Symbio Energy feedback

Tallerdave

No email reminder here either.  What's the betting the bills come out tomorrow, giving them the quickest possible cash-grab?

Their Jan estimate: 625, actual Jan usage: 425.  So 47% over-estimated, which is better than last January's 75%.  Their algorithm is still rubbish though.

spot1034

I'm joining Symbio on Tuesday and am looking forward to an interesting and entertaining year, although I'm well aware that it might not turn out to be as long as that!  I had read through a lot of this thread before applying to them so knew roughly what to expect, and so far they have not let me down. I received an email overnight requesting opening readings.  I see I'm required to submit a photo. This is not a problem, but do hardened Symbio customers actually do this each month, or is it a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance? 
In one line they say  please note that the online portal is not allowing you to submit a read any prior date of your effective date of supply 02 February 2021. Should I take them at their word and not even attempt to submit a reading until Tuesday morning, or would it be OK to do so today or tomorrow - will it even allow me to do so?  There is another line which says please ignore this email if you have already provided the opening meter readings for 02 February 2021 which suggests it is possible. 

niktheguru

spot1034 said:

I'm joining Symbio on Tuesday and am looking forward to an interesting and entertaining year, although I'm well aware that it might not turn out to be as long as that!  I had read through a lot of this thread before applying to them so knew roughly what to expect, and so far they have not let me down. I received an email overnight requesting opening readings.  I see I'm required to submit a photo. This is not a problem, but do hardened Symbio customers actually do this each month, or is it a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance? 
In one line they say  please note that the online portal is not allowing you to submit a read any prior date of your effective date of supply 02 February 2021. Should I take them at their word and not even attempt to submit a reading until Tuesday morning, or would it be OK to do so today or tomorrow - will it even allow me to do so?  There is another line which says please ignore this email if you have already provided the opening meter readings for 02 February 2021 which suggests it is possible. 

Always easier to just give them the photo using the app. At least then they can't quibble with you as they're can see proof of the reading. If using the app on the phone it's not really much hassle when you go and take the reading at the meter to take a quick snap. Don't think it really makes much of a difference. Though for the opening and closing reading I would def take a picture.

matelodave

Only ever took a photo when I left them - our meter is very difficult to get a decent piccie, its got a very poor contrast LCD screen (black letters on a non illuminated green screen with the sun behind me) so you've got to get the angles just right so I didn't bother.

Regarding sending in readings before your contract starts, I couldn't enter them in after it had started, I had to E-mail them instead.

Swipe

January

Symbio estimate: 337.5

Actual usage: 304

Sent in my reading. Just realised I had no email reminder this month. Another cash grab again by the looks of it. Oh well, at least they are still in business for now, unlike Green energy network

Boohoo

I just checked my account this morning and my usage was 295 and their cash grab was 384 so over 25% more than i have used.

Tallerdave

Boohoo said:

I just checked my account this morning and my usage was 295 and their cash grab was 384 so over 25% more than i have used.

They'll credit you with 89kWh against this month's guess (provided you submitted a meter reading yesterday) on the bill arriving any minute now. I think the highest I've had was 85% after which I got a negative bill, which played havoc with my Excel spreadsheet! 

niktheguru

matelodave said:

I don't need a reminder - I just do it a day before the billing date. It's worked with most suppliers who then issue a bill a few days later (SSE only issued billing updates every quarter) but I still sent in a monthly meter read

However, even when you do send in a reading to Symbio they issue a bill and take a direct debit based on some fictitious amount they think you'll use in the next month. It does usually take into account your actual readings from last month so it's possible to end up with a negative bill although it doesn't happen very often. I found that Symbio usually sent an e-mail telling me when the bill was issued (although I used to check my on-line account myself, just in case they didn't).  I always downloaded and saved it immediately because it doesn't seem to stay available for long.  All you can then access is a summary of their previous billing, which as they were based on their guesses isn't very helpful if you have a problem in the future.

Where do you find the pdf bills on the online account? I am emailed pdf bills monthly, but when I look at my online symbio account all i can see is that unhelpful popup screen when i click the bills section, which hasn't got the readings details you get from the pdf bill.

CRISPIANNE3

CRISPIANNE3 said:

Submitted my readings today and like some other contributors here no reminder. However they forecast 550 kw for January but the actual was 348.  Interesting to see what the forecast figure will be for Feb. 

Bill received for February. Received £20 rebate from January and they now estimate 526 units for February even though the actual units for January was only 348.  I'm surprised considering Feb is a shorter month.  Oh well can look forward to a nice rebate in March. Fingers crossed!

matelodave

niktheguru said:

matelodave said:

I don't need a reminder - I just do it a day before the billing date. It's worked with most suppliers who then issue a bill a few days later (SSE only issued billing updates every quarter) but I still sent in a monthly meter read

However, even when you do send in a reading to Symbio they issue a bill and take a direct debit based on some fictitious amount they think you'll use in the next month. It does usually take into account your actual readings from last month so it's possible to end up with a negative bill although it doesn't happen very often. I found that Symbio usually sent an e-mail telling me when the bill was issued (although I used to check my on-line account myself, just in case they didn't).  I always downloaded and saved it immediately because it doesn't seem to stay available for long.  All you can then access is a summary of their previous billing, which as they were based on their guesses isn't very helpful if you have a problem in the future.

Where do you find the pdf bills on the online account? I am emailed pdf bills monthly, but when I look at my online symbio account all i can see is that unhelpful popup screen when i click the bills section, which hasn't got the readings details you get from the pdf bill.

I used to get the PDF bill from the link that they sent with the E-mail. I couldn't get it if I just logged into the portal myself, only the summary was available so it was case of downloading the bill as soon as it became available rather than hoping you could so it at your leisure sometime in the future. Dunno how others got on.

I'm now with Neon Reef and I can still access PDF's of all my bills right back to last year - although I still download and save them anyway as soon as they become available, jyst in case summat goes wrong