HUB Energy gone bust, client base transferred to E.ON Next: what’s next for customers in 2022?

HUB Energy
Founded	2017 (Rebranded in 2021)
Client Email	Email via customer portal
Client Number	0800 830 3670
Log in	Log into your HUB Energy account here
Number of clients	6,000 domestic and 9,000 non-domestic
Postal Address	3B Edward VII Quay, Navigation Way, Preston, PR2 2YF

What should HUB Energy customers do at this time?

If you're worried about doing things wrong, don't worry: almost everything is being taken care of for you, and there really isn't anything to be done on your end. The main idea for customers is to sit tight while they wait for the transfer over to E.ON Next, their new supplier, to take effect. This means waiting to be contacted by this new supplier or their administrators.

What happened to HUB Energy?

On the 9th of August 2021, HUB Energy was officially declared the third supplier to go bust as a result of the ongoing gas price crisis. This fall was followed by a number of other suppliers ceasing their trading in the energy market over the following months of 2021.

This series of disappearances is due to wholesale gas prices rising (by 250% overall in 2021), making it impossible for some suppliers to keep up, considering there is also a price cap being maintained at the same time.

The rise in gas prices is linked to an umber of factors including the reopening of activities and businesses, therefore increasing the demand for gas at a time when supplies are too low to keep up.

Will my supply be interrupted?

No - and this is why you have been assigned a new supplier so quickly and without having any say in the matter. In terms of your gas and electricity appliances functioning, you won't notice any differences compared to when HUB Energy was still your supplier. So if this is what you were worried about, you can rest easy.

Should I continue to pay HUB Energy with my usual payment methods?

Don't make any changes to the payment system you'd set up with HUB Energy to pay your bills. Until E.ON Next contacts you to work out the details in terms of debt, credit, tariffs and methods of payment, leave everything as i s, whether you paid them through direct debit, direct payment, or standing order.

Should I take a meter reading?

Yes - taking a meter reading will give you information that will then help you get things done correctly and efficiently when E.ON Next contacts you. If you're planning on switching suppliers after that, having a recent meter reading will help you make the switch more swiftly too.

If you own a smart meter and are worried that your new supplier doesn't support these automatic meters, not to worry - E.ON Next is adapted to, and distributed, smart meters. You will therefore be able to continue using the smart features of this measurement tool.

What if had credit or debt with HUB Energy?

If you had credit with HUB Energy, here are some good news for you: this credit will be honoured by your replacement supplier, E.ON Next. They have pledged to follow through with any past or current HUB Energy customers' credit. This means that if you used to be a HUB Energy customer, then switched before they went bust but never received credit they still owed you, E.ON Next will be settling their debt for them.

If you yourself have debt owed to HUB Energy, the information at this time is more vague, but what's certain is that E.ON Next will inform you on how to proceed for the payment.

E.ON Next to take over: will my bills go up?

We can't give you a definitive answer to this question: depending on thetariff and rate you used to have with HUB Energy, the "deemed" tariff that E.ON Next will set you up with may or may not imply higher bills for you. This "deemed" tariff you will be assigned is likely to be one of E.ON Energy's more standard energy plans, so you can assume, if your HUB Energy deal was on the cheaper side, that you'll be paying more with this tariff.

However, remember that once you've been contacted by E.ON Energy and are officially transferred over to their client base, you will be free to shop around for other deals. It will also be possible, of course, to switch to another supplier at that point. So don't worry too much about this deemed tariff - you'll receive specific details about it in due time.

Who chose E.ON Next to replace HUB Energy?

In the context of this gas price crisis, Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) has been charge with determining which suppliers are willing and fit to take on the customers whose suppliers have gone bust. E.ON Next will have been chosen on the basis of its ability to survive the crisis as well as supply a certain amount of consumers with energy.

How will I be contacted by E.ON Next, and when?

If you've followed what we've explained so far, you will have understood that the key point to wait for here is the moment when E.ON Next will contact you. Indeed, this is when you will be able to look for other deals, set up a new payment method, sort out credit and debt , etc.

E.ON Next has to contact a total of 15 000 new customers - understandably, this will take time, and it will likely be going through the customer base in waves. Our advice is to be patient, and to check that your current address is correctly and officially stated, since this is how E.ON Next will be seeking to contact you. This is particularly relevant for anyone who has recently moved home or is in the process of doing so.

Can I switch to another supplier now?

Again, like most other things in this context, the only condition for being able to switch suppliers is whether or not E.ON Next has contacted you yet. Once i t has, then yes, you are absolutely free to look for another supplier, with deals which fit you better for instance. However, this is not something you should be thinking about at this time if you are still what could be called "in between suppliers".

