Tomato Energy (Electric Only Supplier) - Too Good To Be True ?

ASB1960

I haven't yet signed up. I have only just acquired an EV and am currently using agile. On my usage pattern, and only 1 month data, Tomato is 26% cheaper.

I have asked them about what happens with "agreed usage" so I will report back.

It seems to me that with no way to change it, and with them basing it on the last 90 days actuals they would struggle to justify anything other than charging the agreed tariff with the ombudsman. Plus it's an onerous term and not highlighted during the sales process.

If I don't hear back in a couple of days I will sign up by phone after asking the same question.

lohr500

After switching to TE on the 28th August, rightly or wrongly I have come to the conclusion that they have launched their Lifestyle tariff and the associated myWatts energy tracking website prematurely.

They have so far been unable to answer what should be a simple question regarding the timing of the Lifestyle tou price bands. This being are they fixed permanently to GMT, or do they move with the GMT/BST clock change?

ie. If the cheapest off-peak rate is advertised as 00:00 to 06:00, then when we are in BST, is it still 00:00 to 06:00 or 23:00 to 05:00 ?

Customers have received conflicting advice from the TE Customer Service team, with some being told the timings are fixed to GMT, whilst others have been told they use BST through the summer.

I understand Octopus tariffs move with the GMT/BST clock change, but my old EDF ECO20:20 tou tariff was fixed on GMT. So different rules apply for different suppliers.

Also, their online energy usage tracking/billing website called myWatts is also not working for many customers and in my case shows zero usage. So it is not possible to verify what logic is being applied to the tou timings re GMT/BST.
Furthermore some customers who can see their data are now reporting discrepancies in the information around the rates and half hourly usage numbers.

All in all, it does not fill me with confidence that TE have got a tight grip on things.

matt_drummer

wrf12345 said:

The lower standing charge plus the half price at 9.30-11.30 would work quite well for me (with some changes to when I do my cooking etc) but does depend on how well their system works. That time slot would be ideal for heating the house up as well, and would only take a relatively low end air to air heat pump to beat gas.

You would consider going with this supplier?

I find that strange if you do considering your views on the standing charge and what it covers.

I wonder how many people would risk having credit balance with a supplier like this without the comfort of the protection offered by the SoLR process?

I wonder how many of this company's new customers are critical of some aspects of the standing charge?

But then still trot off to TE to save money safe in the knowledge that the rest of us will cover them should it go wrong.

PennineAcute

matt_drummer said:

wrf12345 said:

The lower standing charge plus the half price at 9.30-11.30 would work quite well for me (with some changes to when I do my cooking etc) but does depend on how well their system works. That time slot would be ideal for heating the house up as well, and would only take a relatively low end air to air heat pump to beat gas.

You would consider going with this supplier?

I find that strange if you do considering your views on the standing charge and what it covers.

I wonder how many people would risk having credit balance with a supplier like this without the comfort of the protection offered by the SoLR process?

I wonder how many of this company's new customers are critical of some aspects of the standing charge?

But then still trot off to TE to save money safe in the knowledge that the rest of us will cover them should it go wrong.

You never used one of the previously demised companies?

matt_drummer

PennineAcute said:

matt_drummer said:

wrf12345 said:

The lower standing charge plus the half price at 9.30-11.30 would work quite well for me (with some changes to when I do my cooking etc) but does depend on how well their system works. That time slot would be ideal for heating the house up as well, and would only take a relatively low end air to air heat pump to beat gas.

You would consider going with this supplier?

I find that strange if you do considering your views on the standing charge and what it covers.

I wonder how many people would risk having credit balance with a supplier like this without the comfort of the protection offered by the SoLR process?

I wonder how many of this company's new customers are critical of some aspects of the standing charge?

But then still trot off to TE to save money safe in the knowledge that the rest of us will cover them should it go wrong.

You never used one of the previously demised companies?

I haven't, no.

I am not criticising that though, I think it's a good idea.

My point was to people like @wrf12345(who continually complain about standing charges) that new entrants to the market would be less likely to succeed without the confidence afforded by OFGEM's stance on covering credit balances of customers.

I am surprised that @wrf12345 would consider using and supporting  a supplier that was (arguably) more likely to go bust knowing that it would push up standing charges in the future if it did fail.

I'm not wishing it on TE or their customers, but it would be quite ironic reading here in the future complaints about the level of standing charges from past customers of TE.

