Symbio - Are They Legit ?

niktheguru

Fredw56 said:

Don't go to Symbio. I am just trying to escape from them. They seem to have a number of stunts they pull and they have done it to me. I only switched to them in November 2020 on their variable tariff and at the beginning of Feb they sent a very strange email that I first thought was a scam email, it was that poor. What the email meant was that they were terminating my variable tariff but the alternatives were more expensive.
I did some background reading and saw the news of £100,000 fine from OFGEM. That is to do with Symbio's failure to provide renewable energy certificates or something connected. When I signed up to them I was looking for a 100% renewable supply with no nuclear. To realise they may actually be passing off dirty energy as green energy was not good news. Then I picked up on threads where they were taking excess and unscheduled direct debits from customer accounts.
I decided to get out while I could so I initiated a switch to another green supplier. Symbio promptly blocked my switch on the false premise that I had an outstanding unpaid bill. That was untrue because I paid monthly in advance (the 'in advance' bit is important) by direct debit for a sum based on monthly meter readings. I was actually in credit. They said I was £11.35 in debit so I figured, just pay and see the back of them, so I immediately paid. Nothing happened. No switch, it was blocked. I have started a new switch now and await the outcome but have also cancelled the direct debit mandate to prevent them taking money from my account that is not due. Right now I am in credit because of the advance payment that is a standard condition for Symbio plus the spurious £11.35.
I can't do business with people I do not trust. I always pay my bills on time and in full. I have not borrowed a penny for decades. To suggest I am in arears is a grave insult. It impugns my integrity and a guttersnipe energy pedlar playing stupid games to block customers exercising their right to move to a different supplier is not what you want.
To remind everyone, an energy supplier is not permitted to block a switch away if a customer is less than 28 days in arrears. For someone who was actually in credit it is definitely not allowed. To lie about an unpaid bill is unforgivable. For me, there is no way back for Symbio and I look forward to hearing of their demise soon. 
Stay away from Symbio.

Youre not the first to report of the "blocked switch" tactic that symbio seem to have employed, we've seen two or three people on this forum mention this, and it is unacceptable that they don't seem to work towards a solution to resolve this, like as you said they should allow you to switch and just final bill you.

The comment about "green" energy you made is not particularly valid though. There is no supplier that will guarantee that you will not receive energy that wasn't derived from a nulcear power station. The electricity that comes down your line is THE SAME regardless of who your utility provider is. The "green energy" term is very misleading and doesn't mean all your electricity is from wind farms, these companies make contributions to improve renewable energy etc etc.

Also, it would be silly to think the "cheapest" energy supplier is going to be the most green. Green energy normally comes at a premium.

I'm due to switch out from symbio soon....i'm hoping I don't go through the same problems as you guys!!

PixelPound

niktheguru said:

Youre not the first to report of the "blocked switch" tactic that symbio seem to have employed, we've seen two or three people on this forum mention this, and it is unacceptable that they don't seem to work towards a solution to resolve this, like as you said they should allow you to switch and just final bill you.

The comment about "green" energy you made is not particularly valid though. There is no supplier that will guarantee that you will not receive energy that wasn't derived from a nulcear power station. The electricity that comes down your line is THE SAME regardless of who your utility provider is. The "green energy" term is very misleading and doesn't mean all your electricity is from wind farms, these companies make contributions to improve renewable energy etc etc.

Also, it would be silly to think the "cheapest" energy supplier is going to be the most green. Green energy normally comes at a premium.

I'm due to switch out from symbio soon....i'm hoping I don't go through the same problems as you guys!!

There does seem stories of people who have had trouble switching, anyone had an easy switch away?

canary2211

My actual switch away was smooth and they did not try to block. However more than two months later and a significant credit balance has not been repaid, exit fee has been billed twice, final bill was over billed by exactly 2000 kWh ( I assume a slip of someone’s fat finger - but I am suspicious). Emails phone calls and requests to escalate wholly ignored. It seems I have wait until I can escalate to Ofgem. Hugely frustrating and stressful - it’s so easy to correct. 

Yes cheap electricity - but at a different sort of price.  

Fredw56

nic_c said:

niktheguru said:

Youre not the first to report of the "blocked switch" tactic that symbio seem to have employed, we've seen two or three people on this forum mention this, and it is unacceptable that they don't seem to work towards a solution to resolve this, like as you said they should allow you to switch and just final bill you.

The comment about "green" energy you made is not particularly valid though. There is no supplier that will guarantee that you will not receive energy that wasn't derived from a nulcear power station. The electricity that comes down your line is THE SAME regardless of who your utility provider is. The "green energy" term is very misleading and doesn't mean all your electricity is from wind farms, these companies make contributions to improve renewable energy etc etc.

Also, it would be silly to think the "cheapest" energy supplier is going to be the most green. Green energy normally comes at a premium.

I'm due to switch out from symbio soon....i'm hoping I don't go through the same problems as you guys!!

There does seem stories of people who have had trouble switching, anyone had an easy switch away?

