Solarplicity is now EDF: customer queries answered
Solarplicity was a Hertfordshire-based renewable energy supplier. The company ceased trading in August 2019, and its 8,000 customers were transferred to a different supplier.
Solarplicity energy customers who have not changed provider are now with EDF Energy as of August 2019. Customers that were originally transferred from Solarplicity to Toto Energy in July 2019 are also now with EDF as a result of Toto’s closure in October of 2019.
FAQs for Solarplicity customers
1) What happened to Solarplicity?
Previously known as LoCO2 Energy, Solarplicity ceased trading in August 2019. It’s 7,500 domestic customers and 500 business customers were transferred to EDF Energy.
Two weeks before Solarplicity closed down, the supplier sold 43,000 of its customers to Toto Energy. Toto Energy ceased trading just a couple of months later in October 2019. Its customers were also transferred to EDF Energy.
2) My account was in credit. Will I get my money back?
Former Solarplicity customers can rest assured that all outstanding credit balances will be transferred to the new supplier. Outstanding credit balances for customers who left Solarplicity before the supplier ceased trading will also be repaid.
3) Will I have to pay more with my new supplier?
Solarplicity customers should have already received their new energy rates in the welcome pack from the new provider. If you are not satisfied with the rates, you are free to change to a different plan. You will not be charged an exit fee for switching.
4) How do I contact my new energy supplier?
Former Solarplicity customers will need to contact EDF Energy to speak to a representative about their account.
5) Can I switch to a different energy supplier?
Solarplicity customers are not obliged to stay with the newly appointed supplier. Customers can choose a new supplier and will not be charged exit fees for leaving.
Solarplicity reviews: more than just complaints?
Solarplicity received mainly negative reviews on customer review sites like Trustpilot. In the months before the supplier ceased trading, Solarplicity had an average rating of just two out of five stars on Trustpilot.
Many customers who left reviews online complained about having to wait between thirty minutes to an hour on the phone before finally getting through to a customer service representative. Customers also complained in the customer reviews about not receiving responses to complaints.
In 2019, the Energy Ombudsman received 3,324 complaints about Solarplicity before August. The previous year, only about 1,000 complaints were made. At the time, Chief Executive of Ombudsman Services Matthew Vickers said that Solarplicity’s closure “doesn’t come as a huge surprise” after such a jump in the number of complaints.
More than just receiving a high number of complaints for its size, Vickers said that Solarplicity then failed to solve the complaints within an acceptable time frame.
During the quarter before Solarplicity closed, Citizens Advice reported that the supplier would have tied Together Energy for 27th place with a score of just 2.9 out of five.
Solarplicity login: how do I sign in to my account?
Solarplicity provided an online portal that allowed customers to manage their energy accounts entirely online. Since the supplier had its license revoked in August 2019, the Solarplicity login page is no longer available. Former Solarplicity customers will need to set up a new online account with the newly appointed provider, EDF.
Setting up a new EDF online account will only take a couple of minutes. You will need to provide an email address and have your new account number handy in order to register your home.
Customers will be able to do the following through the online portal:
- See your past and current usage
- View and pay your bills
- Update your personal details
- Submit meter readings
- Switch your energy tariff
Former Solarplicity customers are able to submit online meter readings to the new provider without having to set up an online account. You will just need to provide your account number and postcode.
What tariffs did the supplier offer?
Solarplicity offered three basic tariffs to its customers: a fixed tariff, a variable tariff and its most unique tariff - the fair market price tariff.
With the fair market price tariff, customers were not charged standing charges (the price you pay just to be connected to the service). This, however, came in exchange for more expensive unit rates, which is the price you pay for the energy that you actually consume. Only consumers who spent very little time at home would have benefited from this type of tariff.
None of the tariffs included an exit fee, so customers were free to switch to a different tariff or supplier without being penalized financially.
What business tariffs did it offer?
Solarplicity had a range of business tariffs to help small and medium-sized businesses meet their corporate responsibilities and CO2 targets. Solarplicity specialised in helping companies in different sectors save money on their energy bills.
They claimed to help landowners make money from their land by installing solar panels. The Fair Market Price tariff was also available to businesses. With no standing charges, it would have been apt for certain types of businesses that had irregular energy use.
How can I contact Solarplicity?
Are you trying to contact Solarplicity? Customers will now need to contact EDF, the newly appointed supplier, to speak with a customer service representative about their energy account. Visit our EDF Energy contact guide for up-to-date details.
Department | Phone number | Opening hours |
---|---|---|
Customer service (now EDF) | 0333 200 5100 | Monday to Friday: 8am-6pm; Saturday 8am-2pm |
Power cut | 105 | 24/7 |
Gas emergency | 0800 111 999 | 24/7 |
Energy Ombudsman | 0330 440 1624 | Monday to Friday: 8am-8pm, Saturday: 9am-1pm |
What’s the contact number for complaints?
If you have an unresolved complaint with Solarplicity, the new supplier is not required to take it on. If you escalated your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman (or a different third party) you can expect to hear back soon with a resolution if you have not already.
If you need to make a complaint to your new supplier, you can should contact the customer service department at EDF on 0333 200 5100. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm.
How do I submit my Solarplicity meter readings?
Instead of submitting your meter readings to Solarplicity, you must now submit them to EDF. To submit your meter readings, you can either call the new supplier or provide your meter readings online.
It’s best to hold on to your meter readings until your account has been completely transferred to the new supplier and any credit or debt has been sorted.
If you’re tired of having to submit meter readings, you can always consider having a smart meter installed. The smart meter will automatically send meter readings to your supplier, as well as keep you updated on your energy use in near real-time.
Will my Solarplicity smart meter still work with the new supplier?
Solarplicity had begun installing the first generation of smart meters (SMETS1) for its customers. Unfortunately, these meters tend to lose their smart functionality when customers change to a new supplier.
Since the smart meter no longer sends automatic updates to the energy supplier, customers who pay via direct debit or on receipt of a bill will need to submit their meter readings manually or risk receiving and estimated bill.
Prepayment customers with a smart meter had their meters put into credit mode while their account was transferred in order to ensure that their energy supply was not affected in the switching process. Those customers should have been contacted by the new supplier about paying for their energy either with cash, a cheque or direct debit during that time.
If you had an appointment booked with Solarplicity to have a smart meter installed, the installation will no longer take place. You should wait until the new provider contacts you to set up a new appointment.
What was the supplier’s fuel mix?
Solarplicity sourced 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power.