Last updated: 8th March 2024
So Energy Reviews Summary
So Energy was founded in 2015 and is one of the smaller UK energy suppliers. It is still standing after the ‘energy crisis’ in 2021 when many similar-sized suppliers went bust and since then have partnered with the brand that was ESB Energy. So Energy currently has around 300,000 customers.
They say they are an energy supplier that has renewables at its heart and aims to help customers reduce their environmental impact.
One unique feature of So Energy, that we have only seen with this supplier, is that customers can vote on which renewable source they would like their energy to come from!
In this So Energy review, we’ll take a look at the key things to consider if you are looking to switch to So Energy like the tariffs they have available, their prices, their complaints record and other customer reviews.
So Energy Reviews: Are they any good?
Customer reviews and feedback are usually the best way to tell how good a company is, so let’s start by looking at what other reviews say about So Energy.
There are over 16,000 So Energy reviews on Trustpilot which is the main source of its reviews. Overall, So Energy is rated ‘Great’ with 4 stars out of 5, which is pretty average for most of the energy suppliers we have reviewed.
73% of their customers have given them a 5-star review with 14% of customers giving them a 1-star review. Many of the positive reviews seem to highlight its customer service whereas the negative reviews seem to mainly be to do with smart meter or billing issues.
There are also over 1,300 So Energy reviews on Google. These ratings are much lower, with the energy supplier receiving only 2.9 out of 5 stars.
What tariffs do So Energy offer?
There are currently two tariffs to choose from with So Energy, one fixed tariff and one variable tariff.
Its fixed tariff (So Orange) lasts for 1 year, offers 100% renewable electricity and has an exit fee of £75 per fuel.
Its variable tariff (So Flex) has no exit fees, does not lock you in for a period of time but does not come with renewable electricity.
Neither of the above tariffs requires you to have a smart meter, which you do sometimes find with other suppliers.
At this time So Energy doesn’t provide any innovative smart meter-only tariffs, where pricing changes daily or throughout the day, like Octopus or a special EV (Electric Vehicle) tariff like British Gas.
It is positive they offer renewable electricity on their fixed tariff but other suppliers offer renewable electricity on their variable tariffs too.
How does So Energy compare on price?
In our most recent review of energy suppliers’ prices So Energy came in the middle of the pack.
Out of 15 energy suppliers, we found they offer the 6th cheapest dual fuel variable tariff and they offered the 7th cheapest fixed tariff from 11 suppliers
In a survey conducted by Which? across energy suppliers, they gave So Energy a two stars our of five for value for money. To put this into context, however, the Recommend Suppliers Octopus, Ecotricity and E all only scored 3 stars out of 5.
If you are someone who likes to compare rates and standing charges, below is an example for each of their tariffs in the East Midlands:
| Tariff | Elec Unit Rate | Elec Stand. Charge | Gas Unit Rate | Gas Stand. Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| So Orange | 23.77p | 55.99p | 5.89p | 31.10p |
| So Flex | 28.01p | 7.28p | 50.68p | 29.58p |
In terms of price, for a 3-bed house with medium usage in the East Midlands, this works out at £143 a month (or £1714 a year) on the fixed tariff (So Orange) and £165 a month (or £1979 a year) on the variable tariff (So Flex).
What is So Energy’s customer service like?
Citizens Advice provides some great, reliable data when it comes to energy suppliers’ customer service. This data is updated every quarter. Below we have highlighted the key data for So Energy:
| Fewer complaints received | 1 out of 5 |
| Contact waiting time | 2 out of 5 |
| Customer commitments | 5 out of 5 |
| Overall rating | 1.7 out of 5 |
These low scores mean that So Energy ranks 15th out of 16 suppliers in the Citizens Advice rankings.
The average call centre waiting time was a reasonably high 4 minutes and 12 seconds and only 36.3% of emails were responded to within 2 days.
It faired slightly better in a study by Which?, although here they still came 3rd from bottom with an overall score of 57%. For context, Utility Warehouse came top with an overall score of 75%.
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What is So Energy app like?
In this section, we normally review the energy supplier’s app based on customers’ feedback. So Energy does not have either an iOS or Android app, so we are not able to do this. It is one of the few energy suppliers that does still not have its own app, which could be frustrating for some.
If you are a So Energy customer, you will need to manage your account completely through the web interface.
How well does So Energy deal with complaints?
So Energy themselves state they had 10,352 customer complaints in 2022 which were not resolved by the end of the first working day. This is quite high for a company with only 300,000 customers.
As we saw earlier, Citizens Advice gave the energy supplier a 1 out of 5 when it comes to complaints. This is because they received 103.4 complaints per 10,000 customers, making them one of the worst-performing suppliers when it comes to complaints.
Below are a few quick questions you may need answers to along with our So Energy review:
Do they work with pre-payment meters?
No, So Energy does not currently work with pre-payment meters.
Do they accept Economy 7?
