Symbio Energy feedback

thelight

fewkeste said:

Good luck with your case. Do I remember correctly that it costs the energy company something like £400 every time a complaint is submitted to the Ombudsman?  Incidentally, what is the likely outcome? Do you just get the £60 they owe you or is there an additional payment on top?

I'm not sure what they will do if Symbio submit evidence showing they have actually paid the compensation after I launched the case. When I had to use the ombudsman before with Solarplicity I was awarded compensation ontop of what was already owed, but they made no effort at all to recify the issue even after taking to the Ombudsman. I mainly just want it to remain on record at the ombudsman as hopefully if enough people do the same they may refer to them to OFGEM for some kind of enforcment action. If I get any extra compensation for the hassle of getting this sorted then it's a bonus.

devondiver

thelight said:

On a related note, does anyone who has gone through the Ombudsman process know how to submit further evidence once a case has been submitted? I am sure this was possible on their old system, but on the new one I can't see a way to add anything extra to the case.

I simply sent a 'message' with additional evidence attached and received a prompt reply acknowledging the extra evidence. Still waiting for my £60 (next 'action due' date is 5th April). I declined Symbio's offer of a telephone conversation as 'nothing to discuss'. Will keep you posted. Good luck.

daveinPortsmouth

I left Symbio energy due to very poor customer service, they have refused to refund my credit of £65, saying they had bank problems and no payments would be made for a month. Then after a month they promised to pay within 10 working days and failed to do so. I have now gone to the energy ombudsman and am waiting for the decision. 

Tallerdave

They really are stupid if they'd rather have a case at the ombudsman than repay £65??

devondiver

Tallerdave said:

They really are stupid if they'd rather have a case at the ombudsman than repay £65??

Or they have accepted the inevitable and are grasping as much as possible before going on the run? Just take a look at the recent TP reviews (ignoring the stupid put-up jobs); they could be amassing quite a bundle.

thozza

Just had another of their baffling 'Revised Direct Debit Amount Notification' emails, with the priceless explanation It has been noticed that your energy consumption from your meter reads and industry algorithms is slightly higher than initially indicated. It then goes on to increase the DD. The trouble is, their estimates are wrong again; they have obviously taken no notice of the meter reads, as I'm actually in credit.

The DD increase is not a large amount so I'm not sure I can face another conversation with them about it. 

UnclaimedEnergy

devondiver said:

Tallerdave said:

They really are stupid if they'd rather have a case at the ombudsman than repay £65??

Or they have accepted the inevitable and are grasping as much as possible before going on the run? Just take a look at the recent TP reviews (ignoring the stupid put-up jobs); they could be amassing quite a bundle.

I wouldn't be surprised if they owe a bit of debt to the ombudsman already. Refunding you £65 means money out of their bank account(s) now, whereas going to ombudsman delays any payout.

Based on their replies on trustpilot though I wouldn't be surprised if they think the ombudsman would take their side.

SPOWER

Hi.   I would urge everyone having problems with these to use the Ombudsman Service.  I was awarded £110 because they failed to refund a similar amount after I left them.  

devondiver

UnclaimedEnergy said:

Based on their replies on trustpilot though I wouldn't be surprised if they think the ombudsman would take their side.

Perhaps they believe that their accusations of "institutional racism" will swing it for them. (Google 'Symbio racism'.) These guys really do take the biscuit!

niktheguru

So, my switch away from symbio is due to complete tomorrow. Was thinking no more surprises.

Upon initiating the first switch, as has happened to others, symbio blocked it as they said I was £20 in arrears, when in actual fact it was just their overestimated advance billing making me go over and I was in fact £20 in credit.
After two phone calls (one before the switch checking they wouldn't block it, being told it looks good their end but if I wanted to make sure it went thru why don't I pay the extra £20....er no thanks) then the second call after it was blocked, again asking me for payment, but when he realised I knew what I was talking about he then caved in and said he would ensure there is no block. 

Great I think, reinstated the switch, all looks like it's going ahead. Now today I receive an email asking for a closing meter read. The email states they need to receive the final meter reading by.....yesterday to ensure that the next bill isn't "estimated"......er that's not quite how final bills work.
Anyways, have submitted an up to date reading
....now having calculated it I owe them £3 to settle the account. I've asked them to send my final bill ASAP so I can pay this. I will not let them take a direct debit as I know they'll take a full 100quid, then take 3 months to pay it back to me.

Who knows what the next chapter will be in the symbio chronicles.