Tomato Energy - 6 months on…….

[Susanna]

I changed from Octopus to Tomato Energy on 23rd September. I have not yet received a bill, and the direct debit that was set up has not been activated by TE. I reminded them once (a few months ago), but still no bill. I am not inclined to remind them again, as surely it’s their responsibility to issue bills and collect payments. I read that after 6 months, the (eventual) bill would be reduced by 50%, but I obviously don’t have that in writing. If anyone has seen that written down, I would be grateful to have sight of it. Thanks in anticipation!

 

[Everest]

Offgem's rules kick in after 12 months if I understood them correctly.

"These rules set out when a supplier can charge you for any shortfalls in payment for energy you’ve used. You cannot be charged for energy used more than 12 months ago if:

• you have not had an accurate bill for it before, even though you asked for one
• you have not been informed about any charges due via a statement of account before
• your Direct Debit amount was previously set too low to cover any charges due

Suppliers must make these rules clear in their contract terms and conditions.
The rules apply to domestic energy consumers and microbusinesses."

See also

What to do if you get a back bill

Find out if you're covered by our back billing rules, and how to complain to your supplier if you’ve received a bill in error.

www.ofgem.gov.uk

So, unless Tomato have specific rules for 6 months, then I guess there's another 6 months to go

 

[Susanna]

@Everest - thank you for that.

I found a post by @emmrecs #205 (on a thread ‘Tomato Energy’ started by @johnb80) where he was told a discount of 15% after 3 months unbilled, 50% after 6 months, and 100% after 12 months. But it’s heresay, obviously.

 

[mystreet]

@Everest - thank you for that.

I found a post by @emmrecs #205 (on a thread ‘Tomato Energy’ started by @johnb80) where he was told a discount of 15% after 3 months unbilled, 50% after 6 months, and 100% after 12 months. But it’s heresay, obviously.

My son who still has not had a bill also received an email with these details about December time

 

[emmrecs]

I found a post by @emmrecs #205 (on a thread ‘Tomato Energy’ started by @johnb80) where he was told a discount of 15% after 3 months unbilled, 50% after 6 months, and 100% after 12 months. But it’s heresay, obviously.

Just to reassure you: that info came directly in a phone call to me from the CEO of Tomato Energy after I raised a Formal Complaint (with TE) because of a lack of any bill and the fact the myWatts app wasn't (and still isn't) working for me.

 

[Kenp1]

Tried to get a quote for the last few days but it says they aren't giving new quotes. After reading the above I think I'll stick with Octopus.

 

[emmrecs]

After reading the above I think I'll stick with Octopus.

Understandable, perhaps, but I'm now in the position that, even if TE are able to resolve the problem caused for them by the fact I have a SMETS1 meter, they can only bill me for 50% of the full cost of the electricity I've used since last September.

 

[Susanna]

@emmrecs - myWatts app has never worked for me either.
I don’t understand what the issue is, as I have a smets2 meter.
I just wish I had something in writing about the discount, as I didn’t receive an email.

 

[Everest]

Tried to get a quote for the last few days but it says they aren't giving new quotes.

They stopped taking on new customers about 2 weeks ago (allegedly for a month), as discussed here...

Post in thread 'Tomato Energy'

Mar 6, 2025

Tomato have halted taking on new customers and won't even quote at the moment.

How do you know this?

• Deleted member 8461

I wondered if that could be related to Tomato not meeting their supply licence agreements wrt. Elexon's EFR targets

 

[Gomev]

Understandable, perhaps, but I'm now in the position that, even if TE are able to resolve the problem caused for them by the fact I have a SMETS1 meter, they can only bill me for 50% of the full cost of the electricity I've used since last September.

Is that a blanket 6 months or a rolling 6 months, e.g September was 6 months ago but October is still only 5 months ago so currently only 1 month at 50% off. ?

Just thinking of the wording use in @Everest post #2 where it states
"These rules set out when a supplier can charge you for any shortfalls in payment for energy you’ve used. You cannot be charged for energy used more than 12 months ago...

 

[Everest]

I would assume the energy used would have to be "xx" months old, whether "xx" is Ofgem's 12 months or the speculative 6 months that Tomato have mentioned.

IIRC Smart meters hold 13 months of import data (and 3 months of export data), so it sort of makes sense that you can't be billed for energy that was consumed longer ago than what could be (easily) proven that you've used.

It will be interesting to see if Tomato recover from their current position.

From what I have read...
They are in default of paying for the electricity they have sold.
They have stopped taking on new customers.
They don't seem to be billing their existing customers for months - which obviously will severely affect their cash-flow.
And, if reports I have read on other forums are correct, they have recently migrated their existing customers to another company called Senapt Ltd., which is owned by the same directors as TE, but only have TE as a customer. One wonders (well, at least I do) whether that is some trick to get around regulation and/or protect the directors if SHTF.

Either way, existing TE customers won't get their electricity cut off, but the danger for users on here who need to charge cheaply is that they could be put on a standard variable tariff for months until they can be transferred to another supplier and their billing data successfully passed over.

Maybe that sounds too gloomy? I hope they pull through or well all end up bailing them out.

 

[Anon70]

Prior to being Tomato they were Logicor and Marigold energy, both of which were investigated by OGEM for various infringements

Search

www.ofgem.gov.uk

 

[APMG]

Same here nothing paid since onboard. MyWatts must be unplugged as never worked.

Did complain a month or so ago and they emailed about we're looking into the issue, free to leave etc etc. However they finally did set the direct debit up but never took anything.

If the case is true for free/discounted electric due to the delays I'll just keep holding on. Charging the car for free could have it's perks

Let's see if they go bust before trying to get paying customers?