PennineAcute

matt_drummer said:

PennineAcute said:

matt_drummer said:

wrf12345 said:

The lower standing charge plus the half price at 9.30-11.30 would work quite well for me (with some changes to when I do my cooking etc) but does depend on how well their system works. That time slot would be ideal for heating the house up as well, and would only take a relatively low end air to air heat pump to beat gas.

You would consider going with this supplier?

I find that strange if you do considering your views on the standing charge and what it covers.

I wonder how many people would risk having credit balance with a supplier like this without the comfort of the protection offered by the SoLR process?

I wonder how many of this company's new customers are critical of some aspects of the standing charge?

But then still trot off to TE to save money safe in the knowledge that the rest of us will cover them should it go wrong.

You never used one of the previously demised companies?

I haven't, no.

I am not criticising that though, I think it's a good idea.

My point was to people like @wrf12345(who continually complain about standing charges) that new entrants to the market would be less likely to succeed without the confidence afforded by OFGEM's stance on covering credit balances of customers.

I am surprised that @wrf12345 would consider using and supporting  a supplier that was (arguably) more likely to go bust knowing that it would push up standing charges in the future if it did fail.

I'm not wishing it on TE or their customers, but it would be quite ironic reading here in the future complaints about the level of standing charges from past customers of TE.

I have moved over to TE, mainly for the ease.  I go live tomorrow.

I liked Agile, but it was hard work at times trying to work out the cheapest times to turn on the heavy usage electrical items.  In addition, my dishwasher, washer and dryer would only allow be to set an advanced timer in hours and not hours and minutes.  So I had to set the items on the either half-hour or hour, or I was not gaining the full benefit.

If they are working in GMT all year around, it actually works out better for me - so that is a nice little bonus.

They are (supposedly) billing monthly only.  This should stop high credits being accumulated by customers.

matt_drummer

PennineAcute said:

matt_drummer said:

PennineAcute said:

matt_drummer said:

wrf12345 said:

The lower standing charge plus the half price at 9.30-11.30 would work quite well for me (with some changes to when I do my cooking etc) but does depend on how well their system works. That time slot would be ideal for heating the house up as well, and would only take a relatively low end air to air heat pump to beat gas.

You would consider going with this supplier?

I find that strange if you do considering your views on the standing charge and what it covers.

I wonder how many people would risk having credit balance with a supplier like this without the comfort of the protection offered by the SoLR process?

I wonder how many of this company's new customers are critical of some aspects of the standing charge?

But then still trot off to TE to save money safe in the knowledge that the rest of us will cover them should it go wrong.

You never used one of the previously demised companies?

I haven't, no.

I am not criticising that though, I think it's a good idea.

My point was to people like @wrf12345(who continually complain about standing charges) that new entrants to the market would be less likely to succeed without the confidence afforded by OFGEM's stance on covering credit balances of customers.

I am surprised that @wrf12345 would consider using and supporting  a supplier that was (arguably) more likely to go bust knowing that it would push up standing charges in the future if it did fail.

I'm not wishing it on TE or their customers, but it would be quite ironic reading here in the future complaints about the level of standing charges from past customers of TE.

I have moved over to TE, mainly for the ease.  I go live tomorrow.

I liked Agile, but it was hard work at times trying to work out the cheapest times to turn on the heavy usage electrical items.  In addition, my dishwasher, washer and dryer would only allow be to set an advanced timer in hours and not hours and minutes.  So I had to set the items on the either half-hour or hour, or I was not gaining the full benefit.

If they are working in GMT all year around, it actually works out better for me - so that is a nice little bonus.

They are (supposedly) billing monthly only.  This should stop high credits being accumulated by customers.

Nevertheless, I suspect it's quite comforting to know that if the worst happened and that they did have some of your money it would be safe

PennineAcute

matt_drummer said:

PennineAcute said:

matt_drummer said:

PennineAcute said:

matt_drummer said:

wrf12345 said:

The lower standing charge plus the half price at 9.30-11.30 would work quite well for me (with some changes to when I do my cooking etc) but does depend on how well their system works. That time slot would be ideal for heating the house up as well, and would only take a relatively low end air to air heat pump to beat gas.

You would consider going with this supplier?

I find that strange if you do considering your views on the standing charge and what it covers.

I wonder how many people would risk having credit balance with a supplier like this without the comfort of the protection offered by the SoLR process?

I wonder how many of this company's new customers are critical of some aspects of the standing charge?

