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Symbio Energy Tariff
- Thread starter Basicbob
- Start date
Gatsojon
Member
I just got through to them and they said everything is looking good. He admitted they struggled with customer services as they had so many new customers and they couldn’t cope as the tariff was so popular.
some of the reviews are who cares electricity is electricity just pay a fixed monthly amount, what’s the worst that can happen they can’t switch you off.
If it gets bad for whatever reason you can switch in 14 days.
I think I might take the gamble.
some of the reviews are who cares electricity is electricity just pay a fixed monthly amount, what’s the worst that can happen they can’t switch you off.
If it gets bad for whatever reason you can switch in 14 days.
I think I might take the gamble.
OfficialMark_H
VLOGGER
I am currently with them, I joined them in April 2020.
The first few months were a nightmare, I ang them and they told me they were the cheapest, I agreed but only if they charged me what I actually use.
I would currently give them 6/10, you need to understand that they’re going to over charge you to start with.
The first few months were a nightmare, I ang them and they told me they were the cheapest, I agreed but only if they charged me what I actually use.
I would currently give them 6/10, you need to understand that they’re going to over charge you to start with.
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
In my experience, customer service can be highly variable, and reviews may only express the views of a vocal minority. I used to think that British Gas were the absolute worst for customer service, until we switched to Octopus. The customer service from Octopus was so dire that nothing would ever induce me to use them again. They were, without a shadow of doubt, the most incompetent energy supplier we have ever used, yet others seem to think they are fine. Best customer service we've ever had from an energy supplier was from Bulb, absolutely faultless, but their pricing isn't as competitive as it was a year or so ago.
I’m with the people energy and never had to contact them, I just give online meter readings once a mont.
before that I was with bulb same principle.
I think you need good customer services for expensive products and services but not sure about electricity.
from my experience I switch decide on the monthly amount and that’s it.
with the people energy we agreed a monthly amount and 12 months on its spot on. The direct debits never changed.
the difference is £80 savings a year for electricity which will more than cover the charging of the car. I was already on a competitive tariff with the people energy but that comes to an end next month.
what can go wrong?
before that I was with bulb same principle.
I think you need good customer services for expensive products and services but not sure about electricity.
from my experience I switch decide on the monthly amount and that’s it.
with the people energy we agreed a monthly amount and 12 months on its spot on. The direct debits never changed.
the difference is £80 savings a year for electricity which will more than cover the charging of the car. I was already on a competitive tariff with the people energy but that comes to an end next month.
what can go wrong?
They're all awful. Personally I thought bulb were terrible.. Worst I ever experienced though was Pure Planet.. utterly rage inducing.
Ended up back at Octopus because although they're as slow as crap to answer you do generally get an answer from a human that has read your email, which, sadly, puts them in the top few %.
Ended up back at Octopus because although they're as slow as crap to answer you do generally get an answer from a human that has read your email, which, sadly, puts them in the top few %.
Whoflungdung
Member
I used to be a Symbio and would not recommend them at all, the billing systems are absolutely useless. When I left they tried to defraud me with frictionless charges and energy usage.
Keep away if you don't want headaches
Keep away if you don't want headaches
I was with People's Energy in their early days. They didn't understand that the strict rules regarding the calculation of the calorific value in your gas bill - they rounded it instead of truncating. I ended up having to report them to the Ombudsman - they just wouldn't listen.
Cnixon
Member
Yes, I have been with them for a year now and just renewed. No exit fee so not much to lose. Absolutely useless customer service. Feels like one person there at the moment. No smart meter installs yet just promises. Ofgem is always on their back so doubt they will last much longer. They bill in advance which is fair enough because they refund the following month if you overpay but initially you may get some excessive estimates. Go with it you should see the benefits. Last year I was paying about 7p/kwh at night (e7). If they roll out smart meters it will help us to move!!!
Cnixon
Member
This was because they had not arranged smart meters (joined the club) not really that bad.
Enjoyed cheap energy for 1 month and just received an email to say we are give you 1 month notice to change tariff and the one I’m on is no longer available.
so they hooked me in for 1 month with a super low tariff and have pulled it. The cheapest from them is 15% more expensive.
Feel like I’ve been tricked!
so they hooked me in for 1 month with a super low tariff and have pulled it. The cheapest from them is 15% more expensive.
Feel like I’ve been tricked!
Cnixon
Member
Ok, this lot is a real "Marmite" company but they are usually cheapest. You will be offered a new tariff about every 2 months. I have complained and got nowhere. They say this is the norm now with all companies. It is Not variable it is a "Short term fixed tariff"
I have gone for this offering" which is the same rate day/night it does not appear on Comparison websites (yet?) which may be the dangerous game they are playing for existing customers.
TARIFF DETAILS:
Your new tariff plan is: Low Fair and Green Variable SE01 v16
Day Unit Rate: 12.255 p per kWh
Night Unit Rate: 12.255 p per kWh
Standing Charges: 21.000 p per day
Tariff Effective From: 01 February 2021
Price Guaranteed Until: Not Applicable
Exit Fees: Not Applicable.
I have written a very simple spreadsheet to check cost and it is worth it for my useage. I was so p... d with Symbio. I would have moved to Green: (<<not the one that stopped trading) but it was about £20/m more. They will never fit Smart meters because Ofgem is being soft until Covid b.g..rs off. I had 5 separate complaints with them at one point! I still have no Smart meter but can now charge at any time if the day and still think I can beat the Octopus Go's and other EV Special Tariffs not sure about Agile but it is a faff.
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I'm not sure that tariff does beat Octopus GO. With an off peak rate of 5p per kWh for 4 hours daily it doesn't take much for it to beat the Symbio offering. Agile at the moment is not very attractive although over a year I'm still quids in.
I produced a spreadsheet last year that may be helpful to assess your monthly cost. I haven't updated the tariffs recently (a job for tomorrow) however the Octopus GO tariff is still correct. All you need to do is input your monthly use and allocate it into off-peak or standard rate to get an idea. Click HERE for the spreadsheet.
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
As said a few times now, it very much depends on your exact pattern of usage. I cannot get either Go or Agile to compete with a good E7 tariff, for example. We use most of our electricity during a 6 or 7 hour overnight period, intentionally, the house was designed to do this from the outset, to take advantage of the E7 cheap rate period. Our daytime electricity usage is dominated by cooking, the TV and some lighting, and that usage (in winter) is around the peak rate period for variable tariffs like Agile (our winter daytime usage ramps up around 16:00, peaks at around 18:30 and then falls away again at about 22:00).
It very definitely pays to understand how usage varies with each 30 minute billing period (for a tariff like Agile) with at least a year's worth of data, before making a decision, as that pattern can mean that any sort of average tariff indication may be massively in error.
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