Symbio Energy feedback

niktheguru

Islimbuck said:

SPOWER said:

Today I got my email from them confirming another supplier is taking over my supply and was asked to confirm this to them along with the reason I was leaving.  They also want a photo of my final meter reading despite me having one of their own smart meters.  They won't be getting any photo from me.  Hoping they don't refund my credit balance so that I can claim 2 x £30 payments from them and then it's good riddance.  

I think we have already established that Symbio Energy rarely, if ever, looks at any photo you send them.
If the software requires you to submit an image to progress, just send any image file of your choosing.

In regards any compo, if Symbio are not refunding you your money, I doubt they will be too keen to pay you any of theirs. Quite a few posts in this thread already talk about this.

Once the ombudsman is involved symbio tend to become extremely efficient. They contacted me by phone and email, paid me the £27 compensation owed within 48hrs as agreed (my account was in £3 debit on final bill) and it was all settled.

I had no interest in squeezing any extra money out of them. Though I believe you are entitled to £30 extra compensation IF a credit balance hasn't been paid within 10 days of the final bill. I gave them enough emails (2) to ask for my final bill before 12 weeks and was told it was referred to the correct department and i would receive it shortly. It didn't come, so went to the ombudsman after 3 months of leaving and it was settled within a week of the brief ombudsman application.

SPOWER

I have every interest in squeezing extra money from them.  A previous Ombudsman complaint I had with Symbio (my mum and dads supply) they claimed they could not refund credit balance because they were changing banks.  That was away back in December last year I think.  Only today, I was reading Truspilot reviews and someone has posted they are due a refund and it has not been paid and the reason = Symbio are changing banks.  Something isn't quite right and I hope they don't refund me and I will claim every copper coin I can off them.

Swipe

Still waiting on my credit refund after moving house. It's been a week so far since my final bill and no refund. I suspect I'll need to chase for compensation when I've still not received it in another week. At least it will cancel out my exit fee.

[Deleted User]

I've looked at some of the posts in this thread but have only a hazy view of what makes Symbio an issue for some/many.  I know that their electricity prices always come up cheapest of any supplier when I put my EAC into comparison sites.  My EAC is very accurate and I continue to take weekly readings (gas and electric) and submit monthly readings on the day that my present supplier (Avro) wants.

My question therefore, to those who are savvy current and former customers of Symbio, is how do you manage them?  How should you be handling them to have as trouble-free experience with them as is possible? (or is this impossible?)  I shall have to move to a new supplier (Bulb - dual fuel) in less than 10 days (because I'm moving house) but certainly don't intend using the incumbent for any longer than is necessary.  My current supplier in my present abode (Avro) has been largely manageable but far from perfect but at least I think I know how to manage them without too much personal aggravation.  That being said my expectations are not great.

molerat

You MUST give meter reads on the last day of the month, their system will then trundle along fairly happily.  Giving them an EAC of around 30% under would likely make the system run better for you, their estimates of 50% over on 30% less will keep the credit balance down

jbuchanangb

They have several weird behaviours. One is that each bill uses a forward estimate for the month ahead, and a correction to adjust for the month completed. So at the start of July there is a charge for the estimate for July and an adjustment (rebate or addition) for the actual usage up to end June compared to the previous estimate. Then at the start of August there is a charge for the estimate for August and an adjustment (rebate or addition) for the actual usage up to end July compared to the previous estimate. And so on.

But this bears no resemblance to the direct debit amounts. I am on the seasonal system, which means that for 6 months of the year I pay 20% less then 1/12th of the forecast charges for the whole year, and then for the other 6 months it will be 20% more than that.

My trusty spreadsheet of electricity consumption since 1983 is coping well with this strange behaviour. After 3 bills and 3 payments, I have a £2.52 debit balance with them.

niktheguru

DerwentMailman said:

I've looked at some of the posts in this thread but have only a hazy view of what makes Symbio an issue for some/many.  I know that their electricity prices always come up cheapest of any supplier when I put my EAC into comparison sites.  My EAC is very accurate and I continue to take weekly readings (gas and electric) and submit monthly readings on the day that my present supplier (Avro) wants.

My question therefore, to those who are savvy current and former customers of Symbio, is how do you manage them?  How should you be handling them to have as trouble-free experience with them as is possible? (or is this impossible?)  I shall have to move to a new supplier (Bulb - dual fuel) in less than 10 days (because I'm moving house) but certainly don't intend using the incumbent for any longer than is necessary.  My current supplier in my present abode (Avro) has been largely manageable but far from perfect but at least I think I know how to manage them without too much personal aggravation.  That being said my expectations are not great.

I've written about this at length earlier in this thread, but its so unbelieably long now that i dont have the energy to try and find it....

In brief: 

Problems:
1. Symbio bill 1 month in advance, however they overestimate your 1 month advance bill by varying large amounts
2. Need to give meter readings monthly, the excess will then be subtracted from your "predicted" use for that month.
3. Customer services can be hit and miss
4. They may block a switch out if you account is alledgedly in debit 

Recommendations:
1. Always give a lower EAC than your actual one....this will minimise your overestimates. Say 20% less
2. Give meter readings every month at the end of the month
3. Take a fixed or seasonal direct debit. Never do a variable direct debit.
4. Monitor your bills every month....if you the sort of person that doesn't check anything then symbio is the wrong fit.
5. Ensure your account doesn't go into a large credit balance.

I was with symbio for a year and i had a relatively painless time. There were some issues, but they all did get sorted out with a little bit of persuasion. I would certainly go back to them if they were the cheapest for me.

Might also be worth looking at octopus go faster if you are not averse to smart meters. It doesn't appear on the price comparison sites. If you add their off peak rate of 4.5-5.5p for 3-5hours a day then they may work out cheaper for you than symbio. Their peak rates vary from 15p-17p depending on the area you live in the country. Add on a referral bonus and its £50 less for the year. Its worth doing the sums as it may work out cheaper than symbio. Obviously if you hate smart meters then its a non starter and symbio will be the cheapest.

[Deleted User]

Anyone have experience of how the Warm Home Discount has gone with Symbio?  With Avro I got it without issue (for the broader group)

matelodave

They  are in bother again - https://email.ofgem.gov.uk/1QCB-7I2PH-FS2G9O-4JCHAN-1/c.aspx?_externalContentRedirect=https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/symbio-energy-final-order?utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotMailer&utm_campaign=Daily-Alert_18-08-2021&utm_content=Symbio+Energy%3a+Final+Order

Swipe

Oh dear. There must be a reason why they are withholding this requested information. I just hope I get my final bill credit refund before they go under.