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

QrizB

I don't want Tomato to fail since more TOU options is a good thing, but I also don't see how they can undercut everyone else. VC cash only goes so far, and we've all seen insurgent energy companies that think they can buck the market - right up until they can't.

masonic

Biggest risk as I see it at the moment is further action from Elexon, so here's hoping they are doing something about their disastrous settlement record.

I would also like to see them survive and provide some much needed competition in the market. In the mean time I am content to help them with my custom, in exchange for the savings, which amount to an almost 50% reduction on what I'd have paid if I stayed put on Octopus Tracker. I had no idea how expensive January was going to be, so rather relieved I switched when I did.

Chrysalis

QrizB said:

I don't want Tomato to fail since more TOU options is a good thing, but I also don't see how they can undercut everyone else. VC cash only goes so far, and we've all seen insurgent energy companies that think they can buck the market - right up until they can't.

Exactly my thoughts, we need more TOU options.  Lifestyle is the tariff we all been waiting for available on mass market, but rational thinking suggests, unless they got big money behind them, something will give.  Something makes me think the real objective is getting mywatts of the ground, and eventually that will be sold to other suppliers for them to do their TOU tariffs.  TE is a means to get a populated platform to develop it.  Its an idea of what I think might be going on, but in the mean time I will take advantage of the tariff.  Despite my moaning about the data, I will still be saving money, TE also proved to me over the phone they do have the complete data, as they read it out to me, and it matched Bright.  Bright thankfully now I know how to fill the gaps, aside from current day it has no gaps now.

Also every interaction I have had, the staff seem well versed in the TOU concept and the tariffs, and mywatts platform, whilst I remember having past conversations with Octupus reps and you could tell was a lack of training on their special tariffs like Agile, I still remember the woman telling me over the phone SVR would save me money over Agile back in the day Agile had cheap SC and 35p cap, I had to ride out that call, and just let her do what was needed for me to sign up to Agile online at the end of the call.

bagand96

whatisit said:

I'm on tracker 2023v1 which has been great until now and I'm exploring options.  TE Lifestyle looks a good option as I can make use of the 5p EV charging.  After searching for reviews I came across this topic of which I've only read the last 6 or so pages.  I can look beyond the history of the owners and possible web site issues displaying missing some consumption (if the backend systems are correct).  The last few pages of comments paint a negative picture, but is it all bad?  Is there any concern of TE billing kWh consumed during cheap intervals at the wrong rate?  Is anyone happy?

I followed this thread, and the Facebook group, for a while before deciding to join Tomato on Lifestyle in mid November.  I'll try and summarise the issues that have been reported with TE as they've gathered momentum:

- Pricing VAT Issues: There was a mismatch between quoted prices and contract prices around VAT.  They seem to have quoted prices including VAT, when they were showing the ex-VAT price.  TE have resolved this.

- 30 minute data error: This was the big one, TE were recording in the wrong 30 minute period... they were 30 minutes out.  This was spotted early by eagle eyed customers.  In the interim people changed their use (avoided the last half hour of the 5p rate, as TE were recording this as peak rate).  TE have now resolved this.  CEO posted on the Facebook group admitting their error and their fix.

- SMETS1 Meters: For some reason they cannot read/apply data correctly for customers with first generation "SMETS1" meters.  They've stopped sign ups to their TOU tariffs for SMETS1 customers, but will allow them on standard tariffs.  SMETS2 meters are fine. 

- Mywatts Data Missing: The online portal is called Mywatts which shows your data.  Seen reports ranging from no data at all, to days or hours missing, data gaps etc.  Not sure if it's specific to their platform or software, but data gaps can occur with Smart meters on all suppliers, the data can be backfilled later.


They are the main issued from a user stand point.  The first 2 are resolved, the 3rd only affects those with older meters, and the 4th is either normal or a quirk of their platform, or a combination of both.

Couple of further points which crop up which don't directly impact being a customer:

- Late Accounts: Companies House shows that the company accounts are overdue.

- Elexon Notice: A Public notice has recently been published by the Elexon Balance and Settlement Code (the energy market effectively) about Tomato Energy's non-compliance in settling errors. Many here believe this is likely in relation to the SMETS1 issues above, but it's not a good look for TE.  Previous companies who've received notices have later folded.


Phew... 

Happy? Joined mid-November.  Switch was hassle free, Mywatts started working as it should quickly.  I never get data there same day, but generally I can look at it right up to yesterday.  First bill came early January and was correct.  I signed up to Bright and my use and cost matched exactly to what Bright predicted.  Like others I noticed missing data on Mywatts this week.  This evening I can see the data has now populated, I've also got data from today for the first time ever.  Maybe they've been updating things.  Can't comment on their customer service as I've never needed them.

Newbie_John

There must be a reason why they haven't upped their TOU prices yet.

Also average prices on Agile in January is 28p with big winds coming on Friday so it will take it all down to similar as December - 21p.

With all of us mostly on 5p tarrif (which they must have some pre agreed electricity contracts) nobody is going to use much tomorrow at 17:00 when the prices are crazy.

whatisit

Thanks bagand96 for the summary, the concerning bit is Elexon.  That said I signed up to to Lifestyle default tariff (ED1E).  Was called EDE a few days ago, the pricing/intervals are the same though.

Newbie_John

With Elexon notice, by stopping SMETS1 the numbers will fix itself.

If they had 100 customers - 40 S1 and 60 S2 - their correct reporting rate was 60%.
Now if they add another another 100 customers with SMETS2 only, their correct rate will be 80% - and that's really what Elexon wanted.. 

masonic

I've noticed an improvement with MyWatts over this weekend. Over the course of last week, I noticed my IHD losing connection for ~10 minutes on a couple of occasions, which is most unusual. I wonder if some sort of remote reset has been performed on my comms hub, as after my IHD came back up the data in MyWatts had also caught up with previously missing data. Or maybe just a coincidence. Savings vs Octopus Tracker are now up to £37. Hopefully all will go well with the first bill at the end of the month.

HillStreetBlues

As I'm too lazy to scroll through 60 odd pages and not even sure if it was thread, is/was TE reducing bills based on billing delay?

QrizB

HillStreetBlues said:

As I'm too lazy to scroll through 60 odd pages and not even sure if it was thread, is/was TE reducing bills based on billing delay?

I think (from reading 60 pages of this thread, albeit not all at once) they've said they will, but I don't think anyone has reported to say that they actually *have*.