Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

victor2

timbald wrote: »

....
MSE - I think you need to include in the Cheap Energy Club comparisons detail on "which companies can read smart meters at the point of handover and beyond" because this has been a disaster as a result of having smart meters and I am seriously thinking of moving away from AVRO early, solely because of this.

That's pretty easy. If they just say no other supplier can automatically read your existing smart meters if you switch, they'll be pretty well covered. I stand to be corrected, but I haven't heard of any different suppliers that can currently read SMETS1 meters installed by another. I'm not even sure that subsidiaries of bigger suppliers can do so.
Unless you go back to your previous supplier, I doubt you'll be able to find anyone who can automatically get your meter readings.

At some point, those SMETS1 meters that can be upgraded to work to the SMETS2 standard are supposedly going to be updated. How that will work if you are no longer with the supplier who installed the meter, I have no idea. I'm in the same boat, but will not be holding my breath, I can live with my now dumb meters.

wrongplanet

Consumerist wrote: »

Personally, I'd be inclined to tell them what the problem is and then get on with resolving it.

It gets worse.

Mailed MSE about Avro's total lack of communication on switching tariff to the MSE Collective, their claiming it was up to MSE to notify me and also their taking the increased DD without notice.

MSE have come back saying that that Avro appear to have told them that my application didn't go through.

I also see that on my online statement the DD Guarantee refund is shown, but not BACS payments made to keep my account up to date.

So far Avro have:
* Carried out the tariff transfer but not confirmed it
* Claimed it was up to MSE to confirm
* Told MSE that the tariff transfer had not taken place
* Taken an increased DD without the notice required
* Not credited BACS payments to my account

It's looking like world-class incompetence.

Consumerist

wrongplanet wrote: »

It gets worse.

Mailed MSE about Avro's total lack of communication on switching tariff to the MSE Collective, their claiming it was up to MSE to notify me and also their taking the increased DD without notice.

MSE have come back saying that that Avro appear to have told them that my application didn't go through.

I also see that on my online statement the DD Guarantee refund is shown, but not BACS payments made to keep my account up to date.

So far Avro have:
* Carried out the tariff transfer but not confirmed it
* Claimed it was up to MSE to confirm
* Told MSE that the tariff transfer had not taken place
* Taken an increased DD without the notice required
* Not credited BACS payments to my account

It's looking like world-class incompetence.

It looks to me that you don't have much choice at this point but to start the time-consuming process of Avro's complaints procedure.

This situation highlights the problems that can arise from using third parties to initiate energy switches.

Edit
You could advise CEC of the actual situation to see if they could intervene before going down the complaints route.

wrongplanet

Consumerist wrote: »

It looks to me that you don't have much choice at this point but to start the time-consuming process of Avro's complaints procedure.

That's something MSE suggested, followed by Ofgem. But as it's possible Avro might go the way of Extra Energy and Spark Energy it might be a waste of time.

This situation highlights the problems that can arise from using third parties to initiate energy switches.

Straightforward switches via third parties have always been painless IME. This is the first time I've changed tariffs via a third party and it looks like Avro, both systems and employees, don't know how to handle it.

You could advise CEC of the actual situation to see if they could intervene before going down the complaints route.

I gave them the whole story, complete with emails and FB PM exchanges. Full marks to MSE Harry for finding my CEC record and clearing the 'swap in progess' flag, and also passing on this case to the team that chases suppliers for cashback.

GCJWGC

Please see similar problem in this post made at 4:57 pm today.



MSE Cheap Energy Club says my switch to AVRO has been declined - GCJWGC



Sorry can't post as a link as I am a Newbie and the rules don't allow me to!!


AVRO cashflow problems??

Consumerist

wrongplanet wrote: »

It gets worse.
. . .
MSE have come back saying that that Avro appear to have told them that my application didn't go through.

In fact it may be worse than you might think.

If Avro is now saying the switch did not complete, the implication is that you were transferred to their default tariff at the end of your original contract. Might be worth following up - just in case. :eek:

wrongplanet

Consumerist wrote: »

If Avro is now saying the switch did not complete, the implication is that you were transferred to their default tariff... :eek:

One of the first things I checked. I'm on the MSE Collective tariff which has a £60 exit fee - if it didn't I'd have been off elsewhere long ago.

olympusmegavolt

Joined Avro 2 years ago.
When tariff increases they encourage you to go and check out the 100 or so options on their website!
When you leave -with credit- they advise leaving DD open for making the refund easy
What they then did was take another month's payment.
Contacted them by 'phone,,,,,,,, 30 mins wait, promised refund on 23 Nov 2018.
Nothing happened, so contacted by email. Then they want 5 days to reply.
Still no refund after nearly 2 months.
If you do not mind this disgusting treatment, go ahead and join this so called business

hubb

olympusmegavolt wrote: »

Joined Avro 2 years ago.
When tariff increases they encourage you to go and check out the 100 or so options on their website!
When you leave -with credit- they advise leaving DD open for making the refund easy
What they then did was take another month's payment.
Contacted them by 'phone,,,,,,,, 30 mins wait, promised refund on 23 Nov 2018.
Nothing happened, so contacted by email. Then they want 5 days to reply.
Still no refund after nearly 2 months.
If you do not mind this disgusting treatment, go ahead and join this so called business

And yet their Trustpilot rating is excellent. I need to go somewhere fast and leave OFTM and thought about Avro as they are cheapest.

Consumerist

hubb wrote: »

And yet their Trustpilot rating is excellent. I need to go somewhere fast and leave OFTM and thought about Avro as they are cheapest.

I think, with Avro, you need to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth to make it work for you. Send regular meter readings and keep an eye on your account. They tend to block switches if your account is in debit when you want to switch away. At the end of the contract, cancel their DD as soon as a new supplier has confirmed your next switch.

I'm about half way through my first year with them and, to be honest, I haven't had any major problems with them. As you can see from posts on this thread, others' experiences are somewhat different.

It would seem that things go ok until you have to involve their customer services.