Neon Reef - any views?

Gerry1

Njonezz said:

You cannot contact them via phone, they reply to emails when it suits. They will put their prices up and then stop you moving to another supplier by objecting to the move, so the move will fail.

Welcome to the forum.

You knew that there was no phone support when you signed up.  It's one way that they keep prices low.  It doesn't suit everyone, but it's not a valid complaint on its own.

Similarly, presumably you signed up to a variable tariff where, by definition, prices can go up.  Again, not a valid complaint on its own.

I can't comment about the rest of your complaints because you haven't provided sufficient information, but you do need to make sure that they are all potentially valid otherwise you won't be taken seriously.

Note that Ofgem does not deal with individual complaints.

yelias

Njonezz said:

Please please stay away from this company. I do not know where they got a licence to sell energy but the customer service and complaints dept are a waste of time. You cannot contact them via phone, they reply to emails when it suits. They don't collect debit debits, then claim its your fault when you provide proof otherwise. They will put their prices up and then stop you moving to another supplier by objecting to the move, so the move will fail. When they do respond they'll apologise but then file an objection to you moving suppliers again, and then no longer respond. Please find yourself a more honest and reliable supplier. I'm currently in dispute and raised complaints via ofgem and the ombudsman but Neon Reedlf still do not respond. Be forewarned!! 

May I also extend a very warm welcome to you @Njonezz.

Unfortunately, your warning has come too late for me as I have just applied to join them on their Neptune fixed tariff - more about that later.

I know that I said previously elsewhere that "Symbio are the cheapest electricty supplier by a mile at present for customers switching to them", and that caused at least one MSE member to falsely suggest that "reads as someone working for them".
Well after reading the consenus of feedback on this site and elsewhere, I'm afraid they are not for me - even if I would receive an employee discount. LOL!

For me, Neon Reef are the lowest priced fixed rate electricity tariff available (excluding Symbio). Their variable rate Marine 4 is not too much more, but that (a) might go up and (b) maybe it already has as it seems a higher rate on their website as opposed to being shown on the majority of PCWs.  Before someone then accuses me of wotking for Neon Reef, I would say they are not the cheapest "by a mile" and so others may find a slightly cheaper fixed deal (excluding Symbio) depending on your supply region and own consumption level.
And to set the record straight, I do not work for Neon Reef, or their sister company Utility Point.

In response to your accusations, I would say I would like to adopt as my own all the comments above already made by Gerry1.

Furthermore, you seem to be the first person to suggest the supplier has failed, or at least failed to attempt, to collect a direct debit when due. I think there is an automatic penalty if you don't pay when due, but you can avoid this if you pay by faster payments by the due date if your DD collection is refused by your bank for any reason.
As you don't mention the impostion of a penalty for a failed DD, and say you have evidence to the contrary about the failure, are you simply missing the fact that the credit can take up to 5 working days to actually show on your account? That's what it says in their T&Cs.

You also seem to be the first to complain about Neon Reef blocking people from leaving. There was recently a mass exodus reported in this thread by members who had received their first ever notification to their variable rate Aqua One traiff being increased. That old variable tariff hasn't been available to new applicants for well over 6 months, leading to a suggestion by at least one poster that perhaps they hold prices for on their variable tariff for at least 6 months. I don't think that is true.

What is true is that Neon Reef are required to provide at least 30 days notice of any increase in your rates on a variable tariff. "If you do not agree with the changes, you can change to another supplier without any penalty" and "If we hear from your new supplier within 20 working days after the change takes effect, or if you enter a new plan with us in the same period, we'll keep your prices the same until you switch or start the new plan."

What is also true is that according to the T&Cs you agreed to abide by, you are required to maintain your account with NR in credit at all times. (although this term does not appear to be too strictly enforced by NR)

Neon Reef appears to have abided by the 30 days notice requirement to increase prices recently, and 20 days has not yest passed since the introduction of the change which I think took place on 02 July 2021, so I don't know how genuine your claim is about that either.

