What’s in this review?
Also see: SSE for business
If you’ve heard of SSE Energy, they may not have been great things.
But are they true? How does SSE match up to their competitors?
What are their customers saying?
Let’s take a closer look at this vast energy supplier.
Introduction
in 1998 when Scottish Hydro Electric and Southern Electric merged.
20 years later, SSE is now a huge supplier of electricity and gas in the whole of the UK, second only to British Gas and has millions of customers.
SSE also offers a programme for loyal customers, which gives customers the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance. SSE has arenas in Belfast, Wembley and Glasgow.
Costs, Contract Lengths & Fees
SSE offers their customers a variety of tariffs to suit their needs, which are mostly differentiated by how long you can fix your energy costs, as the projected monthly costs are under £10 apart.
Fixed: Fixed rates mean that the cost of your energy per kWh is fixed, so while your monthly costs will rise and fall depending on how much energy you use, your energy prices will remain the same.
These rates are usually fixed for a set period, like SSE Energy’s three years fixed v3 tariff.
SSE 1 Year Fixed v15 tariff |
SSE 1 Year Fix and Protect tariff |
SSE Smart 1 Year Fixed tariff |
Standard tariff |
Argos 2 Year Fixed tariff |
SSE 3 Year Fixed v3 tariff |
Fix your energy prices for 12 months | Fix your energy prices for one year with SSE Heating Breakdown Cover included | Get a smart meter and £50 credit | Our simple energy tariff with no ties | Fix your prices for two years and get Argos eGift cards |
Fix your energy prices for three years
|
Projected monthly cost: | Projected monthly cost: | Projected monthly cost: | Projected monthly cost: | Projected monthly cost: |
Projected monthly cost:
|
£107.44 | £107.52 | £110.85 | £113.13 | £113.13 | £113.13 |
Gas £49.67 Electricity £57.77 | Gas £50.51 Electricity £57.00 | Gas £52.08 Electricity £58.77 | Gas £53.16 Electricity £59.96 | Gas £53.16 Electricity £59.96 |
Gas £53.16 Electricity £59.96
|
That’s £1,289.26 a year | That’s £1,290.20 a year | That’s £1,330.14 a year | That’s £1,357.50 a year | That’s £1,357.50 a year |
That’s £1,357.50 a year
|
£25 per fuel early exit fee | £25 per fuel early exit fee | No early exit fee | No early exit fee | £25 per fuel early exit fee | No early exit fee |
Includes one year free SSE Heating Breakdown Cover | £50 electricity credit at the end of your tariff | Energy prices may go up or down |
£40 Argos gift card upfront and then
|
||
£5 Argos eGift card each quarter
|
Core services & offering
As well as offering their customers electricity and gas, SSE also offers these benefits to their customers.
Smart Meters
What is a smart meter?
Smart meters are a new generation of meter that tracks your energy usage in real time, so your supplier can bill you accurately.
Your smart meter will submit readings for you, and thanks to the in-home monitor it also allows you to start understanding where your energy is going and how much it costs you.
You can lower your overall costs by tracking your spending and seeing which appliances are costing you the most.
Phone & Broadband
✔Wireless router and delivery
✔No fixed term contract
✔Limitless downloads
Unlimited Broadband |
Unlimited Fibre |
Unlimited Fibre Plus |
Simple, reliable broadband | High-speed fibre optic broadband |
Ultrafast fibre optic broadband
|
Your average download speed | Your average download speed |
Your average download speed
|
11 Mbps | 35 Mbps | 63 Mbps |
|
||
Line Rental Only | Line Rental Only | Line Rental Only |
£21 | £24 | £30 |
per month (includes line rental) | per month (includes line rental) |
per month (includes line rental)
|
Home Services
With SSE Energy’s boiler and heater service, customers have access to these services.
- An annual boiler service worth £85
- Includes parts, labour, and unlimited call-outs
- Priority breakdown service
- 24/7 emergency helpline
- Callouts for emergency repairs
- 24-hours a day
SSE Boiler Cover |
SSE Heating Cover |
✔Protect your boiler against breakdowns |
✔Protect against heating system breakdowns
|
✔SSE Boiler Cover includes repairs to |
✔SSE Heating Cover includes repairs to:
|
✗Boiler and controls | ✔Boiler and controls |
✗Thermostat and programmer | ✔Thermostat and programmer |
✗Your full central heating system | ✔Your full central heating system |
✗Radiators and pipework | ✔Radiators and pipework |
✗Hot water cylinder | ✔Hot water cylinder |
£16.90 Per month | £18.90 Per month |
Get a £55 credit on your gas account6 |
Get a £55 credit on your gas account6
|
Customer Support
When it comes to customer support, SSE Energy does not have many positive reviews on Trustpilot, as the vast majority are in the negative category.
Not only have customers expressed problems with their service, but reports also state that complaints aren’t handled for 6sixweeks.
To make things worse, there are no customer service agents replying to negative reviews on Trustpilot.
Positive Customer Support Review
Jerry Shannon Brown on Trustpilot:
That was the quickest, nicest, and most informative customer service, and products that someone needs. Anytime, and anywhere in the world. I would highly recommend this digital service as the top site for your purchase needs.
Negative Customer Support Review
Everything is awful, from prices to customer service. I’ve received emails and post on an almost daily basis about Smart Meter installations being carried out in my area and their “commitment” to rolling them out for the last 6 months, but every time I enquire, I’m told not yet. ANNOYING!
SSE Energy Reviews
SSE Energy generally doesn’t have a positive customer reputation, with only a 1-star rating on Trustpilot. 80% of their online reviews are negative, with only 10% positive and the rest falling somewhere in the middle.
Many of the negative reviews state that customers have been overbilled for their energy, administration problems and poor communication.
Online reviews aren’t always accurate, so it does not necessarily guarantee that you will receive a bad service, however you should take these reviews into consideration when deciding whether to switch energy suppliers.
Positive SSE Energy Review
Monday morning heating engineer arrived. Fixed boiler. Serviced boiler and checked all radiators, we are now signed up for annual cover. Can’t fault them at all. Well done SSE.
Negative SSE Energy Review
Absolutely horrendous. Moved into my flat in November 2017. It took them forever to set up my gas and electric. Finally set it up, and continued to pay my bills by direct debit. I then started to receive letters saying that they are going to send debt collectors to my home.
Company Comparison
Company | Bulb | So Energy | Affect | SSE |
Overall Trustpilot Score | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★ |
Discounts | No | No | £15.75 per fuel per year | £50 electricity credit |
The average cost for dual fuel three bedroom home | £82 | £78 | £90.00 | £107.44 |
Positive Reviews on Trustpilot | 92% Positive | 86% Positive | 86% Positive | 10% Positive |
Who Should Use the Company?
SSE might be a good fit for customers that want the stability of a large energy supplier, who can benefit from their wide variety of extra services like boiler and heating cover.
SSE Energy Review
Summary
SSE is one of the largest suppliers of electricity and gas in the UK, which means that customers can enjoy having that stability but also benefitting from their full range of services that go beyond energy to broadband, telephones and cover for essential home appliances.
Pros
- Offers customers a wide variety of services
- Stability of a large energy company
- 10 million customers in the UK
Cons
- Not as cost-effective as their competitors
- 1-star rating on Trustpilot
- According to reports, poor customer service