Symbio Energy feedback

rags58

I decided to bite the bullet and complain. Basically stated I was unhappy about the estimate which is clearly using winter rates even though they state from April they would revert back to summer rates. Gave them a figure what I consider my April estimate should be and asked them to reconsider.....
  "Can you please look at my bill for April and amend the estimated consumption to a figure that actually relates to the amount of electricity that I will use for a 30 day period in summer which I calculate as approximately 6.32 units a day = 190 units based on my actual consumption. You have an over estimation of 114 units"

CRISPIANNE3

rags58 said:

I decided to bite the bullet and complain. Basically stated I was unhappy about the estimate which is clearly using winter rates even though they state from April they would revert back to summer rates. Gave them a figure what I consider my April estimate should be and asked them to reconsider.....
  "Can you please look at my bill for April and amend the estimated consumption to a figure that actually relates to the amount of electricity that I will use for a 30 day period in summer which I calculate as approximately 6.32 units a day = 190 units based on my actual consumption. You have an over estimation of 114 units"

Good luck with that!

molerat

Happily I am on  a fixed DD.  March actual 273 kWh - pretty much in line with every other month, winter or summer. April estimate 417 kWh for a 30 day supposedly warmer month against the 31 day colder March where the estimate was 411 kWh.  The bill is still showing the outstanding £19 from when they rebilled a few months back though and they still haven't figured out I owe them £50 from when I was stolen from them !

matelodave

I'm just letting it all wash over me until the day of reckoning (2nd Set 2020) when it should get sorted out if I decide to jump ship. Although, if they are still going and still everso cheap I might stay..
They are only taking my EAC/12 estimate so the random numbers and billing figure don't really affect me. I'm not getting stressed about it
I'm just happy to have got through the whole winter with nice cheap leccy so it wont bother me too much if they turn up their toes during the summer.

zantos

Have been trying to make sense of their billing today! If you are a day out with submitting a meter reading they "estimate" the usage for the final day. If you submit a meter reading they then show THEIR estimated readings on your bill with an "adjustment" (shown as cash) to the correct amount. My only real problem is that I was quoted rates for day and night unit costs - there is NOWHERE to check these figures on the Symbio website AND they are not being applied to my usage. I am  getting billed the same amount for day and night units at a rate of my quoted values being added together and then divided by two! Result is that day units are undercharged and night units are overcharged - not exactly helpful when I have electric heating that charges over night!

Talldave

zantos said:

Have been trying to make sense of their billing today! If you are a day out with submitting a meter reading they "estimate" the usage for the final day. If you submit a meter reading they then show THEIR estimated readings on your bill with an "adjustment" (shown as cash) to the correct amount. My only real problem is that I was quoted rates for day and night unit costs - there is NOWHERE to check these figures on the Symbio website AND they are not being applied to my usage. I am  getting billed the same amount for day and night units at a rate of my quoted values being added together and then divided by two! Result is that day units are undercharged and night units are overcharged - not exactly helpful when I have electric heating that charges over night!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Symbio billing.  If you're talking about the day out being a day late (ie: submitting reading(s) on 1 April, when their previous estimating period was up to 31 March) then the additional estimated units they add to the bill for that day are free, because they casually forget to charge you for them.  So far, since September 2019 I've had 5.1% of my units for free.

You're also right about the unit rates, what you sign up for tends not to be what you get. In my case it's cheaper, so I don't object!  If you look very carefully, and get a calculator out, you will see that often the multiplication on the bill doesn't add up - I suspect because they actually use a unit rate quoted to more decimal places than that shown on the bill.

The identical rates for day/night is obviously down to Symbio incompetence and does need putting right.  I can vouch for the fact that they can do E7 properly because when I analysed E7 bills for @Kayster (see this thread around 9/10 March) they were using different rates for day & night.

zantos

Talldave said:

zantos said:

Have been trying to make sense of their billing today! If you are a day out with submitting a meter reading they "estimate" the usage for the final day. If you submit a meter reading they then show THEIR estimated readings on your bill with an "adjustment" (shown as cash) to the correct amount. My only real problem is that I was quoted rates for day and night unit costs - there is NOWHERE to check these figures on the Symbio website AND they are not being applied to my usage. I am  getting billed the same amount for day and night units at a rate of my quoted values being added together and then divided by two! Result is that day units are undercharged and night units are overcharged - not exactly helpful when I have electric heating that charges over night!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Symbio billing.  If you're talking about the day out being a day late (ie: submitting reading(s) on 1 April, when their previous estimating period was up to 31 March) then the additional estimated units they add to the bill for that day are free, because they casually forget to charge you for them.  So far, since September 2019 I've had 5.1% of my units for free.

You're also right about the unit rates, what you sign up for tends not to be what you get. In my case it's cheaper, so I don't object!  If you look very carefully, and get a calculator out, you will see that often the multiplication on the bill doesn't add up - I suspect because they actually use a unit rate quoted to more decimal places than that shown on the bill.

The identical rates for day/night is obviously down to Symbio incompetence and does need putting right.  I can vouch for the fact that they can do E7 properly because when I analysed E7 bills for @Kayster (see this thread around 9/10 March) they were using different rates for day & night.

I don't know how far they have got with compliance over smart meters yet. When I first submitted my readings (having a smart meter) they queried them as not agreeing with THEIR expected figures - hardly surprising as I have solar panels fitted and so most of my units are used over night. Found it amusing that they asked for a photograph of the meter readings as anyone with a smart meter knows this is a little difficult with the changing of display and button pressing! Would be nice if Symbio could actually read the meter remotely and dispense with the need for monthly readings at precisely the correct day. Don't think I will stay with them after my year is up as I don't like the fact I can't check on my tarriff anywhere and all their advertising just seems to allow them to say they will "save you money" but never allows you to verify this by comparing rates with other suppliers.

Swipe

rags58 said:

I decided to bite the bullet and complain. Basically stated I was unhappy about the estimate which is clearly using winter rates even though they state from April they would revert back to summer rates. Gave them a figure what I consider my April estimate should be and asked them to reconsider.....
  "Can you please look at my bill for April and amend the estimated consumption to a figure that actually relates to the amount of electricity that I will use for a 30 day period in summer which I calculate as approximately 6.32 units a day = 190 units based on my actual consumption. You have an over estimation of 114 units"

Just ask to be put on fixed monthly direct debit instead, total estimated annual consumption divided by 12

Tafrock

I hope you get the service you deserve. As you know I have ditched symbio but still awaiting compensation from them for late refund of credit 

On the flip side I am now with green. Energy. I had a slight problem in that I wasn't getting bills despite giving regular readings. They claimed it was due to symbio not confirming my final reading with them 
Anyway today I received my bill from green and a lovely apology from their cro for not living up to my expectations. 

So glad I made the switch 

chrisdram

I have quite liked Symbio. Yes, their billing is slightly sporadic but when I work it out myself, their figure and mine do tend to balance. And they are very cheaper. Got even cheaper with their current deals. However, do check that your're not being billed VAT twice. I realised that they were using the VAT included rates to multiple the KWH etc and then added VAT on top again. However, when I pointed this out, they refunded me the VAT for the last year. But I do wonder whether they are doing this to everyone! Have a look! 
Cheers