Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

ailey

I switched to Avro after being with British Gas for 36 years. The first year with Avro was fine and I just submitted my meter readings online so all went smoothly. My monthly Direct Debit was £61 and my first year ended in October 2018 but I never got around to switching again which was my fault. My DD changed to £115 in Nov 2018 then I got an email telling me it was changing again to £146 in Jan 2019 then another email telling me it was going up again to £153 in February 2019. Massive increases!

I've now switched to Octopus Energy and my DD is £99 but I need to make sure that I switch again next February or try at least to get a better tariff from them once the year is up as companies seem to move people onto more expensive tariffs after the first year.

victor2

ailey wrote: »

I switched to Avro after being with British Gas for 36 years. The first year with Avro was fine and I just submitted my meter readings online so all went smoothly. My monthly Direct Debit was £61 and my first year ended in October 2018 but I never got around to switching again which was my fault. My DD changed to £115 in Nov 2018 then I got an email telling me it was changing again to £146 in Jan 2019 then another email telling me it was going up again to £153 in February 2019. Massive increases!

I've now switched to Octopus Energy and my DD is £99 but I need to make sure that I switch again next February or try at least to get a better tariff from them once the year is up as companies seem to move people onto more expensive tariffs after the first year.

All fixed tariffs from all suppliers offering them have an end date. After which, if you do nothing, you go onto that supplier's standard variable (i.e. most expensive) tariff, as you found out. If you are owed money by Avro after switching away, and the final bill from them is produced, make sure you get any credit balance back. Going by comments on here, you may have to chase them for it.
Once you've started switching, you have to do it annually to keep away from the expensive tariffs, unless of course you get a longer fix.
Also, concentrate on annual kWh usage rather than DD amounts, and then look at the cost for that actual usage. While the monthly cost is what is most important to a consumer, it can cover more than just the energy actually used. Some suppliers adjust their DD amount through the year to cover increased winter costs and then reduce them for the cheaper summer period. Many, particularly the smaller ones, take the monthly payment in advance, ensuring their customer's accounts are in credit most months. So the consumers are funding their bank balances...

Consumerist

ailey wrote: »

. . . but I need to make sure that I switch again next February or try at least to get a better tariff from them once the year is up . . .

Absolutely vital if you want to keep saving, year after year.

If you sign up to MSE's <Cheap Energy Club> and enter your tariff details including your contract end date, you will get a reminder when it gets close to the time to switch again. You don't have to switch using CEC but you might get some cashback (currently £12.50 per fuel) if you do.

Leear

I just had a quick look at the price of Avro against British Gas for a 1 year fixed dual fuel (on MSE) as it's a pain doing meter readings and some adim each month.

Well.... I'm now happy to do the metre reading and admin and save £24.83 a month (£298 extra per year).:T

I also went direct to British Gas directly and got a quote for the same and it was £318 extra per year, so getting on my hands and knees once month is saving me £26.50 per month!:eek:

So, paying £88 per month to Avro is better than £114.50 per month to British Gas.

So, what are the British Gas varible tarriff's now costing?
I ask, as I could not find them! Have they stopped doing them?

Consumerist

Leear wrote: »

I just had a quick look at the price of Avro against British Gas for a 1 year fixed dual fuel as It's a pain doing meter readings each month. Well I'm now happy to do the reding and admin and save £24.83 a month (£298 extra per year).

Way to go, Leear. :T
The Force is clearly with you.

[Deleted User]

I've just started my second year with Avro Energy (as the MSE Energy Club said they were still my cheapest supplier). Despite reading some poor feedback last year, my switch (from EDF) went completely smoothly and I've had no problems with them at all. Of course, this meant I never had to contact them by phone or email so didn't get to put that part of their service to the test. However, having seen Martin's Money Show on ITV on 18.2.19 where he showed "The Energy Direct Debit Cycle" and explained that in February you should expect to be 1 month in debit to your energy supplier, and if you're 1 month in credit your DD amount is probably set too high and you can ask for it back, I did just that. My new contract's DD was set at £102pm (up from £87pm last year), but last month I was £85.59 in credit, so I emailed Avro on 18th February and they replied on 25th Feb telling me I could apply my credit to my DD going forward to reduce it to £95pm, which I've now done. So, still no problems with Avro Energy and cheers to Martin for the tip! :beer:

Consumerist

AngelicKaty wrote: »

. . . My new contract's DD was set at £102pm (up from £87pm last year), but last month I was £85.59 in credit, so I emailed Avro on 18th February and they replied on 25th Feb telling me I could apply my credit to my DD going forward to reduce it to £95pm, which I've now done. So, still no problems with Avro Energy and cheers to Martin for the tip!

Well done for getting your DD reduced but you are being made to collect the refund of your credit balance over an entire year. Why didn't Avro adjust your DD to take your credit balance into account in the first place?

Avro's prices might be competitive at the moment but you really do need to watch them.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Consumerist. I'm guessing they didn't take my credit into account in the first place because they're in the business of making money - and the fact that Martin had to highlight this issue on his TV series suggests that all utility companies are enjoying this nice little earner. I don't know if I could have simply asked for an immediate refund of £85.59, but to be honest I don't need this small amount of money that badly - if it had been up towards £200 that would have been a different matter!

Fortunately, I don't need to watch them as I'm registered with MSE Energy Saver Club and I've had confirmation that the new tariff I'm on ("Simple and Winter Fix") is still the best for me, but fully expect it to tell me when a better deal is launched and as there aren't any early exit fees on my current tariff I'd switch if they told me of a better deal.

ANGLICANPAT

Not too long ago I did a 1yr fix with Avro energy called Simple and Winter fix .

Just happened to notice yesterday , they now have a newer 1yr fix called Avro Simple and Prime which is cheaper . Looks a tiny difference but over thousands of units it will be significant. I emailed them asking if I was interpreting it correctly or missing something , and they just emailed back thanking me for changing to the new tarrif - so I hope Ive got it right ! I thought they were supposed to inform you if they brought out a tarrif that would be cheaper for you ?Hope I havent missed something obvious.



Avro Simple and Winter fix and the gas unit rate appears as 3.57p

Avro Simple and Prime , the gas unit rate appears to be 3.36p

Consumerist

ANGLICANPAT wrote: »

. . . Hope I havent missed something obvious.
Avro Simple and Winter fix and the gas unit rate appears as 3.57p
Avro Simple and Prime , the gas unit rate appears to be 3.36p

Providing the standing charge hasn't changed then a typical medium user (12,000 kWh/year) would save about £25 pa on the basis of those numbers.

The point, however, is that you have re-started your fix for a year at a cheaper rate (for gas units) - in a climate of increasing prices elsewhere. Is your electricity going to cost you any more? You need to take the total cost of both fuels over the year to see if you are going to pay any less in the end.