Has Avro Energy Gone Bust? Supplier FAQ
Avro Energy was a gas and electricity supplier that aimed to cut the fancy phrases and offer a cheap and simple service. While its tariffs consistently ranked as some of the cheapest on the market, it was unable to survive wholesale energy price hikes in late 2021, announcing its closure in September of that year. Read on to learn about the history of this supplier and what to do if next if you were an Avro Energy customer.
Avro Energy has ceased trading All customers were transferred to Octopus Energy on 26 September, 2021. All information presented here was correct at time of original publication and is for reference purposes only. For more up to date information please contact your new supplier directly.
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Who were Avro Energy?
Created in 2012 and starting to trade in December 2015, Avro Energy aimed to offer cheap and simplistic energy. Founder Jake Brown wanted to create an alternative to the larger providers energy suppliers in the UK by setting up a company that cut out the jargon and put an end to high prices.
Just one year after launching, the supplier had already amassed 40,000 electricity customers and 30,000 gas customers. Its prices consistently ranked as some of the cheapest on the market, and it received mainly positive reviews online prior to closing in September 2021.
Avro Energy Timeline
We’ve included some of the company’s key dates in a short timeline to give a simple overview of the supplier.
- 2012 — Avro Energy is created in the West Midlands by Jake Brown.
- 2015 — It starts trading, officially joining the UK energy market.
- 2016 — By the end of 2016, it has 40,000 electricity and 30,000 gas customers.
- 2019 — From May 26th, Ofgem banned Avro Energy from selling its energy to new customers as it was not a DCC user. This ban was revoked in June and the supplier can now continue to function as before.
- 2020 — Avro Energy came third out of 25 energy companies in Which?'s annual energy satisfaction survey.
- 2021 — Avro Energy closes, stating that it can no longer break even due to increasing wholesale energy prices. Its customers are transferred to Octopus Energy as part of Ofgem's Supplier of Last Reort (SoLR) scheme.
Has Avro Energy Gone Bust? FAQ
Avro was one of a number of smaller energy suppliers that went out of business in late 2021 as wholesale energy prices hit record highs. Its customers were transferred to Octopus Energy in September 2021.
Avro Energy Frequently Asked Questions
1) I'm an Avro Energy customer - will I continue to receive energy?
Due to Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) scheme, customers will continue to receive gas and electricity. Any energy supplier that stops trading has its licence revoked, and a bidding process is started to reassign their customers to another supplier, according to the scheme's terms. Octopus Energy announced in late September 2021 that it would take on all Avro Energy customers.
When an energy supplier goes out of business, it will often take its website offline shortly after, so we recommend logging in to your customer portal as soon as possible and downloading any bills and statements so you have a written record of this information.
2) Will my energy tariff change?
Former Avro Energy customers will be put on a deemed tariff rate, which will be protected by the energy price cap. We recommend that you either shop around for a better deal or request that Octopus place you on a different tariff because these are some of the most expensive rates a supplier can charge. When you leave your appointed new supplier under the SoLR scheme, you are not required to pay exit fees.
3) How can I get contact my new supplier?
Visit Octopus Energy contact to get in touch with your new supplier.
4) I’ve already changed supplier. Will the switch still go ahead?
If you were had already started switching away from Avro Energy, the switch should still go through, and any Direct Debit you had set up with them should be automatically cancelled. We still advise you to double-check with your bank just to be sure.
5) I had credit on my Avro Energy account. Will this be refunded?
All customer credit will still be honoured under the terms of the Ofgem SoLR scheme.
6) I was in debt with Avro Energy. Am I still required to pay it?
You will still be responsible for any outstanding Avro Energy debts. Octopus Energy will let you know whether they will take on your debt or if you will have to work out a payment plan with an administrator, a company that takes over a failing business.
7) I don't want Octopus to provide my energy. Is it possible for me to switch to a different supplier?
After the transfer from Avro Energy to Octopus has gone ahead, you're free to switch to another supplier without incurring any exit fees or penalties. We work with a panel of top energy suppliers at Selectra, including British Gas and EDF. To learn more about our best deals, call 020 3936 0059 or request a free callback now.