Furthermore, I understood that anyone advised of an increase in their variable tariff (and didn't immediately jump ship) were contacted again about a week later to be advised about an increase in their monthly DD payment reflecting the higher prices that were to be charged.

Good luck with any complaint you have filed with Ofgem (See comment by Gerry1 above). In regards any complaint filed to the Ombudsman, when did you first complain to NR and about what exactly?, You need to allow the supplier at least 8 weeks to resolve any complaint, so that has also not yet passed regarding any of the moans you seem to mention above.
If you have not allowed 8 weeks to pass, the Ombudsman will reject your complaint, or if filed online, not even allow you to submit it.

Sorry about all the negatives regarding your very first post, but I like to make the position clear to readers, and your most is capable of being very misleading to some.

As to my switch application to NR, it was all very straightforward online.
Everything was confirmed online during the application process. Don't forget to press 'submit' or whatever the botton says when they confirm everything, else the application is not submitted.
Once submitted, a confirmation includinmg next steps is displayed online.

Within an hour I had received my personalised Welcome letter via email, reconfirming the start date, and inviting me to create my own online account with them.
Creation of the online account requires email verification, and that email was sent immediately, although I guess that is an automated function.

Logging into my online account, all the details seem to be already set up correctly.

The only criticism I would have is that they appear to believe we had a new electricity meter fitted about 6 years ago. We didn't - the current meter seems have been here for the past 30 odd years according to the card beside it. So I've idea where they got that information from or if it's even important; we'll see. I've never seen that information supplied by any other supplier. Hopefully, if they think our electricity meter is that new, we will be at the bottom of their list when they soon start rolling out smart meters.

We were supplied by Utility Point about 3-4 years ago on a one yearelectricity tariff, so perhaps they got some information from there?
Despite the negative feedback Utility Point seems to attract on this site, I must say my experience with them was not bad, but accept things may have changed since we were with them. We certainly had no issues leaving UP at the end of the contract, except they did give us a courtesy call (some may better refer to it as a marketing call) once they new we were off, to ask why. But when we explained it was simply the price of renewal with them, the guy agreed and left it at that.
And that was based on a special UP 'loyalty' tariff, not available to new customers. I've don't know if they still offer that nowadays.

If you want phone support, then why not have a look at Utility Point. They don't seem to appear on many comparison sites for electric only, but are happy to accept you on their website. Their lastest tariff (Just Join Up 21 wk 28) was actually similar to the NR Neptune tariff for me, expect for a higher standing charge, presumably to pay for the additional call centre support.

Finally, I've often refered to NR's T&Cs in this reply. I guess yoiu are not one for reading T&Cs, even when explicity asked to accept them.
e.g. did you see the T&C of this very forum you today accepted that says:

"Active boycotting

We appreciate emotions can run high should you experience poor service from companies, but we cannot accept active calls to boycott organisations as we are unable to verify the service you received."

Edit

I forgot to add that if you do successfully file a complaint with the ombudsman, the supplier is under no obligaton to continue to discuss it directly with you. Once you escalate any complaint to the ombudsman service, the energy supplier can opt to only discuss/resolve it through the ombudsman.

niktheguru

Must say, i've been managing a relatives neon reef account until recently and they've been very good. Months ago when there was an issue, spoke to them on live chat and was resolved straight away. I have switched them away since the price increase of aqua one last month (to symbio) as the price increase was quite considerable. I did note neon reef hadn't provided bills for the last two months, so through my own calculations they were probably around £20 in debit, so made a manual payment of £20 before the switch as had heard of a few people having their switches blocked due to debit balances. (whether fairly or unfairly) The switch completed without problems. So waiting to see regarding final bills etc.

Like yelios, was with utility point on various accounts until recently. Have always been very good to deal with and no problems. Good tariffs, decent customer service and always switched away without an issue.

Always worth looking at octopus go faster at the moment. Very competitive tariffs depending on which area you live, with 5.5p 5 hour offpeak which you can time for the evening, thus making a decent saving on overall prices. Not for the smart meter averse mind.

molerat

They have until Monday to refund my credit or a complaint goes in on Tuesday mentioning the £30 compensation they owe me on top of the credit balance and 10 days after that ............

molerat

No refund received so complaint fired off asking for refund plus £30 compensation.