What if I have already started switching suppliers?

If you'd initiated the process of switching suppliers from HUB Energy to another firm, then the switch will go through as planned as long as you had requested it properly.

Looking to compare different energy suppliers?

Find out more

⭐️ Free Service

Compare and choose the best energy suppliers for your home.

E.ON Next tariffs in 2021

Like the majority of suppliers, E.ON Next offers the following categories of tariffs : variable rate tariffs, fixed rate tariffs, prepayment deals, and Economy 7 tariffs. It also adds another, less widespread type of tariff, called Economy 10. If you are planning to switch from your "deemed "tariff once E.ON Next has contacted you, but are hesitant to switch suppliers altogether, being familiar with these options can be useful. Here they are by category:

E.ON Next's variable rate tariffs

Variable rate tariffs are energy deals under which a customer's monthly bills depend on the variations of the market price of energy. This means that you may sometimes be billed less, and sometimes more - a more risky model, but that can help you save money in certain conditions.

E.ON Next's fixed rate tariffs

Fixed rate tariffs give you much more stability and visibility on your bills: they can be considered the opposite of a variable rate tariff, as they offer the same rates no matter the context. However, a fixed rate contrat typically only stays fixed for a certain period of time, usually 12 or 24 months, as seen below:

E.ON Next's most popular prepayment tariff

E.ON Next's E7 and E10 tariffs

Economy 7 and Economy 10 tariffs allow their customers to have different rates according to the time of day they consume energy at. This implies day rate and night rates, which correspond to on-peak and off-peak consumption times.

What made HUB Energy different?

At Papernest, we understand that every energy supplier has something unique to offer. HUB Energy was part of the Gulf group of companies, which have a 100 year track record within the oil and power industry. It was launched with a clear focus not just on renewables, but on customer service.

As their website stated, "We think it’s about time energy suppliers start listening to their customers. We believe energy should work with the way customers live their lives. Great value products, first-class service, renewable electricity as standard, carbon off-set gas and online tools which just work brilliantly".

Did the brand’s performance live up to this claim?

Who were HUB Energy?

HUB Energy were a 100% renewable energy supplier based in Preston, Central Lancashire. Formerly known as Gulf Gas & Power, the company rebranded in 2021 with a renewed focus on delivering affordable, renewable energy.

Who owned HUB Energy?

HUB Energy was owned by the international oil giant Gulf. Gulf, in turn, is owned by The Bayford Group.

Were HUB Energy any good?

Let’s be honest, we all want to know if HUB Energy were any good. So, we’re not going to bury the lede.

HUB combined affordable, renewable energy with great customer service. While some customers may have thought twice given the brand’s oil pedigree, the brand did seem to have a strong focus on making a difference to their energy. Looking at customer sentiment, it seems that HUB Energy’s customers agreed.

Our opinion on HUB Energy

As long as you didn’t mind managing your account online, HUB Energy had the potential to be everything you wanted in a supplier. They offered 100% renewable electricity and carbon-neutral gas at great prices, and had a very good reputation for customer service.

To try and get a better understanding of HUB Energy, let’s look at how they performed in all the areas that matter.

What services were offered?

Lots of energy suppliers, both large and small, offer additional services that complement their energy supply. Did HUB Energy have any additional offerings? Let’s find out...

Did HUB Energy do business tariffs?

Yes. While it may not have been one of the "Big 6" Energy suppliers, HUB Energy was able to offer scalable energy solutions to business customers of all kinds.

Unlike domestic energy supply, however, HUB Energy’s business supply didn’t have fixed tariffs. Instead, energy rates were negotiated individually with customers. There were no dual-fuel plans for business customers. Rates were negotiated separately for each fuel. How much you paid would depend on a number of factors including:

• Your location
• How many premises you had
• How much energy you used
• Your peak energy load hours

As with its domestic energy provision, HUB’s business energy was 100% renewable and carbon-neutral.

Did HUB Energy have smart meters? What smart meters do they offer?

A smart meter can make it easier to track your energy usage. And because they communicate your usage directly to your supplier, you won’t need to worry about taking monthly meter readings and reporting them to your supplier.

Given that its best-value energy tariff was only available to customers with smart meters, it goes without saying that HUB Energy was keen to make smart meters available to its customers.

Smart meters were offered in conjunction with partner company SMS PLC. HUB Energy was exclusively rolling out second-generation smart meters. This was advantageous, as it meant your smart meter would remain fully functional and continue to report your usage data to your new supplier after you switch in the future.

How to apply for the Warm Home Discount with HUB Energy

Unfortunately, HUB Energy did not offer the Warm Home Discount. This is a government initiative that a flat-rate discount of £140 on their energy bills over the colder months from September to April. You can apply for this if you are of pension age or if you claim qualifying income-based benefits.