Sorry Nick but...
prior to joining Symbio I made an effort, it was an effort, to check their energy mix and they assured me it was no nuclear. Perhaps their people are trained to mislead but if we distrust people from the outset it is difficult to reach any decision. I took their word. If it isn't possible for an energy company to determine if it is buying green or dirty energy then the advertising should reflect that. Anything else is misrepresentation. I can't see why they can't guarantee that their purchases are green, surely they just contract to take an equivalent amount fed in by a green generator and produce appropriate evidence to OFGEM. That way people like me can be sure they are not buying dirty energy. For me the dirt includes nuclear waste to blight the world for the whole of the rest of time and a decommissioning bill for the taxpayer that will be effectively unending. It is a dreadful legacy for the generations to follow.
There has been more to the Symbio story.  After I argued my point about still being in credit, they released the block on the switch away. However, they became very threatening and said they would change my meter to a pre-paid meter because I had cancelled the direct debit mandate. Remember, I am still in credit. They also said they would charge £10 per month for receiving payment by BACS. I reactivated the direct debit but the threats have continued. I had one two days ago even though the direct debit was already reactivated. I expect Symbio to claim an unnecessary direct debit payment on or just before switch day, supposedly 5th March.  We will see..
Nick, what's you position? You come over as an apologist for the energy companies. Are you a benign consumer trying to give balance to the subject or an agent of the energy industry trying to undermine the consumer?

Gerry1

venomx said:

I'd feel more comfy with neon reef. Are they any good ?

Trying to get a quote with neon and they only give me one unit rate even though I have E7 (day and night) ?

Neon Reef (and many other suppliers) will happily bill you at single rate even though you have an E7 meter, it's simply not a problem.  Bulb are awkward and no longer offer single rate on an E7 meter but it's a bit academic because it's very unlikely that they'll work out the cheapest for you.

You can't phone Neon Reef but when I had a query they responded lightning fast.  Of course, YMMV may vary (and they are a sister company of Utility Point who don't have great reviews) but I'm still very happy after a year.

Have a look at the Neon Reef thread and see whether they are right for you, and look at the referrals board to see whether you can get cashback.

niktheguru

Fredw56 said:

nic_c said:

Nick, what's you position? You come over as an apologist for the energy companies. Are you a benign consumer trying to give balance to the subject or an agent of the energy industry trying to undermine the consumer?

Not sure if you're referring to me or the other nic.
Anyways I can assure you I'm nothing to do with the energy industry and am not defending them. I only try and be helpful on these forums and sometimes that means correcting false statements or beliefs. I switch my utilities regularly and have been a symbio customer for nearly a year now. I've certainly seen their incompetent side early on, but know that they're the cheapest and have stuck with it and have paid less as a result. I hope when I switch out I won't get stung!
It's also worth pointing out a lot of the time people's problems and outrage on the forums regarding their energy is usually due to poor understanding of how utility billing works, no attempt to be proactive or to try and "chance" low estimated readings, and then become outraged when later on they are asked for a large amount of money to pay what they owe. Smart metering will solve a lot if these problems, but there is hesitancy among many to adopt these for a long list of reasons that ha e been documented in these forums (some reasonable, and some conspiracy!)

I just pointed out your inaccuracy regarding "green energy". All the electricity comes from the national grid and I think approx 40% of the grids energy is from renewable sources. To think if you go for a "renewable supplier" that you won't be getting any nuclear/fossil fuel derived energy into your home is simply untrue. There is no switch that is flicked when you move suppliers that ensures the energy that comes into your house is only renewable. The suppliers don't have their own equipment, they don't have their own stash of electricity which is diverted to your house. They get round this by saying they "purchase their allocation" of energy to the grid from renewable sources, or buy certificates to offset their purchase mix. 

So technically you may be putting your money towards renewable, but that doesn't mean you are not getting nuclear produced energy into your home.

This is something that is poorly worded and poorly explained by the utility companies. I think its safe to say for the smaller suppliers in particular you can't always trust what they say over the phone as often they haven't been particularly well trained, this is certainly the case for symbio. - saying that, the fuel mix for each company is reported to ofgem annually, and symbio is down as purchasing 100% renewable energy for their allocation to the grid.

Fredw56

niktheguru said:

Fredw56 said:

nic_c said:

Nick, what's you position? You come over as an apologist for the energy companies. Are you a benign consumer trying to give balance to the subject or an agent of the energy industry trying to undermine the consumer?

Not sure if you're referring to me or the other nic.
Anyways I can assure you I'm nothing to do with the energy industry and am not defending them. I only try and be helpful on these forums and sometimes that means correcting false statements or beliefs. I switch my utilities regularly and have been a symbio customer for nearly a year now. I've certainly seen their incompetent side early on, but know that they're the cheapest and have stuck with it and have paid less as a result. I hope when I switch out I won't get stung!
It's also worth pointing out a lot of the time people's problems and outrage on the forums regarding their energy is usually due to poor understanding of how utility billing works, no attempt to be proactive or to try and "chance" low estimated readings, and then become outraged when later on they are asked for a large amount of money to pay what they owe. Smart metering will solve a lot if these problems, but there is hesitancy among many to adopt these for a long list of reasons that ha e been documented in these forums (some reasonable, and some conspiracy!)