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Avro Energy Tariffs and Prices
Avro Energy offers a number of different tariffs to new customers. As with all suppliers, the names and exact details change quite frequently, but we can deduce the following from the information available on its website:
- It offers at least one variable tariff, currently called Simple Energy.
- It offers at least one tariff for customers with prepayment meters, currently called Simple Energy PAYG.
- The majority of its tariffs are 12-month fixed-rate tariffs, such as the Simple and GoSuper (Avro's cheapest tariff).
All of its tariffs can be taken out as Economy 7 tariffs. Despite most of them being 12-month fixed-rate tariffs, the supplier does not charge exit fees for the majority of its tariffs. This means that despite the year-long contract, customers can leave anytime without facing a financial penalty in most cases.
Avro Energy tariffs are only available as dual fuel tariffs, meaning you cannot take out just an electricity or gas tariff. Furthermore, there is only one payment option for customers with credit meters — monthly direct debit.
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Does Avro Energy offer the Warm Home Discount?
Avro Energy has now joined the Warm Home Discount scheme. This government scheme is designed to help households at risk of fuel poverty during the colder, more fuel-intensive winter months.
The Avro Energy Warm Home Discount comes in the form of a once-off credit of £140 on your electricity bills. You can apply to receive the £140 towards your energy bills through the Avro Energy website.
If you are not eligible to receive the Avro Energy Warm Home Discount, there are other ways you can get financial support. Our guide on government grants and schemes can help you find out how to get help with your energy bills.
Priority Services Register
The Priority Services Register is a confidential register for Avro Energy customers that may need additional help and care, such as priority if there is a power cut. If you feel you fall under the category of a ‘vulnerable customer’ (e.g. you are elderly, disabled or have young children), you can ring Avro Energy on 0330 058 2005 and ask to be added to the register.
Does Avro Energy provide smart meters?
According to its website, Avro Energy is currently working on its smart meter rollout plans but is not yet taking instalment bookings. If you already have a smart meter, you can still switch to Avro Energy. However, if your smart meter is a first-generation (SMETS1) meter, it will lose its smart functionality and you will need to submit your meter readings manually.
How long does it take to switch to Avro Energy?
It should take no longer than 21 days to switch to Avro Energy from the day you signed up. This includes what's called a "14-day cooling-off period" during which you can cancel your switch and you won't be charged any exit fees. Once these 14 days have passed, you can expect the switchover to take place within a week.
Contact Avro Energy
If you have any questions for Avro Energy, you can get in touch with the supplier online (through Facebook or Twitter) or send an email to its customer support team. If your matter is quite complicated and you would prefer to discuss it with someone directly, you can also give the customer support team a call.
You can find a full list of Avro Energy phone numbers and email addresses in our Avro Energy contact page.
Log in to Your Avro Energy Account
Through the Avro Energy online account, customers can submit meter readings, view their statements and track their energy usage every month. With this information, you might find that the answer to some of your questions can be found in your online account too, saving you the time of having to contact Avro directly. For example, if you’re wondering why your energy bill was higher than normal last month, you can check your usage for the month on your account and see where and how you consumed more.
Struggling to log in to your Avro Energy account? Selectra’s Avro Energy login guide can take you through the process step by step.
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Avro Energy Fuel Mix
Avro Energy gets nearly three quarters of its electricity from natural gas. Nuclear and renewable sources make up about 8% each, followed by coal with 6% and other fuels sources with 5%.
Avro Energy Summary: Reviews and Verdict
With a great score on Trustpilot (4.6 out of five) and Google Reviews (4.1 out of five), Avro Energy appears popular among customers. A particular favourite aspect is its cheap pricing, with many customers commenting that they have saved on their energy bills since switching and consider the supplier great value for money.
Another area of praise is its accurate billing and easy to use website, which suggests that the supplier is really sticking to its goal of offering ‘simplistic supply’. If you are interested in reading more Avro Energy reviews, we have a whole page dedicated to it! Head to our Avro Energy reviews guide for a detailed analysis of what customers are saying. Find out what it does well and where there is room for improvement.
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