However, as one of the cheapest energy companies on the market today, you may have found that switching to HUB Energy still worked out cheaper, even without the Warm Home Discount.

What did their customers say?

At Papernest, we understand that low prices aren’t the only thing that you expect from an energy supplier. You also expect (and deserve) outstanding customer service.

So, how did HUB Energy’s customers really feel about the brand? We can find out by taking a look at their Trustpilot page. There are, of course, lots of resources out there to help you gauge customer sentiment. However, we like Trustpilot because suppliers actively solicit reviews from customers. This means that you get a better balance of opinion as customers don’t just leave reviews when they have something negative to say.

HUB Energy enjoyed a lot of enthusiasm from customers on the platform. They had an aggregate customer score of 4.4 out of 5, making them an "Excellent" supplier.
HUB Energy had a total of 1,713 customer reviews. Of which:

• 1,275 (74%) were "Excellent"
• 273 (16%) were "Great"
• 58 (3%) were "Average"
• 27 (2 %) were "Poor"
• 80 (5%) were "Bad"

90% of reviewers rated HUB Energy as above average, while just 7% consider them below average. Some reviews have been merged from the Gulf Gas & Power page.

Positive reviews praised helpful and friendly customer support staff, ease of switching and good value for money. Ease of navigating the website and fast, decisive issue resolution also featured prominently in positive reviews.
While the negative reviews were fewer in number, they highlighted inaccurate estimated bills and billing issues, difficulties getting through to the customer service team, and communication problems with members of staff who seemed out of their depth.

HUB Energy had responded to 90% of their negative reviews on the platform, responding in 7 days or less.

How green was HUB Energy?

HUB Energy offered 100% renewable energy as well as carbon-offset gas. This carbon is offset by planting trees and funding carbon-neutral energy projects all over the world. This made them one of the greener suppliers operating in the UK.

HUB Energy fuel mix

Although HUB Energy had disclosed that their energy fuel mix was 100% renewable, they had not announced how much of their energy was powered by wind, solar or hydro. They had, however, posted their previous energy mix from 2019-2020 before going 100% renewable.
Their previous energy fuel mix was as follows:

• 72% natural gas
• 8.3% renewables
• 8.2% nuclear
• 6.3% coal
• 5.25% other

How to contact

Just how easy was it to get in touch with HUB Energy?

HUB Energy’s domestic accounts were managed on an "online only" basis. This means that they provided you with the digital tools you need to manage your account online through your customer hub.

The fastest way to contact a member of staff was through the live chat function on their website. You could also call them on 0800 830 3670. Alternatively, you could email through the contact page on their website.

HUB Energy: How to pay

The only way you could pay for your HUB Energy tariff was by direct debit. This helped to reduce operational costs and keep your energy affordable.
The Papernest team recommends installing a smart meter or taking regular meter readings in order to ensure that your costs are proportionate to your energy usage.

How to refer a friend to HUB Energy

Unfortunately, HUB Energy did not offer a referral scheme.

How to complain about HUB Energy

If you had a complaint about HUB Energy, the easiest way to submit it was over the phone or via online chat or email. If, however, you preferred sending your complaint in the post, you could sent it to:

HUB Energy
3B Edward VII Quay
Navigation Way
Preston
PR2 2YF

It was strongly recommended to submit your complaint via recorded delivery.

After receiving your complaint, HUB Energy had 8 weeks to resolve matters to your satisfaction. If you felt that they had not done this, you were then able to forward your complaint to the energy ombudsman. While HUB Energy is obviously no longer open for complaints, this system still applies to any other energy supplier.

Want to know more?
Call us today on 0330 818 6225.
We’re available from 8am to 6pm.

Would you like to know more about energy suppliers in the UK? Great! Check out these related articles to learn more:

1. Good Energy
2. Click Energy
3. Nabuh Energy
4. Spark Energy
5. Green Network Energy
6. So Energy

FAQ

Should I cancel my tariff plan?

No, don't cancel anything at this time. The idea is to wait for your new supplier, E.ON Next, to contact you and sort out any credit or debt issues, and to let you know what new tariff you are currently being set up with.

When can I switch suppliers?

You can only switch suppliers once E.ON Next, your assigned replacement supplier, has contacted you. At that point, you will be free to shop around for other deals which suit you better and therefore switch suppliers.

Is my energy bill going to go up?

This depends on what energy deal you had with HUB Energy, as well as on which "deemed" tariff E.ON Energy ends up setting you up with. If your appointed rate with them is higher than your old one, then your bills will go up for a while, but remember that you can always switch deals or suppliers later on.