Bulb Energy Reviews: Give your feedback on the energy supplier

DJ999 · 21 January 2020 at 9:37AM

I switched to Bulb over 12 months ago and will start by saying they were great. Streamlined switch over easy to use website and clear App. Brilliant.

I then started to get emails about switching to a smart meter (this was a 1st Gen meter at the time) so I ignored them not wanting to switch to a meter that would become "dumb" if I moved supplier. Then in September 2019, the email arrived saying Bulb were pleased to rollout 2nd Gen meters in my area. Great I thought, again easy to book the appointment, engineer turned up on time and installation when smooth.

Move forward a month to first bill. No bill on bill date... I left it a few days and then emailed Bulb.... 7 days later no reply. So I phoned them. Spoke to a helpful customer services rep who advised that my readings were being received but due to something in system they were not being translated into a format the billing system could read. Strange I thought, however he asked me for current readings, which I provided and he generated a bill on the same day. Great service :-)

Move forward another month, correct billing day this time no issues - brilliant I thought to myself, company lives up to the reputation it had when I switched to them.

Move forward to December..... new bill, not for one month but for 3. Phoned Bulb, spoke to a customer services rep who stated that the system had regenerated my bills back to October due to previous billing error and that the correct readings had now been received. Questioning this no real response apart from the system should have only corrected the last bill, however it had done the last 3 months and this couldn't be reversed now. I highlighted the readings on that bill were wrong and not what had been agreed before and infact the opening reading was wrong - it should have been 0 with a new meter, not the reading that was there. It was agreed and a manual correction was done and a new bill generated, £10 credit for the "inconvience"

Advised that I was back on the correct schedule now and wouldn't have any problems again in the future.

Move forward 2 weeks, further "bill" notification received. Phoned Bulb, went through scenario again no real explanation given apart from incorrect readings and the system had regenerated - overwriting the manual inputs from the Bulb advisors before. Further £10 "goodwill gesture" credited and bill corrected again.

Asked to raise a complaint this time and details taken and advised someone would contact me. This was 2 weeks ago and still no response from the complaints team. 7 days the website says....

Imagine my surprise when this morning my email chimes and a "new bill" has been produced for the period from October to January as more "accurate" information received about my usage. Opening readings have gone back to the original wrong readings, my account looks interesting with some many credits and re-debits and the bills are different for the period than before. annual usage has increased 3 fold and Bulb have taken more money than ever before.

I'm waiting to phone to speak to them this morning, however I am not expecting any clear answers or explanations

Until receiving smart meters I recommended Bulb to everyone I knew and several friends and family signed up with them. Interestingly two friends are having the exact same issues with them and are getting no where.
I've raised a further complaint via email and will it seems need to move supplier again and speak to the Ombudsman as Bulb do not seem interested in resolving this issue and have made empty promises about the issues being fixed when clearly they are not

Think carefully about joining Bulb if you have a smart meter or want to get them.... this is it seems where the issues lie

JEFFJR · 21 January 2020 at 6:36PM

Bulb was my gas/electric supplier starting First meter reading 24/08/2017. I enter meter readings on to spread sheet which agrees with statement when it arrives to spot on or pennies different. Up until May/June 2019 when it went to pot! Phone calls refunds and another amended statement. Got so feed up. Said on phone get it right or leaving you,still got it wrong So joined Green Network Energy. first meter reading14/11/2020. All monthly readings seen on the App. Check after sending last reading on17/01/2020. No gas readings told by Green Network regulator has told them to remove readings as Bulb gave estimated least reading for gas. Send in gas reading on 24/01/2020 to Green Energy. Electric readings sent in were accepted why not gas? What has the regulator got to do with this?
Last few months Bulb were always trying increase monthly payments even when in credit.
They started off great, staff friendly etc. How ever ADMIN IS PATHETIC.
Started off good then went down a very long steep hill. I have all statements (and the extra ones). Another customer is known to me who has same problems. Including request to up month payments when almost three figure amount in credit!
How to shoot a decent company in the foot! What has gone wrong??

JEFFJR · 22 January 2020 at 6:10PM

Hello guys; seems from the forum that I was right to post concerning Bulb service. Being a newbe unused to forums etc. thought keep my head down; well that went by the board.
Sorry to say TOTALLY agree; with comments of others in respect of Bulb service and admin also refunds etc. First year or so great wonderful. Then it fell apart; with every thing as in posts by others.
In view of first year or so with Bulb, it is hard to say it is now a company I would not recommend to the village rat! Others are entitled to disagree with that comment.
Will post if/when meter readings ever get sorted.

dan852k4 · 23 January 2020 at 3:41PM

Got to leave some good feedback for bulb. They were initially very competitive with prices and had a good referral scheme which was paid promptly. I'm Only leaving them as they seem very slow to adjust their tariff compared to competitors

peter_the_piper · 23 January 2020 at 5:41PM

I'm going to give them the chance to correct the estimated gas bill when I have a dual smart meter, no change and I'd be on the blower to them to fix it then I'm off.

pineapple · 27 January 2020 at 8:09PM

I'm on E7 and have been with Bulb since November 2018. I last compared tariffs a few months back and they were still competitive. I like the simplicity of their site and clarity of information. I went through summer building up just a smallish credit which should broadly match the increased winter consumption so I'm a happy bunny. I only ever once received a suggestion that I might want to consider upping my DD as my estimated annual consumption might exceed the annual payment - but it was only a suggestion and I wasn't hassled.

glocal · 30 January 2020 at 12:33PM

I have been with Bulb for nearly a year and I am very happy. They pestered me to install a smartmeter which I didn't want so I didn't respond.

I notice though that Bulb doesn't come up in MSE comparisons, even though it would be the second cheapest in my case. It doesn't come up at all even for friends who are not currently with Bulb. Does anyone know why?

SpanishBlue · 30 January 2020 at 3:36PM

glocal wrote: »

I have been with Bulb for nearly a year and I am very happy. They pestered me to install a smartmeter which I didn't want so I didn't respond.

I notice though that Bulb doesn't come up in MSE comparisons, even though it would be the second cheapest in my case. It doesn't come up at all even for friends who are not currently with Bulb. Does anyone know why?

Bulb should come up. Have you scrolled down far enough? They are quite expensive now so may not appear near the top of your list.

pineapple · 30 January 2020 at 6:16PM

SpanishBlue wrote: »

Bulb should come up. Have you scrolled down far enough? They are quite expensive now so may not appear near the top of your list.

I guess it depends on your fuel and your area. I'm on E7 and when I last compared, they were still competitive.

UnclaimedEnergy · 31 January 2020 at 10:27AM

They're definitely competitive on elec, if you ignore Symbio and Neon Reef.

It's their gas which is a lot more expensive and where they would make their money currently.

Bulb Energy Reviews: Give your feedback on the energy supplier

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