Symbio Energy feedback

jazzy

Why when I send a meter reading to Symbio do I get an email stating "We have sent your meter reads to our regulator as part of the meter audit and validation. Once processed, the meter reads will appear on your next bill."

Never had these emails with my previous energy companies and surely this will only cause a delay with billing?

Swipe

jazzy wrote: »

Never had these emails with my previous energy companies and surely this will only cause a delay with billing?

It won't because that email is not strictly true. They may get sent but they use their own calculations for the bill processing.

MABLE

What I do not understand why can they not adopt the system like one of my former providers. You give a meter reading at the end of the month and you are billed for that amount of energy. If you do not provide the required read then it would be estimated.

Talldave

jazzy wrote: »

Why when I send a meter reading to Symbio do I get an email stating "We have sent your meter reads to our regulator as part of the meter audit and validation. Once processed, the meter reads will appear on your next bill."

Never had these emails with my previous energy companies and surely this will only cause a delay with billing?

It makes them feel important?? It's utter garbage of course, as the regulator doesn't handle meter readings. There's another "unanswerable to anyone" industry body for that.

MABLE wrote: »

What I do not understand why can they not adopt the system like one of my former providers. You give a meter reading at the end of the month and you are billed for that amount of energy. If you do not provide the required read then it would be estimated.

The end result is effectively that, but you're paying a guessed deposit on the month ahead each month.

Gerry1

jazzy wrote: »

Why when I send a meter reading to Symbio do I get an email stating "We have sent your meter reads to our regulator as part of the meter audit and validation. Once processed, the meter reads will appear on your next bill."

Sounds like this applies only when gaining a customer from another supplier and the reading has to be approved by the mysterious Data Collector third party.

Presumably Symbio are in such a mess that they've managed to send it out with normal meter readings?

Streaky_Bacon

tk47 wrote: »

As I understand it, all the work by Symbio is actually carried out from Goa, India.

Including their website development, apparently. From the meter reading submission page:

Has your current read reset to 0 or crossed 1 Lac?

Lac (or Lakh) being 100,000 in the Indian numbering system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakh

alirx

I've just moved into a new flat and when I'm doing comparisons, the top 3 tariffs are all Symbio. Reading some of this, I'm pretty reluctant to switch over to them. What do people think?

I've been with a supplier when they went bust before and had an overall good experience with the takeover so I'm not horrified in theory if they go. Seems like their billing is in a disgraceful mess though and that they're grasping for cash.

Would you switch to them right now?

Tafrock

Try green. Energy that's who I've switched to. Only £8 dearer than symbios current cheapest tariff for me. It is a variable tariff. I have far greater confidence in green than symbio so I've ditched symbio. Its up to you though

dj1471

alirx wrote: »

I've just moved into a new flat and when I'm doing comparisons, the top 3 tariffs are all Symbio. Reading some of this, I'm pretty reluctant to switch over to them. What do people think?

I switched my energy yesterday and considered Symbio... briefly. Having read this thread and then finding that their website wouldn’t load (I was getting their logo and nothing more, however many times I tried) I decided against them. Given the likely enforcement action by OFGEM and the apparent chaos of their billing system it’s just too high risk. I’ve already been with one failed energy supplier in the last 12 months, I’m not keen to repeat the experience. The dodgy T&C changes remind me of my time with Outfox The Market, who were likewise more trouble than they were worth.

But your appetite for risk may vary... just bear in mind the impact of possible overcharging and the cost of being stuck on a standard tariff with another supplier for a period of time should Symbio fail.

Talldave

alirx wrote: »

I've just moved into a new flat and when I'm doing comparisons, the top 3 tariffs are all Symbio. Reading some of this, I'm pretty reluctant to switch over to them. What do people think?

I've been with a supplier when they went bust before and had an overall good experience with the takeover so I'm not horrified in theory if they go. Seems like their billing is in a disgraceful mess though and that they're grasping for cash.

Would you switch to them right now?

They appear to be incompetent at everything except for being cheapest. But being a customer is the most fun I've had from buying energy in ages, because they're giving me a random amount of free energy each month through a flaw in their billing system. They also charge me a lower unit rate than I signed up for.


On the subject of bills, if you have a PhD in maths you'll be able to understand the bill and its errors. If you're a fan of the English language you can also play spot the random spelling mistakes on the bill each month.


If you want a professional slick operation, steer clear. If you want the cheapest electricity with Del Boy service, go ahead!