Has Pure Planet Gone Bust? Reviews, Tariffs, Contact & Login
Pure Planet Energy was an energy company created by the team who founded Virgin Mobile. The supplier used 100% renewable energy and 100% carbon offset gas while still in operation.
Has Pure Planet gone bust? Pure Planet ceased trading in October 2021. Customers are being transferred to Shell Energy and will continue to receive gas and electricity under Ofgem’s Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) scheme.
What Happened to Pure Planet?
Pure Planet was one of a number of smaller suppliers that went bust in late 2021 as wholesale gas prices rose. Under Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) scheme, its customers were transferred to Shell Energy in October 2021.
Pure Planet Energy Frequently Asked Questions
1) I'm a Pure Planet customer - will I continue receiving energy?
Thanks to Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) scheme, customers will continue to receive gas and electricity. Any energy supplier that goes bust has their licence revoked, and a bidding process is started to reassign their customers to another supplier, according to the scheme's terms. Ofgem announced in mid-October 2021 that Shell Energy would take on all 235,000 Pure Planet domestic customers.
When an energy provider closes, its website is often taken down soon 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 bill change?
Former Pure Planet 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 Shell Energy place you on a different tariff because these are some of the most expensive rates a supplier can charge. There are no exit fees levied against you under the SoLR scheme.
3) How can I contact my new supplier?
To get in touch with your new supplier, visit contact Shell Energy.
4) I’ve already starting switching suppliers. Will this still go through?
If you were already switching away from Pure Planet Energy, the process should still go ahead, and any Direct Debit you had set up with Pure Planet should be automatically cancelled. We still advise you to double-check with your bank just to be sure.
5) My Pure Planet Energy account was in credit. Will my money be refunded?
All customer credit will be honoured under the terms of the Ofgem SoLR scheme.
6) I owed money to Pure Planet. Will I still have to pay it back?
You will still be responsible for any outstanding debt owed on your energy contract. Shell 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 to be with Shell Energy. Can I switch to a different supplier?
Once your account has been transferred from Pure Planet to Shell Energy, 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, speak to an Energy Expert on 020 3936 0059 or a
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Who were Pure Planet Energy?
Pure Planet was created by the same team that founded Virgin Mobile: Andrew Ralston, Steven Day and Tom Alexander. Their goal was to bring their background in consumer marketing to the energy industry.
As a result, Pure Planet Energy was a digital-only supplier which aimed to sell renewable energy only.
Where was Pure Planet based?
The Pure Planet Energy supplier was based in Bath, England, but supplies gas and electricity to households across the UK.
Who owned Pure Planet Energy?
Pure Planet was an independent company set up and run by individuals. However, energy giant BP did hold 24% of shares in the company, making it a minority shareholder. BP is an energy broker, and was responsible for buying the renewable energy Pure Planet sells to its customers.
Reviews - Is Pure Planet Energy any good?
Apart from receiving national press coverage for their innovation, Pure Planet Energy reviews have been generally positive, with customers happy with the innovation the company advertises.
For example, Pure Planet customer reviews on Trustpilot are generally positive, praising the sign up process, customer service and pricing.
The energy supplier performed very well in Which’s 2021 annual survey, coming in a fifth out of 25 providers reviewed. With an overall customer score of 78%, Pure Planet received full marks for bill accuracy, and 4/5 for bill clarity, digital tools and value for money.
Reviews of Pure Planet Energy from Citizens Advice are more critical, with the supplier coming in 23rd out of 40 suppliers in the ratings for July to September 2020.
Account Management: Login and App
Like most suppliers, Pure Planet offers an online account system where customers can manage their account. For example, they can submit meter readings, view bills and track their energy usage.
Logging in also gives customers access to the online community, where you can get help from other members and Pure Planet customer service.
To access the Pure Planet Energy login page, simply head to the supplier’s website and click the login link located in the top right-hand corner. You will then need to enter the email address and password associated with your account to log in.
App
The Pure Planet Energy app acts as a 24/7 digital assistant. Customers will find that they can do all of the usual transactions, such as pay their bills, check their balance and monitor their usage through the app.
However, as the company does all of its customer services through the app, it also has greater functionality than a normal online portal as it substitutes a telephone service.
Customers can contact Pure Planet Energy by talking to Watt Bott - a customer-facing chatbot that’s powered by AI. WattBot was built to answer typical customer queries meaning that customer service agents can be freed up to help customers with more complex issues.
This means that simple tasks such as giving meter readings or paying bills will be done with Wattbott. If you have a more important or complex problem that needs human interaction then you can type "talk to the team" into Wattbott and it will put you in touch with a customer service agent.
It is available for Android and Apple devices and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and App Store respectively.
