Best alternative to Solarplicity

Jakubk

Hi all

New to this site and really loving it.

So I am looking for a super cheap alternative to Solarplicity, I moved to them in December but I have had huge problems, I have written to them many times but they are unresponsive.

So just in case, I need to be ready to move to another supplier. The search tools do not tell me one of my most important requirements; a paper bill with a payment slip (bank giro credit), my other requirements are:

No Standing charge
Low cost of energy (not one that has been increased because no standing charge)
No Direct Debit
Quarterly Bill
No Smart Meter obligation

I did call Solarplicity and they did say I could pay cash on receipt of bill by taking bill to the bank or post office, they have only just starting sending me statements, but not a proper bill with payment slip.

Their statement has to be the most badly designed and does not even have the "ways to pay" that you see on most bills.

I would be happy to commit to 12 or 24 months if they meet the above criteria, usually when I search this site the deals require monthly direct debit, so no good for my needs.

[Deleted User]

Try the Citizens Advice Bureau https://energycompare.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Tell it you want to pay quarterly on receipt of a bill. (It asks those questions at the end). Make sure you put in the amount of energy you use a year in kWh.

This will give you a list and you can check out the results to see how the bill is made up.
(this is shown by clicking on "next steps" and then in the next page, going to click on "More information" in the Tariff Details section)

The list will be showing which company is cheapest for you.

(It cannot show only tariffs with no standing charges)

Be warned, this is the most expensive way to buy energy. Energy costs are all cheaper if you pay monthly by direct debit.

You can then call the company you want to use and ask them about the payment options.

Jakubk

Thanks

Everyone said it was the most expensive except that with Solarplicity is was NOT, the price was the lowest and I was hoping to be able to afford more heat for what I was paying before.

Now they break their word, increase it and I have to find out here, I will not accept a backdated bill with standing charge, that is for sure.

Solarplicity said I could pay on receipt of bill and pay in the post office or bank in cash.

The bill has the space for the Bank Slip so why not print it, it is the most basic thing.

System

Jakubk wrote: »

Thanks

Everyone said it was the most expensive except that with Solarplicity is was NOT, the price was the lowest and I was hoping to be able to afford more heat for what I was paying before.

Now they break their word, increase it and I have to find out here, I will not accept a backdated bill with standing charge, that is for sure.

Solarplicity said I could pay on receipt of bill and pay in the post office or bank in cash.

The bill has the space for the Bank Slip so why not print it, it is the most basic thing.

Irrespective of what you say that you will and will not do, the answer lies in the contract that you signed up to. You need to review that contract, and the relevant terms and conditions, and then you will be able to work out what you should do.

That said, I am not sure that I properly understand what it is that is upsetting you so much. How, and when, did they increase their tariff/charges?

biggysmaller

It's a real shame that Solarplicity have such poor reviews and ratings now. I suspect they oversubscribed and may not have the infrastructure to cope. I was very close to swapping to them but after reading the reviews on trusted pilot thankfully I did not!

System

It would appear that consumers are not the only ones that are being waiting:

Next accounts made up to 31 March 2017
due by 31 December 2017

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/06895776

RandomQ

It was covered on Solarplicity thread that company is one of many, one of whom had a winding up order owing in VAT

Try to make sense of structure if you can

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/search?q=SOLARPLICITY


Solarplicity Asset Limited (FRN 770903) is an Appointed Representative of Improveasy Finance Solutions which is a trading style of Green Energy Advisors Ltd., a company registered in England and Wales (Co. Reg. number 7807352). Registered Office: Manchester Business Park, 3000 Aviator Way, Manchester M22 5TG. The firm is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 708623). The firm is authorised as a Lender (limited only to green deal finance plans). It also acts as a Broker, not a Lender, and offers credit facilities from a panel/one lender. The credit is subject to application and status.

Jakubk

Hengus wrote: »

Irrespective of what you say that you will and will not do, the answer lies in the contract that you signed up to. You need to review that contract, and the relevant terms and conditions, and then you will be able to work out what you should do.

That said, I am not sure that I properly understand what it is that is upsetting you so much. How, and when, did they increase their tariff/charges?

Hengus

Well to come here and find that they are increasing rates upsets me the most but also because the spirit of what I signed up for is gone.

Any company's reputation is created by one simple thing; do what you say you are going to do.

You or they can quote a contract but what matters to consumers is what you promise in your marketing

Their KEY messages from their website when I signed up



So let’s break this down

“Standing charges? Not us” UNLESS WE DECIDE NOT ONLY TO CHARGE THEM BUT TO INCREASE PRICES SO MUCH THAT YOU WOULD FACE A 37% INCREASE

“Standing charges. We don't think that customers should have to stand for them.
So unlike many other energy providers, we've given them the boot.

