Symbio Energy feedback

Boohoo

Has any Symbio customers got their latest "we will charge you what we want" energy bill yet?

I am waiting to see if they have got an excuse for their over estimates.

Talldave

Nothing yet. Ironically, the last time the bill came out late, they ignored my "day late, give me some free units" readings and I didn't get any free units. And yet when the bill comes out on the 3rd of the month they're fine with incorporating late readings and dishing out free units!

Swipe

TBH I'd completely forgotten about my yet to be received bill until I saw this post.

CRISPIANNE3

Checked my account online and summary of bill shown there. Payment due 13 May. However no actual email received as yet. Looks all ok. 

Talldave

CRISPIANNE3 said:

Checked my account online and summary of bill shown there. Payment due 13 May. However no actual email received as yet. Looks all ok. 

I don't see that in my account.  I do see a stupid graph showing 372.92kWh hours used in May next to a legend that says 372.92kWh consumed in April.  It bears no relation to my April consumption, so perhaps it's a clue that May's estimate is going to be less ludicrous than normal.  The graph has a y-axis starting at 362.9 - I've never seen anything so pathetic.  Symbio if you're reading, it would be less embarrassing to remove the graph since it's utter nonsense as currently presented.

rags58

I took the bait again and complained....It's not even about the money it's the principle. Symbio feel they can ride roughshod and completely ignore their customers and their own t&cs and make them up as they go along. How can they justify continually over estimating a higher consumption in Summer than Winter......
Dear Sir/Madam,

I wish to complain about your continued over inflated forthcoming estimated consumption even though you state from April you will use summer consumption rates .

Since Dec these are the units I have consumed

to 31/12/19..........234 units....your estimate.......219.30

to 31/1/20............226 units................................362.82.........244.39 (amended after letter complaining)

to 29/2/20...........185 units.................................252.43

to 31/3/20...........196 units.................................308.01......over estimated 112 units

to 30/4/20...........169 units......your estimate.....304.61......over estimated 135 units

to 31/5/20........not known.......your estimate.....277.26........................?..

You state that you estimate a higher consumption due to higher usage in winter and that you will adjust  the estimate for lower consumption in summer which you state starts in April.

Yet your bill for April and now May are estimating rates of consumption higher than what I have used in winter and higher than my eac/12 and in complete contradiction to your own seasonal variable direct debit email sent in Dec 19.

I have written to you about this issue on numerous occasions and yet you have continually ignored my concerns about your dubious estimation practices. I will be e-mailing a complaint to both the BBC consumer "Watchdog" programme for them to investigate and to highlight your exploitation of your advance estimation scheme. I shall also be making an official complaint to ofgem with all accompanying emails that you have sent to me from the 3/7/19, as well as all my e-mail correspondence that I have sent to you at the earliest opportunity "ie late May" Hopefully they will take action against your business model whereby you can extract money from customers based on fantasy estimation figures that bear no relation to eac/12, the seasons, or your own terms and conditions.

I can honestly say I have never had any problems with previous utility suppliers either for gas or electricity.
"Been with Zog for my gas almost 3 years...not had any issue...simple, honest & straightforward"
The terms and conditions are simple to follow and as long as both parties agree to abide by them, then no problems will exist. Problems only arise when suppliers change t&c to suit themselves, or make them up as they go along, which is what you appear to be doing. 

I do hope you will read this letter and make an attempt to resolve my genuine complaints before I take the above action to escalate. I only wish to be treated fairly and would appreciate a response that doesn't involve the standard "copy and paste reply"

I am sure I am not alone in voicing these complaints which the growing list of unhappy online customers will attest.

Many thanks

niktheguru

I've just switched to symbio from Green, and it hasn't started well. My annual consumption is about 6000 kwh, yet they have decided by plucking out from the air that it is 18000. Hence my first direct debit has gone from around £50 to £230.
Got through to customer services relatively quickly, but the man I spoke to was pretty infuriating. Was put on hold multiple times, then told he'd get back to me. I stated it wasn't rocked science. The estimated usage is incorrect and someone has made an error on their end.....another delay later and now he wants me to email an old bill as PROOF that i'm not lying!! Absolutely ridiculous. (I have therefore had to email them a bill) I shall be leaving immediately if they take the overinflated direct debit in 5 days time. Seems a very amateurish outfit.

CRISPIANNE3

Although still awaiting for my latest bill I can see online they have again grossly over estimated my usage by about 200 units. However same thing happened last month but it appears to be adjusted only for them to do the same. Fortunately my other utility providers  do not adopt the same instane logic.

I think next month I'll give my readings on the 1st and see if I can enjoy some of those free units.

binao

CRISPIANNE3 said:

Although still awaiting for my latest bill I can see online they have again grossly over estimated my usage by about 200 units. However same thing happened last month but it appears to be adjusted only for them to do the same. Fortunately my other utility providers  do not adopt the same instane logic.

I think next month I'll give my readings on the 1st and see if I can enjoy some of those free units.

Thinking of switching to Symbio but after checking out this thread I could be FPITF, frying pan into the fire. 

CRISP, are you on a fixed tariff? 
Free units???

What is the Symbio "advance estimations scheme?

Thanks for all replays.

Talldave

binao said:

CRISPIANNE3 said:

Although still awaiting for my latest bill I can see online they have again grossly over estimated my usage by about 200 units. However same thing happened last month but it appears to be adjusted only for them to do the same. Fortunately my other utility providers  do not adopt the same instane logic.

I think next month I'll give my readings on the 1st and see if I can enjoy some of those free units.

Thinking of switching to Symbio but after checking out this thread I could be FPITF, frying pan into the fire. 

CRISP, are you on a fixed tariff? 
Free units???

What is the Symbio "advance estimations scheme?

Thanks for all replays.

Symbio bill you in advance for the month ahead, then consolidate the difference between what they charged for in advance against your actual consumption on the next bill.  They used to use your estimated annual consumption (EAC) divided by 12 for this advance charge, until the start of this year when they decided that they needed to over-estimate by 50%,60% or more. This means you have to pay a higher payment in the first month of their stupidity, but after that, the consolidation means the payments go down again.

The free units come from a flaw in Symbio's billing system where if you give your meter reading a day after the previous bill's estimating period, they give you a day's free electricity (fortunately using their ludicrous over estimating approach, so it's a nice high figure!)