Neon Reef - any views?

CRISPIANNE3

CRISPIANNE3 said:

A very sad day for most of us including the Sharks they were supporting. However the situation with me is I have never paid them anything since I joined on Oct 11 2021. I then decided to cancel under the cooling off period by which time they had taken my first payment. I managed to get that back. Now they were unable to put me back to Symbio because they were now insolvent.  So I said never mind I will stay with them.

Moving on they said they will be collecting the dd on the 12 December. However today advised me they wanted to claim again the first dd that was cancelled by me in a few days time. Now what do I do cancel the dd completely now or just let carrying on taken payments. The dd was set for £82.89 and the amount to date I owe is £65.00. 

After considering all my options I have cancelled to cancel the direct debit. I prefer to be in debt to them rather than them owing me any money and having to wait for the SOLR to refund me.  However if they give me their bank details I am very happy to pay the exact amount I owe them.

ivanleo

MWT said:

ivanleo said:

So annoyingly the next cheapest is Bristol Energy, their online system is not working at the moment so for the first time in my life I've switched over the phone. For those who want to escape the SOLR and not be stuck for six weeks tomorrow is probably the last day so I wouldn't wait around.

Just took a look at their tariffs and there was nothing cheaper than their standard capped variable rate, which is the same as you would be on with the SoLR, so not sure what the benefit of switching would be?

I assume you were looking at the tariff details (standing charge, rate per kWh) not just at the monthly DD estimate?

Firstly Bristol Energy doesn't require a DD at all, you can pay via BACS on receipt of bill so I don't need to give them an interest free loan.

Also the last time I helped someone escape the SOLR process, it was when PFP went bust and at the time E.ON's fixed 12 month deal was cheaper than the British gas SOLR tariff (when I talk of price I am always referring to the standing charge and kWh price, the DD amount is meaningless and OfGem are morons for focus on it but that's another story).

And I have the flexibility that I can leave whenever I want penalty free, there's no six week waiting time. For all I know there could be another COVID lockdown continental Europe and wholesale prices might collapse, ok it's unlikely but I see zero point in being stuck with the SOLR.

I know *in theory* the SOLR can invoice you from the date of the deemed switch, but if you switch from the bust supplier to a supplier of your choice, their systems don't seem to cope very well. I escaped the SOLR process for Iresa, Eversmart Energy, Symbio and now NR and I am yet to pay a penny to an SOLR.

So sure, if you're happy with the price cap and care about nothing else, the SOLR is fine. It's just not my cup of tea.

brewerdave

ivanleo said:

So annoyingly the next cheapest is Bristol Energy, their online system is not working at the moment so for the first time in my life I've switched over the phone. For those who want to escape the SOLR and not be stuck for six weeks tomorrow is probably the last day so I wouldn't wait around.

Bristol Energy is now a label under Together Energy - they are in a serious mess owing £12.4m in Renewables obligations so watch this space........

ivanleo

brewerdave said:

ivanleo said:

So annoyingly the next cheapest is Bristol Energy, their online system is not working at the moment so for the first time in my life I've switched over the phone. For those who want to escape the SOLR and not be stuck for six weeks tomorrow is probably the last day so I wouldn't wait around.

Bristol Energy is now a label under Together Energy - they are in a serious mess owing £12.4m in Renewables obligations so watch this space........

That's alright, as they invoice in arrears I'm really not bothered. Maybe if their billing system is pants they'll go bust before they ever invoice me.

brewerdave

I actually owe NR money so I'm tempted to leave the DD live for a short while to allow one more payment before cancelling it. Previously I've always cancelled the DD to the failed supplier immediately.

Patr100

What's notable to me is that so far , not all the SoLRs allocated to abandoned customers are necessarily the original "Big six".
Presumably Ofgem knows enough about them to be confident they can take on more - otherwise a SoLR
that also goes under might be an embarrassment (though not impossible) though I understand there are provisions for this.