But now we have brought them back because we are not true to our word.

“NO CATCHES”.

Well there are now catches all over the place,

Want the best price, then the catch is you have to accept a Smart Meter from us.

Want the free LED bulbs, well the catch is that only if you stick with us otherwise we will charge you £30 and we are going to check your energy to make sure you did not ask for too many.

Want a quote, the catch is we will reduce what you enter by 11% on the assumption that you will order the LED bulbs that we will charge you for if you leave. So if you are worried after all the terrible reviews and decide to wait then you will be paying more, not that a 11% reduction was realistic in the first place.

Want the £21 dual fuel discount, the catch is you must buy a fixed term contract
I was quoted for the £21 duel fuel discount, but only in year 1, I have not been paid it.

“With us, you'll only ever pay for the energy you use. Not a penny more, not a penny less.”

This was a reference to the fact that you would pay only for energy, not standing charges, it remains on their site despite the fact that they have not honoured this commitment.

“Life's complicated enough. That’s why we only have one fixed energy tariff.
It's simple, it's straightforward and it's completely clear.“

Errr sorry that was BS, we actually have 4 tariffs

1. Smart Tariff - a fixed 12m tariff where we pay you £25 to take one of these naff meters off our hands.
2. 12 Month Fixed Tariff - no £25 but you do get the £21 dual fuel discount if we ever decide to pay it, you also have to pay £69.90 (£70) Standing Charges.
3. Standard Variable – No £25 and no £21 duel fuel discount plus you pay £70 standing charges
4. Unfair Market Price – AKA no standing charges. On this tariff we really stick it to you, even if you have duel fuel you get nothing, forget about smart meter credit and forget about cheap rates, we hiked these up to completely rip you off, in fact if you use OFGEM medium kWh of 4200 and 12000 we will screw you out of an extra £401.37 a year, NICE! Remember with us It's simple, it's straightforward and it's completely clear!

Hengus the quote I got for my usage was actually £25 a month, I am a low user but this was lower than what I expected. Their quote reduced my stated figures because of the LED nonsense of 11% (I already had low energy bulbs but bulbs are a tiny fraction of energy usage anyway).

Also I thought the quotes had to allow for an INCREASE in usage, or is that only the price comparison websites?

What is interesting is that they issued me with an estimate bill that did not match my readings but ALSO it exceeded the whole year of my quote.

The whole reason I went to Solarplicity was so I could spend my budget on energy and not standing charge so of course my usage is higher. We just had winter so I had heat on more and I had the boiler a bit higher water temp. By my calculations I am not spending £25 a month but more like £45 a month, but that is at the quoted rate, not this disgusting rip off unFair Market Price.

I will be registering a complaint to OFGEM and to the Advertising Standards Authority, it is so misleading and some things you are not told until after you sign up

As a company, it is like dealing with someone who just started in business and does not have a clue of the most basic things.

This is an example of what appears on every utility bill I have ever had



As well as something like this:



My annual projection from Solarplicity quoting system was £304.44 now the annual projection for the same energy based on current website is

£578.24 £603.24 £624.24 £761.77

For the respective tariffs quoted above,

Even at the rates they quoted me at the time my own spreadsheet suggests it will cost me £569.53 but that includes the first year only and unpaid £21 dual fuel discount. In reality I expect my usage to be higher as that was my plan, to spend more money on heat than standing charges. However, it seems to me that their quote system had a bug in it.

If I stay on the “Standing Charges – We do not believe in them” Tariff they will increase the rate so I pay £192.24 more a year but if I choose one of the other tariffs I get stung for £70 but then I can’t afford to increase heat.

So whatever I do they stitch me up, so now I have to go through all that hassle of comparing other suppliers.

Why can’t they just do what they say they are going to so, it is like being with a completely different company to the one I signed up with.

System

If you are on a fixed contract (contract term; unit price and standing charge being fixed) then the supplier cannot change the terms of your contract.

If you are on a variable tariff (which may or may not have a standing charge), the supplier can change the tariff. If it is a tariff increase, then the supplier has to give you 30 days notice of the change. This is covered in Solarplicity!!!8217;s contract terms and conditions.

You still haven!!!8217;t said what it is in particular that Solarplicity has done that has got you so wound up? Have they notified you of an increase?

My advice: check your Contract Welcome Letter. If the annual cost quoted is wrong then raise a written formal complaint.

PS: I am not seeing the same graphics as you are on Solarplicity!!!8217;s website. All suppliers have the right to change their tariffs for new customers, and old customers on a variable tariff subject to the caveat above.