Yes, So Energy do accept Economy 7 although only on certain tariffs if you have an Economy 7 meter you should contact the So Energy team to see what tariffs you have available to you.
Are So Energy signed up to the Warm Home Discount?
Yes, So Energy is currently signed up to the Warm House Discount.
Are they signed up to the Energy Switch Guarantee?
Yes, So Energy are signed up to the Energy Switch Guarantee which means you can switch to So Energy more easily.
Do they offer a smart meter?
Yes, So Energy are currently rolling out smart meters and as with other suppliers, they are completely free.
If you are an existing customer without a smart meter, they will be in contact with you when there is availability in your area for an installer.
How to contact So Energy
There are numerous ways to contact the So Energy team and to close out our So Energy review I’ve detailed all the contact information you could need below.
- Phone: 0330 111 5050
- Opening Times: 9 AM – 5 PM Monday – Friday
- Email: help@so.energy
- Postal Address: Studio 2, Power Road Studios, 114 Power Road, Chiswick, W4 5PY
- Facebook | Twitter
How do I switch to So Energy?
The easiest way to switch to So Energy is through a comparison website. This will allow you to check if So Energy is one of the cheapest suppliers for you (tariffs vary based on your area) and will allow you to quickly and easily switch to them.
Our experience has been very similar to those above. Very difficult to contact them, we are still waiting to have our full electricity supply restored since February15th, but no success. Choose another supplier because the customer care is non existent .Will probably have to contact the ombudsman.
We have no problems with so energy. I contact them via email always respond. Great that it’s green. So much better than our last provider would reccomend to anyone.
I’ve been with So Energy for a couple of years now, and I can’t fault their customer service or their customer care. They undertook a complex solar panel and battery installation for me, and stayed in touch from quote, installation through to all the snagging and this was all done during the COVID-19 Pandemic – a very challenging time to get things done. They went above and beyond in ‘so’ many ways. They organised my feed-in tariff for my solar installation and organised a dual price tariff (so we can do power heavy activities like using the washing machine and EV charging) at night. They helped me to organise with the battery company to top up the battery during the cheaper tariff period and that helps us to keep our costs low when the sun doesn’t shine. When there was a problem accessing the Battery App, they organised a fix with the battery company so I didn’t have to. It’s a shame that some people here have been disappointed with So Energy’s customer service, so I thought I’d write this review to act as some kind of balance. I have no connection with So Energy other than being a customer.
I can’t fault this company, they have been 100% transparent and react to emails within minutes. They have been by far my best energy provider ever and the fact they 100% green is even better.
I have been with SO energy since September 2020 and not had any problems whatsoever. Easy to submit meter readings online! Bills are very clear. Surprised at all these negative reviews. SO Energy reduced my DD payment for summer and made it clear that is what they do. About to switch as 12 month contract ending and hopefully won’t experience any difficulty there either
It seems you people are having similar problems as me. After 10 months of me contacting them, my two rate meter is reading that I am using more fuel during the day than at night. In spite of several e-mails, videos, pictures and phone calls whoever I speak to just goes into script mode and rehashes what has been said before.
Ofgem website down this week due to maintenance and have contacted Citizens Advice as this has really gone on far too long.
Today my mission is to write to head office. Lets see if anyone there has the brain they were gifted with at birth!
So Energy are the worst energy provider that I have ever experienced. They offer no customer service at all. I have had no replies/response from them in the last nine months. It seems that all they want is the money, money, money. I don’t expect them to last long.
Don’t know how you are trying to get in touch with them but I spoke to someone on the phone only a few days ago
It took me when I first joined so energy 5 mins to get Through to them Now it’s taking 45 mins this very poor So energy are taking so many customers on that they do not have the staff to cope.. Very very Disappointed I will be changing my provider
So Energy.. At the Beginning this company was superb now its very poor in trying to get through to them
I need to know how to send my meter readings. Trying to phone and getting nowhere.
I have been with So Energy for a while but when I had a problem with the smart meter they asked to fit I saw their true colours. SO Energy would not respond in any meaningful way. I was given inaccurate (untrue) information and my emails and calls were completely ignored. Exasperated, I emailed their head of customer services but still no response at all, so I will now be reporting to the Ombudsman.
I think SO Energy Customer Services has taken the “Ryan Air” approach so I’ll be leaving them as soon as I can – my advice is AVOID!
Terrible business I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. They didn’t update my direct debits after their estimates had been way off despite the fact I had submitted meter readings. This resulted in being undercharged by 50% and then they require the entire amount to be paid before the switch is made. They also tried to say I hadn’t called to request an updated direct debit but my call records from my phone company prove that I do.
I must say my experience exactly matches yours, Patrick. We were under billed and under quoted after SO failed to update our account for over a year after the provision of a reading. They refused to be accountable in any way for their serious failings. I could not leave them quick enough as they cannot be trusted, but like you, SO blocked me moving providers until they have all the money they demanded paid even though there was a live and genuine dispute about it.