I just pointed out your inaccuracy regarding "green energy". All the electricity comes from the national grid and I think approx 40% of the grids energy is from renewable sources. To think if you go for a "renewable supplier" that you won't be getting any nuclear/fossil fuel derived energy into your home is simply untrue. There is no switch that is flicked when you move suppliers that ensures the energy that comes into your house is only renewable. The suppliers don't have their own equipment, they don't have their own stash of electricity which is diverted to your house. They get round this by saying they "purchase their allocation" of energy to the grid from renewable sources, or buy certificates to offset their purchase mix. 

So technically you may be putting your money towards renewable, but that doesn't mean you are not getting nuclear produced energy into your home.

This is something that is poorly worded and poorly explained by the utility companies. I think its safe to say for the smaller suppliers in particular you can't always trust what they say over the phone as often they haven't been particularly well trained, this is certainly the case for symbio. - saying that, the fuel mix for each company is reported to ofgem annually, and symbio is down as purchasing 100% renewable energy for their allocation to the grid.

Nick, if I have wrongly impugned your integrity then I apologise. My frustration with Symbio is justified and nothing to do with low estimated payments or the like. It was their false blocking of my switch away claiming I was in arrears when I was in credit because with Symbio variable tariffs the customer pats in advance. Also the fact that they have been fined by OFGEM.
Your point about energy mix is a not a reasonable argument. People committed to renewable energy make the choice to buy energy from suppliers who buy energy from renewable generators. Inevitably the renewables are mixed with dirty energy in the grid but provided the supplier is honest and buys the appropriate amount of renewable the consumer fulfils the objective of supporting renewable generation as far as they can. The problem that became apparent with Symbio is that this is the very reason it is trouble again with OFGEM. Having already illustrated their dishonesty my trust that they were genuinely renewable suppliers expired.

niktheguru

Fredw56 said:

Nick, if I have wrongly impugned your integrity then I apologise. My frustration with Symbio is justified and nothing to do with low estimated payments or the like. It was their false blocking of my switch away claiming I was in arrears when I was in credit because with Symbio variable tariffs the customer pats in advance. Also the fact that they have been fined by OFGEM.
Your point about energy mix is a not a reasonable argument. People committed to renewable energy make the choice to buy energy from suppliers who buy energy from renewable generators. Inevitably the renewables are mixed with dirty energy in the grid but provided the supplier is honest and buys the appropriate amount of renewable the consumer fulfils the objective of supporting renewable generation as far as they can. The problem that became apparent with Symbio is that this is the very reason it is trouble again with OFGEM. Having already illustrated their dishonesty my trust that they were genuinely renewable suppliers expired.

Believe me, if Symbio weren't so cheap I (and i suspect nearly everyone else) would have left a long time ago. Their customer service is bad, but as with anything, the majority of the time most people don't tend to need their customer services.
I completely agree with you regarding their new found habit of blocking switches in people who have small "theoretical debits" on their accounts. Given their 1 month advance billing method a lot of people who have been keeping their eye on the ball with them and submitting regular readings will indeed be in debit on the final month before a switch and they have no leg to stand on in blocking it. 
After my run in with them early doors when they estimated my annual energy usage at 4x the true usage I ensured I paid a fixed direct debit each month so they didn't shaft me with their horrendous estimations at my usage. As a result my account has mainly been in "slight arrears" throughout, and they have increased my direct debit for 3 month periods to accommodate this, which I have been happy with. I'm now about £50 in arrears (with the advanced billing taken into account) and dread what they'll do when i attempt a switch in a couple of months. Might contact them to see if i can negotiate that they dont block it.

Regarding the energy mix issue, i just wanted to clarify you understood how it worked, and what you explained illustrates that. A lot of people think 100% renewable means they will not be using fossil fuel energy, which is just not true.
While I can understand your outrage with symbio, their fuel mix figures sent to ofgem confirm they purchase 100% renewable energy. They had just made some of the payments late, likely due to their "cash flow (mis)management" and their general incompetence, but they have paid all of those obligations albeit a month or so late - so i dont think they're "deceiving" you about their renewable energy commitment.

Jaffa1965

No problems with Symbio when l was a customer. When l left that is when my trouble started. Was in credit when they issued the final statement. Missed the 10 day refund window. Emails and phone calls, where promises were made and broken. Finally obtained the refund but no automatic £30 compensation paid. Pointed out to them that they were in breach of Ofgem guide lines. More promises and more broken promises about this matter. So far the worst company  l have had to deal with in regard to obtaining refund and compensation. Beware if you leave Symbio.

nottsphil

venomx said:

Upallyman said:

I do not think they do E7

So it's a flat fee for night and day then ? Is it worth it or should I find a provider which does E7 ?

You don't tell us what your current tariff is, what sort of property it is or even if it's got gas central heating. And yet you are expecting us to advise you on whether it's worth it.

Seriously?