Symbio Energy feedback

t0rt0ise

PennineAcute said:

So, if my understanding is correct, they want to move away from variable DD (which I signed up for) and eventually move everyone over to fixed DD with summer and winter adjustments?

Not just simple fixed DD according to their example, but loaning them money too which you may get back at the end of the contract. Time to call a halt for me, I've jumped.

Jeremy_Klein

Tallerdave said:

People need to remember that Symbio's idea of your annual spend is probably about 100% over what you actually spend. They ignore reality in order to set arbitrary consumption/spend figures and bill against that.

The 5% interest (per month, year, millennium?) Is so far detached from reality that it sounds like an unsustainable pyramid scheme. 

I'd love to see the maths behind the £50,000,000 they've apparently saved their customers. They probably meant rupees not pounds!

When they send the consent confirmation, they say they've saved an estimated £40,000,0000.  If they are going to pluck a number from the air, they should at least be consistent.

Tallerdave

t0rt0ise said:

PennineAcute said:

So, if my understanding is correct, they want to move away from variable DD (which I signed up for) and eventually move everyone over to fixed DD with summer and winter adjustments?

Not just simple fixed DD according to their example, but loaning them money too which you may get back at the end of the contract. Time to call a halt for me, I've jumped.

Remember that your DD will be based on their ludicrously excessive estimate of your annual consumption and the overpayment will accumulate month after month.

At least on their "variable monthly DD with randomised up to 100% over-estimation" option your interest-free loan to them is reset every month. Your loan to them doesn't accumulate, the amount just fluctuates over the year. 

It's obvious, therefore, why they're changing, as the amount of working capital they can borrow is much much higher. I've not analysed the wording of the email, but I bet interest will only be payable on credit balances above their ludicrous estimate of your consumption,  not against your actual consumption.  Symbio might be illiterate and incompetent but they're not stupid. 

PennineAcute

niktheguru said:

PennineAcute said:

So, if my understanding is correct, they want to move away from variable DD (which I signed up for) and eventually move everyone over to fixed DD with summer and winter adjustments?

Believe me, you're better off NOT ok variable direct debit with symbio as you don't just pay for what you use!

Yes, I have just found that out.  I am on the ball with my usage, and I gave them a slightly over estimated annual usage of 2582.

Went live yesterday and so far this month, I am using a mean of 4.48 kWh a day on elec.  Just received my first bill, 20 June - 30 June and been charged for 104.14 kWh for 11 days (£13.93), which is a mean of 9.47 kWh a day,.  Now 2582 is a mean of 7.07 kWh a day.  God knows what they think I will be using during winter. 

devondiver

Tallerdave said:

The 5% interest (per month, year, millennium?) Is so far detached from reality that it sounds like an unsustainable pyramid scheme. 

I'd love to see the maths behind the £50,000,000 they've apparently saved their customers. They probably meant rupees not pounds!

Er.. you did mean £50,000,0000 didn't you? Whatever that means.

I believe Symbio have always run their operation as a quazi-Ponzi scheme. The one thing you can say about an unsustainable operation is . . . . . . . . . . it can't go on (- much longer?).

jbuchanangb

According to their rules, you will give them another reading on 30 June, and they will then adjust the calculation for 20-30 June, and perform another estimate up to 31 July. On 31 July you will give them another reading, they will adjust the calculation for 1-31 July and estimate to 31 August. I am watching this carefully as my go-live date is 23 June.

Tallerdave

devondiver said:

Tallerdave said:

The 5% interest (per month, year, millennium?) Is so far detached from reality that it sounds like an unsustainable pyramid scheme. 

I'd love to see the maths behind the £50,000,000 they've apparently saved their customers. They probably meant rupees not pounds!

Er.. you did mean £50,000,0000 didn't you? Whatever that means.

I believe Symbio have always run their operation as a quazi-Ponzi scheme. The one think you can say about an unsustainable operation is . . . . . it can't go on (much longer?).

I did! 

People have been saying it can't continue almost as long as I've been using them and they're still here. As long as newcomers realise that cheap electricity comes at a price, this thread is doing it's job. I'm only ever in for a month's energy cost tops and I've saved shedloads more than that, so even when it folds the ride's been worthwhile. 

victorjbennett

Hello everyone, I'm new on here so please be gentle!  I sent this email to MSE support and wondered of anyone on ere knows the answer:

I am a Symbio energy customer.

I am currently on the Fair and Green Variable Renewal B2.3.  This is due to end on 30th June 2021.

I will automatically be moved to Fair and Green Variable Renewal B2.5 on 1st July 2021.

Neither of these tariffs are on the dropdown menu for Symbio.

The upcoming Fair and Green Variable Renewal B2.5 rates are as follows:

Standard Unit Rate: 18.839 pence per KwH

Standing Charge: 20 pence per day.

In order for me to complete a comparison online, can this tariff be added, or is there an existing tariff in the dropdown that matches the tariff I am switching to.

niktheguru

victorjbennett said:

Hello everyone, I'm new on here so please be gentle!  I sent this email to MSE support and wondered of anyone on ere knows the answer:

I am a Symbio energy customer.

I am currently on the Fair and Green Variable Renewal B2.3.  This is due to end on 30th June 2021.

I will automatically be moved to Fair and Green Variable Renewal B2.5 on 1st July 2021.

Neither of these tariffs are on the dropdown menu for Symbio.

The upcoming Fair and Green Variable Renewal B2.5 rates are as follows:

Standard Unit Rate: 18.839 pence per KwH

Standing Charge: 20 pence per day.

In order for me to complete a comparison online, can this tariff be added, or is there an existing tariff in the dropdown that matches the tariff I am switching to.

You dont need that tariff there to do a comparison.
Just do a standard comparison on CEC, which switch or citizens advice, making sure you input your ACCURATE usage for the year.

Then look at the TOTAL COST (not the potential saving) of the available providers.

You can then work out your TOTAL cost of your symbio deal by doing

0.20 x 365 = £73 (your annual standing charge cost)
+
0.18839 x YOUR annual usage in kwh (energy cost)

Then compare the figures. You dont need to wait for CEC to update the tariff. 

niktheguru

devondiver said:

Tallerdave said:

The 5% interest (per month, year, millennium?) Is so far detached from reality that it sounds like an unsustainable pyramid scheme. 

I'd love to see the maths behind the £50,000,000 they've apparently saved their customers. They probably meant rupees not pounds!

Er.. you did mean £50,000,0000 didn't you? Whatever that means.

I believe Symbio have always run their operation as a quazi-Ponzi scheme. The one thing you can say about an unsustainable operation is . . . . . . . . . . it can't go on (- much longer?).

And when it does fold where will we spend half of our free time if we cant comment about them anymore on these forums!