[Deleted User]

@brewerdave @ivanleo

See this thread re Together Energy and Warrington Council https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6312835/together-energy-warrington-borough-council#latest 

CRISPIANNE3

All very strange. Suddenly their Live chat is up and running. Also they  have given me their bank details to make a manual payment. So I Will work out how much I owe and only send that amount of money to them. 

MWT

ivanleo said:

MWT said:

ivanleo said:

So annoyingly the next cheapest is Bristol Energy, their online system is not working at the moment so for the first time in my life I've switched over the phone. For those who want to escape the SOLR and not be stuck for six weeks tomorrow is probably the last day so I wouldn't wait around.

Just took a look at their tariffs and there was nothing cheaper than their standard capped variable rate, which is the same as you would be on with the SoLR, so not sure what the benefit of switching would be?

I assume you were looking at the tariff details (standing charge, rate per kWh) not just at the monthly DD estimate?

So sure, if you're happy with the price cap and care about nothing else, the SOLR is fine. It's just not my cup of tea.

All understood, but just to be clear for others, this isn't another 'cheap' tariff you have found, it is just their capped standard variable rate you are moving to?

dbks

QrizB said:

Curiousgirl1 said:

QrizB said:

If it's any help, Green Network Energy went bust on the 27th of January, EDF were appointed on the 30th and I was charged EDF rates from the 31st. So you might get a couple more days on NR rates.

The SoLR tariff will be subject to the Ofgem price cap and fixed for 6 months.

Why would it be fixed for 6 months when the new price cap comes out in April 22? Don’t think there is anything that says a SoLR has to fix the prices for 6 months 

It's in Ofgem's guidance for SoLRs. I've posted the extravt at least once but don't have time to find it again now.

QrizB said:

Curiousgirl1 said:

QrizB said:

If it's any help, Green Network Energy went bust on the 27th of January, EDF were appointed on the 30th and I was charged EDF rates from the 31st. So you might get a couple more days on NR rates.

The SoLR tariff will be subject to the Ofgem price cap and fixed for 6 months.

Why would it be fixed for 6 months when the new price cap comes out in April 22? Don’t think there is anything that says a SoLR has to fix the prices for 6 months 

It's in Ofgem's guidance for SoLRs. I've posted the extravt at least once but don't have time to find it again now.

Was this perhaps your previous post you were thinking of, @QrizB?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78713485/#Comment_78713485

I have tried to search it as this is not the first time you have recently stated the SoLR tariff selected is fixed for 6 months.

The Ofgem link you provided in your post I have linked to is from 2016, so I'm not sure if it still applies.

Also, the doument is open to interpretation, as it does not spefically say the tariff is fixed for 6 months as you have interpreted, but rather:

"2.21. Once appointed, a SoLR will be able to charge the failed supplier’s customers on the basis of its deemed contract rate. This will cover the period from appointment until  customers  have  agreed  a  replacement  contract  rate  with  the  SoLR  or  another supplier  of  their  choice,  or  the  six  month  period  of  SoLR  appointment  expires, whichever  is  earlier.  We  will  consider  the  SoLR  deemed  contract  prices  in  terms  of what is best overall for the customer groups involved"

It could, for example, be interpreted as meaning you can only remain on the deemed contract rate for a maximum of 6 months. Although I'm not sure how that would be implemented unless the SoLR adopted the approach that Symbio were often doing. i.e. here are are new terms; accept them or switch.

However, much more recent Ofgem webpage here:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/what-happens-if-your-energy-supplier-goes-bust

makes it clear that it can last as long as you want (not fixed, but at the suppliers deemed tariff rate, which is variable)

"Will I be on a different contract with my new supplier?

Yes.

Your old tariff will end.

Instead, your new supplier will put you on a special ‘deemed’ contract. This means a contract you haven’t chosen. This contract will last for as long as you want it to."

and

"What rate will I pay under my new contract?
Your new supplier will put you on a special ‘deemed’ contract. This means a contract you haven’t chosen. It can last for as long as you want it to...."


It should also be remembered that the Ofgem cap that currently affects  deemed tariffs was not first introduced until 2019,  so years after the document you refer to was created.