Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

Options
1…6162646667…398

Comments

  • helbax
    helbax Posts: 1 Newbie
    First Anniversary
    Options
    We switched to Avro Feb 2018 through MSE Cheap Energy Club &, on the whole, happy with the price.
    However I haven't been impressed with Avro's customer service this last year, particularly the response (or lack of) via email but also other issues.
    [1] Avro requires monthly meter readings via email. No problem - I always submit mine within a day or 2 of the request. However I noticed over last summer that my account wasn't being updated with readings I supplied. Having got to September & no update since May, I emailed on the 20th Sept to ask why my account hadn't been updated through June, July, & August. Eventually I got a reply on the 4th October from the "Disputed Meter Readings" team saying my account update had been "held back" because my meter readings were lower than predicted. Could I please submit a picture of my gas meter to ensure I was telling the truth?!! Fair enough, I don't have a problem with that but why did I, as the customer, have to chase this rather than Avro chasing me & letting my account update slide for the best part of 4 months.
    [2] I got the Cheap Energy Club email recently as I am less than 2 months from contract renewal. Updated my usage details & searched. Lots of choice but Avro remained competitive so I decided to renew for another 12 months. Clicked through to their website but was unable to complete my renew request as the button wouldn't work. Emailed Avro to ask why on 3rd Jan. No response. Today I have received an independent email from Avro offering me a renewal quote - same deal I had already tried to secure via Cheap Energy Club.
    The one phone call I made to Avro last year took over an hour to answer.
    So I have renewed for another 12 months with Avro on the basis that their price is much-of-a-muchness compared to other suppliers. Giving them another chance. I can only hope the customer service picks up, especially timely responses to emails. I will look elsewhere next year if there are any more issues.
  • cranford
    cranford Posts: 797 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    helbax, is there any reason you don't enter your readings online? I receive the readings request email but enter the readings online and you can see the readings history online as well.
  • lizzietwo
    lizzietwo Posts: 19 Forumite
    Options
    Totally agree that the hike in tariffs is frightening. Have been informed by Avro that my best option, once my present contract ends, is to switch to their Simple and Winter Fix tariff.
    What none of the energy comparison sites are highlighting is that on this tariff the winter monthly direct debit (Nov to April) is much higher than the summer direct debit (May to Oct).
    It means that as soon as I change tariffs my monthly payment (dual fuel) will go from £176 per month to £255 per month and I am on a fixed income.
    My account is already in credit so it means that I will be accruing a large credit in the next few months which will be chipped away during the summer.
    I realise that I have the choice to go with a newer start up company, but having had a previous supplier who was worse than useless I am reluctant to do so.
    Why couldn't Avro stick to averaging out charges over twelve months rather than causing this worry? - makes their balance sheet look good I suppose.
  • Consumerist
    Consumerist Posts: 6,310 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    sillygoose wrote: »
    . . . Thing is Avro is still the cheapest fixed deal for me so do I just renew and hope its OK? . . .
    As you are probably aware, a number of smaller suppliers have recently gone bust and I think they struggle at periods of high demand because short-term wholesale energy prices tend to rise at those times. They haven't had the chance to build up cheaper long-term contracts in the same way as the big six.

    We, as customers, must, I think, face up to this reality and accept that if we want cheaper energy than the big six have on offer, the price is going to be larger DDs in winter.

    If we are not prepared to support the smaller suppliers, the danger is that they will disappear and leave us in the hands of only the big six again.

    My own choice is to save money in the long run and be prepared to pay more in the winter. Sadly, not everyone can afford this strategy in the short term. Unfortunately, this makes a mockery of the Direct Debit arrangement to even out the costs over the year.
    >:)Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
  • lizzietwo
    lizzietwo Posts: 19 Forumite
    edited 10 January 2019 at 10:18PM
    Options
    Avro have now offered me their Simple and Winterfix tariff to be debited over twelve months, instead of the original six months winter six months summer rate.
    Might be useful for you to contact them again.

    Hope this helps regarding Silly Goose and Helbax postings today
  • Consumerist
    Consumerist Posts: 6,310 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    edited 10 January 2019 at 10:54PM
    Options
    lizzietwo wrote: »
    Avro have now offered me their Simple and Winterfix tariff to be debited over twelve months, instead of the original six months winter six months summer rate.
    Might be useful for you to contact them again.
    Hope this helps regarding Silly Goose and Helbax postings today
    Be careful to be sure you are put on the Simple and WinterFix tariff which is currently not listed as available in my region (Eastern). By contrast, the Simple and WinterFix Seasonal tariff is marked as available. The latter probably includes higher DDs in winter.
    >:)Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
  • Consumerist
    Consumerist Posts: 6,310 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    edited 10 January 2019 at 11:59PM
    Options
    It seems to me that the hike in DDs is often imposed only when you switch during the winter months. The simple answer is to switch in spring.

    If you switch now to a tariff with no exit fees (fixed or variable) and stay with it until spring then switch again on to a.one-year contract then the hiked DDs should disappear.

    Another alternative is to switch to an 18-month contract so it ends the following spring.

    Simplze. :)
    >:)Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
  • colinblue
    colinblue Posts: 9 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    Update on me trying to leave: my account is in debit by approximately £34, even though they took £51 DD off me a few days ago. They said via email that they want to hold on to the £51 for my final statement, but I need to call up to pay off the £34. I obliged but on several occasions I have been on hold for over 10 mins, today 20mins. They worst part of this is that they say via email that by not paying the £34 it could cancel my change to another supplier. This cant be Ofgem compliant can it?
  • polymaff
    polymaff Posts: 3,904 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    colinblue wrote: »
    This cant be Ofgem compliant can it?


    If you've been in debt to your supplier for over 28 days, you'll need to repay the debt first.

    If it's your supplier's fault you're in debt, they can't stop you from switching.
  • Nebulous2
    Nebulous2 Posts: 5,116 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    Received an email from Avro today, saying they will refund £200. Refund on next working Friday, which I assume isn't today, and can take 10 days to arrive.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards