favour.

Telegraph_Sam

To try to even the odds / level the playing field the following contacts should be helpful:
Trading Standards Leics:
https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/business-and-consumers/trading-standards

Citizens Advice Hinckley
https://citizensadviceleicestershire.org/get-advice/hinckley-bosworth/

It is obviously in many people's interests that such conduct should be as widely circulated as possible, and hopefully remedial action will follow.

Telegraph Sam