Symbio Energy feedback

griffb

tk47 wrote: »

You still getting charged this way, griifb?

Haha - no


Actual usage December - 527 units, estimate for January 946 :mad: They did get the December actual usage variance right though


I probably won't query it this month as I'm afraid of breaking the system, and as Tafrock says it is the last month for Natwest's 2% cashback

Tafrock

Agree with everything merchcon says. I've noticed my overestimation. It may well go even higher next month. Yes I will get a large sum deducted from next month's bill because of a clear overestimation but what's to stop them overestimating ludicrously again next month

I provide readings. Use them. Don't invent some stupid figure for my usage. its my money it belongs in my bank not yours

May well initiate a switch this weekend. Green. Energy are similarly priced

molerat

My daughter has the same jump. Accurate past monthly usage are £93, £90, & £98. Her account at 1 Jan is £3.18 debit. Jan estimate is £141.

tk47

Tafrock wrote: »

Wow bit of an overestimation for January's usage symbio

I never use more than 300 kWh a month. Usually around 250. Yes it's the coldest months coming up but to estimate my usage at 402 kWh resulting in a bill of £56.39 is a bit shocking

Yes I know I'll get the overpayment back in variance deductions in February's bill but I'm still shocked

That's a record high for an electricity bill for me

Maybe time to look elsewhere for a company that uses my actual readings every month

Tafrock wrote: »

Well mine most certainly isn't for this month. Yes my electricity usage is slowly creeping up during winter but I will never use over 400 kWh in a month. I've looked back through my records. Largest usage all way back to 1st January 2018 is 290. 6. I've been charged for 402.42 kWh. Last month I was billed for 257.83 but actually used 272.2. So why is the guesstimate so damn high

I have no idea, as I have no access to a full bill yet.
I think either Symbio have had another system failure or else someone at Symbio Towers is smoking something.

But in preparation, I have:
1. Double checked the terms & conditions I agreed to when I signed up for a fixed term contract. The terms should have been included in the 'Welcome' email when you signed up.

I joined in August and term 3.17 states (Version 0.02, 02/05/2019):

3.17. Your automatic monthly payment amount will
be based on the cost of the energy we think you’ll
use during a year with Symbio Energy split into 12
equal monthly payments. We will inform you of your
payment amounts and payment dates when we set
up your account with us.

Whereas today it seems to have changed to (no version/date given):

3.17. Your automatic monthly payment amount will be based on the cost of the energy we think you’ll use during a year with Symbio Energy split into monthly payments. Based on electricity consumption we are billing our customers. The electricity consumption in winter is significantly higher than in summer, hence the payments in winter will be based on the winter consumption, which will be slightly higher. The summer bills will be accordingly adjusted and they will be in line with your summer consumption. You can easily measure that your bill amount during summer are lower then your bill amount during winter. We will inform you of your payment amounts and payment dates when we set up your account with us.

I was not inforned "of your payment amounts and payment dates when we set up your account with us", save for the one equal monthly estimated payment

I note term 7.1 states:

7.1. From time to time, we may update this Agreement
to comply with changes to laws or regulations, or
where our business necessitates a change to this
Agreement. Please check this page regularly to
review updated terms. The date this Agreement was
last updated is at the bottom of this page. Should
there by any material changes to the Terms and
Conditions contained herein, we will send an e-mail
asking you to review the new Terms and Conditions.
You will be given 20 working days from the point of
communication. Thereafter, Symbio Energy will have
deemed acceptance of the Terms and Conditions.
Should you disagree with the new Terms and
Conditions, please do provide feedback to Symbio
Energy. However, in most instances, the customer
who disagrees with the new Terms and Conditions is
advised to seek a new supplier whose T&C’s are more
agreeable to the customer.

But I don't recall ever having been sent an email with 20 working days notice indicating a change of their material terms.
In any event, I think I would first follow the suppliers complaint procedure, and if necessary, ask the ombudsman to rule on what is fair and reasonable in the circumstances.

2. I note that up until & including November, Symbio were charging me about 80% of the monthly estimate.

3. In December, having received an email date 01/12/2019 advising why the amounts would increase due to their error, I was billed about bang on the estimated monthly amount. (actually 100.7% of the estimated amount). I accepted that as I knew December would be quite a high usage month.

4. Having taken into account total usage, and all payments up to and including 31/12/2019, my account actually seems almost bang on (they actually owe me a couple of pennies according to my calculations, but that may be rounding errors)

5. My January's bill summary indicates it will be a whopping 170% of the estimated monthly payment. :eek:

6. I can't challenge it yet because:
a) I have not been informed by email
b) I don't have a full bill to understand what Symbio have based the amount on

7. But I'm ready & waiting for the email, and if it reflects the online summary, am poised to initiate a complaint.

8. I won't be seeking to terminate the contract early as nothing currently available beats it, so I will attempt to hold Symbio to the terms they agreed when we both willingly entered into the agreement, for the full term of the contract. I don't think that is unreasonable, do you?

9. I have diarised Friday to check with my bank what, if any, money Symbio take and am fully poised to invoke the terms of the Direct Debit Guarantee if necessary.

10. Fingers crossed this is another of their billing errors. Their last global one was way back in September, so I guess we were all due another.
Hopefully they will again be "re-issuing the bill to reflect the correct amount payable and will send this to you in the next couple of days" - not that I've actually got a bill yet for January.

Tafrock

They will certainly be deluged with complaints. January is never the easiest month after Christmas. People don't expect a ridiculous rise in their monthly outgoings due to a utilities company overestimation.

I'm seriously thinking of jumping ship now

jazzy

Swipe wrote: »

Is it really that big a deal for the sake of an extra £15 if you get it all back over coming months? I'd prefer this than to lose their excellent rates by them going under.

I didn't get anything back for last month over-estimated bill and next month's bill is also way over-estimated.

Tafrock

You should have got any overestimation deducted from this month's bill jazzy.

That's the variance units bit. Mine was underestimated very slightly so I got a bit added on (£1.69). If your bill was overestimated and you didn't get a variance figure deducted from this month's bill you MUST chase it up

It's how symbios billing works

I will be expecting my variance figure for February's bill to to deducted as its obvious they have overestimated on the region of 10 or 12 pounds maybe more

tk47

jazzy wrote: »

I didn't get anything back for last month over-estimated bill and next month's bill is also way over-estimated.

Do I take it you have already received an email, with the full, detailed bill attached for January?

Edit: looks like Tafrock has an email too.

Still not got ours.
Maybe because we are on E7?
Or maybe they've stopped sending them as they are being duluged with complaints and realise they have made another massive blunder?

matelodave

tk47 wrote: »

Do I take it you have already received an email, with the full, detailed bill attached for January?

You can always look at your account on line and frequently the bill has already post there before they send the e-mail.

tk47

Tafrock wrote: »

...

I'm seriously thinking of jumping ship now

I have considered it too.

But obviously only a sensible option if like us, you are one of the early customers who are on a tariff with no early exit fees. (or you have found a significantly cheaper deal elsewhere which is unlikely)

If there was another supplier who could match the rates, I probably would switch now. I understand that is the situation you are in.
I suspect the end is nigh for all of us.
But as my tariff beats anything currently on offer, I'll be holding out for as long as I can.
Will we make it until the end of August? I doubt it, but fingers crossed (and the savings today will fund the added expense of the Ofgem SoLR if/when appointed)