But then still trot off to TE to save money safe in the knowledge that the rest of us will cover them should it go wrong.

You never used one of the previously demised companies?

I haven't, no.

I am not criticising that though, I think it's a good idea.

My point was to people like @wrf12345(who continually complain about standing charges) that new entrants to the market would be less likely to succeed without the confidence afforded by OFGEM's stance on covering credit balances of customers.

I am surprised that @wrf12345 would consider using and supporting  a supplier that was (arguably) more likely to go bust knowing that it would push up standing charges in the future if it did fail.

I'm not wishing it on TE or their customers, but it would be quite ironic reading here in the future complaints about the level of standing charges from past customers of TE.

I have moved over to TE, mainly for the ease.  I go live tomorrow.

I liked Agile, but it was hard work at times trying to work out the cheapest times to turn on the heavy usage electrical items.  In addition, my dishwasher, washer and dryer would only allow be to set an advanced timer in hours and not hours and minutes.  So I had to set the items on the either half-hour or hour, or I was not gaining the full benefit.

If they are working in GMT all year around, it actually works out better for me - so that is a nice little bonus.

They are (supposedly) billing monthly only.  This should stop high credits being accumulated by customers.

Nevertheless, I suspect it's quite comforting to know that if the worst happened and that they did have some of your money it would be safe

That works well, too.

PennineAcute

lohr500 said:

After switching to TE on the 28th August, rightly or wrongly I have come to the conclusion that they have launched their Lifestyle tariff and the associated myWatts energy tracking website prematurely.

They have so far been unable to answer what should be a simple question regarding the timing of the Lifestyle tou price bands. This being are they fixed permanently to GMT, or do they move with the GMT/BST clock change?

ie. If the cheapest off-peak rate is advertised as 00:00 to 06:00, then when we are in BST, is it still 00:00 to 06:00 or 23:00 to 05:00 ?

Customers have received conflicting advice from the TE Customer Service team, with some being told the timings are fixed to GMT, whilst others have been told they use BST through the summer.

I understand Octopus tariffs move with the GMT/BST clock change, but my old EDF ECO20:20 tou tariff was fixed on GMT. So different rules apply for different suppliers.

Also, their online energy usage tracking/billing website called myWatts is also not working for many customers and in my case shows zero usage. So it is not possible to verify what logic is being applied to the tou timings re GMT/BST.
Furthermore some customers who can see their data are now reporting discrepancies in the information around the rates and half hourly usage numbers.

All in all, it does not fill me with confidence that TE have got a tight grip on things.

From the screenshots on the FB group, it seems that they are working GMT all year through.  This being the case, knock an hour off all your start and end times.

lohr500

PennineAcute said:

lohr500 said:

After switching to TE on the 28th August, rightly or wrongly I have come to the conclusion that they have launched their Lifestyle tariff and the associated myWatts energy tracking website prematurely.

They have so far been unable to answer what should be a simple question regarding the timing of the Lifestyle tou price bands. This being are they fixed permanently to GMT, or do they move with the GMT/BST clock change?

ie. If the cheapest off-peak rate is advertised as 00:00 to 06:00, then when we are in BST, is it still 00:00 to 06:00 or 23:00 to 05:00 ?

Customers have received conflicting advice from the TE Customer Service team, with some being told the timings are fixed to GMT, whilst others have been told they use BST through the summer.

I understand Octopus tariffs move with the GMT/BST clock change, but my old EDF ECO20:20 tou tariff was fixed on GMT. So different rules apply for different suppliers.

Also, their online energy usage tracking/billing website called myWatts is also not working for many customers and in my case shows zero usage. So it is not possible to verify what logic is being applied to the tou timings re GMT/BST.
Furthermore some customers who can see their data are now reporting discrepancies in the information around the rates and half hourly usage numbers.

All in all, it does not fill me with confidence that TE have got a tight grip on things.

From the screenshots on the FB group, it seems that they are working GMT all year through.  This being the case, knock an hour off all your start and end times.

From the FB group I am following, I'm not convinced. The screenshots I am seeing from customers who have downloaded their data would suggest that although the half hourly timings are being reported in GMT, the unit rates applied to those half hourly kWh consumption numbers are based on the BST time window. So for example, one customer posted a screenshot of the download showing high kWh usage starting at 23:00 BST, but the half hourly rate applied from 23:00 BST was the 5p rate. So effectively the tou billing is currently based on BST.