Mobile app not working
The Pure Planet app receives decent reviews online, with a rating of 3.1/5 on the App Store and 3.8/5 on the Google Play Store. Many customers praise the app, claiming it is easy to use and very useful.
However, a number of customers complain that the app does not work for them, at time of writing. These problems include not being able to download the app and not being able to sign in. These issues seem to have arisen due to a recent app update, so hopefully they are ironed out soon.
Tariffs and Prices
Pure Planet Energy offers three different tariffs, all of which are available for both single-rate and Economy 7 meters.
Pure Planet tariffs include one fixed-rate tariff and one variable tariff. With the fixed tariff, your rates are guaranteed for the duration of the contract. Therefore, you don't have to worry about any unexpected price increases if the market fluctuates. This tariff includes an exit fee of £30 per fuel.
With the variable tariff, prices can rise and fall in line with the wholesale cost of energy. Unlike other suppliers, Pure Planet will fix your price for the first two months while you get settled. You are free to leave the tariff at any time without facing exit fees.
Pure Planet tariffs can be taken out as electricity-only tariffs or as dual fuel (gas and electricity) tariffs. Customers who opt for dual fuel get an annual £30 discount.
Bills - Your bill broken down
Pure Planet charges customers a member’s rate, which is the unit rate of energy per kWh, and a membership fee. This covers the same costs as the ‘standing charge’ used by most other companies, including meter maintenance, employee costs, operations and IT systems, low-profit margins and VAT.
No matter if you're on a fixed or a variable tariff, the membership fee is always fixed. For customers on the standard variable tariff, it currently stands at £8 for electricity only and £16 a month for dual fuel customers.
Pure Planet Energy bills are paid by monthly direct debit. Payments are split to be less in the summer months (April to September) and more in the winter months(October to March). This is to match your consumption habits, which are typically higher during the colder months. You will be given your payment schedule, including a breakdown of the price in summer and winter, when you sign up.
Rates and prices
Naturally, exact Pure Planet Energy rates change depending on where you live and how much energy you use.
Price increases
In January 2021, the price of Pure Planet Energy’s rates rose by 7.4%. This increase was introduced in January for new Pure Planet members, and in February for existing customers on its variable tariff. Customers already on fixed tariffs were not affected.
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These price increases were due to rising industry costs. Many other suppliers also increased their rates at similar times, so Pure Planet was not alone.
Green Energy
Pure Planet Energy is one of the UK’s 100% renewable suppliers.
The supplier is a member of a number of initiatives to help the environment including the UN global compact working on goal 7 of the UN’s 17 goals to transform our world - to make clean energy more affordable.
It is also a member of Low Carbon South West, which promotes the development of environmental technology and services in Bristol, Bath and South and West England.
Pure Planet is a fan of significant environmental programmes such as the “Scotrenewables FloTEC project” at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney where a Mark 2 SR2000 tidal turbine, is being tested.
Smart Meters
Pure Planet is now installing smart meters. The supplier is rolling out second-generation smart meters (SMETS2) throughout 2021.
Current customers will be made aware of their eligibility for a smart meter through the mobile app, online account and email. Pure Planet will send you an email saying ‘Interested in Smart?’. If you respond saying you’re interested, you will be informed when installations are taking place in your area and can book an appointment.
If you have a SMETS2 installed by a different supplier, it will work with Pure Planet’s system. If you have a first-generation meter, it will revert back to a normal meter when you switch, but Pure Planet can upgrade it to a second-generation smart meter so it regains its ‘smart’ abilities.
How do I contact Pure Planet Energy?
Pure Planet Energy has no contact number or email address. All contact is handled online through your online account or the mobile app. The chat service, WattBott, is there to answer all questions. Customer service agents support the service from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5:30pm so can chip in if WattBott cannot answer your question adequately.
To access the WattBott, log into your online account or mobile app and click on ‘Get help and support’, you can ask your question to WattBott or message the team.
The lack of contact details and a call centre may seem refreshing for some, but slightly frustrating if you are a potential customer and don’t have access to WattBott! In this case, you can turn to the Pure Planet community for answers. This is full of FAQs covering all topics, and you can even start a new conversation with members if your question has not been answered before.
If you really need to talk directly with a Pure Planet Energy team member, you can send a letter.
Pure Planet address: Pure Planet, The Square, Cramer House, Lower Bristol Rd, Bath BA2 3BH, United Kingdom
Complaints
Most complaints to the energy supplier are also issued through your online account or the mobile app. To place a complaint, go to ‘Help and Support’ and click message the team.
If your issue is very serious and you wish to raise a formal complaint with Pure Planet, you can fill out and submit the official complaint form. After receiving your complaint, the team will send you a message to confirm they have got it and work to resolve it as quickly as possible.
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