WBCPB

Has anyone who switched away due to their recent large tariff increase actually received a "final bill"?
I have received a "Your Energy Statement" dated 17th June which is my actual end of contract date ( 1st bill as only switched to them on 12th May so no way to compare bill wordings) but cannot find a trace of the word "final", my switch to Symbio started on 18th June and i did not supply them with a leaving meter read allowing Symbio to "do the driving" and not complicate matters (as advised on this forum), but this energy statement has estimated my usage from 12th May to 12th June where as i believe they should have used the actual opening meter read i gave to Symbio on 18th June? Am i due a "final bill" for usage from 13th June - 17th June where they should use the actual meter read i gave to Symbio? Hope this makes sense.
Regards

Stratus

WBCPB said:

Has anyone who switched away due to their recent large tariff increase actually received a "final bill"?
I have received a "Your Energy Statement" dated 17th June which is my actual end of contract date ( 1st bill as only switched to them on 12th May so no way to compare bill wordings) but cannot find a trace of the word "final", my switch to Symbio started on 18th June and i did not supply them with a leaving meter read allowing Symbio to "do the driving" and not complicate matters (as advised on this forum), but this energy statement has estimated my usage from 12th May to 12th June where as i believe they should have used the actual opening meter read i gave to Symbio on 18th June? Am i due a "final bill" for usage from 13th June - 17th June where they should use the actual meter read i gave to Symbio? Hope this makes sense.
Regards

I switched away on 21st June. Neon Reef created a final bill dated 11th July. They didn't notify me of this bill but I found it in my online account. Still waiting for refund of credit.

WBCPB

Stratus said:

WBCPB said:

Has anyone who switched away due to their recent large tariff increase actually received a "final bill"?
I have received a "Your Energy Statement" dated 17th June which is my actual end of contract date ( 1st bill as only switched to them on 12th May so no way to compare bill wordings) but cannot find a trace of the word "final", my switch to Symbio started on 18th June and i did not supply them with a leaving meter read allowing Symbio to "do the driving" and not complicate matters (as advised on this forum), but this energy statement has estimated my usage from 12th May to 12th June where as i believe they should have used the actual opening meter read i gave to Symbio on 18th June? Am i due a "final bill" for usage from 13th June - 17th June where they should use the actual meter read i gave to Symbio? Hope this makes sense.
Regards

I switched away on 21st June. Neon Reef created a final bill dated 11th July. They didn't notify me of this bill but I found it in my online account. Still waiting for refund of credit.

Does this bill actually state "Final Bill" ?
Regards

Stratus

WBCPB said:

Stratus said:

WBCPB said:

Has anyone who switched away due to their recent large tariff increase actually received a "final bill"?
I have received a "Your Energy Statement" dated 17th June which is my actual end of contract date ( 1st bill as only switched to them on 12th May so no way to compare bill wordings) but cannot find a trace of the word "final", my switch to Symbio started on 18th June and i did not supply them with a leaving meter read allowing Symbio to "do the driving" and not complicate matters (as advised on this forum), but this energy statement has estimated my usage from 12th May to 12th June where as i believe they should have used the actual opening meter read i gave to Symbio on 18th June? Am i due a "final bill" for usage from 13th June - 17th June where they should use the actual meter read i gave to Symbio? Hope this makes sense.
Regards

I switched away on 21st June. Neon Reef created a final bill dated 11th July. They didn't notify me of this bill but I found it in my online account. Still waiting for refund of credit.

Does this bill actually state "Final Bill" ?
Regards

The word 'Final" appears nowhere on the bill but the period it covers is only up to the date I started with my new supplier, just a couple of weeks.

molerat

I received a bill on my normal billing date using the reading I only gave to my new supplier and up to the date of switch. I also received notification that my DD was reduced to £0.00. Nothing on the bill to show that it is "final" but how could it be anything else.

My daughter owes them £50 but that has not been taken.