Panda Power Reviews: How Was It?

Panda Power offered clean 100% renewable electricity, gas, and home refuse services. Now Panda Power has withdrawn from the energy market, what did customers actually think about the company and how satisfied were they with the services provided? Read our full Panda Power Review guide to find out more!

Panda Power has exited the energy market! On 13 September 2022, Panda Power announced it would be withdrawing from the Irish energy market due to ongoing energy crisis.

Panda Power customers will have been transfered to Electric Ireland for their electricity and Bord Gáis for their gas as part of the CRU's Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) process. If you have been moved to your SoLR, you will need to stay with them for 90 days before you can switch again.

Looking for Panda Waste? Check Out Our Guide!

The company was unique in Ireland as it was the only energy provider that also offered waste collection services. Customer reviews for these very distinct services vary and, consequently, we have divided our guide into the following two sections:

1. Panda Power Reviews
2. Panda Waste Reviews

Have a look at the customer reviews for each of these services in detail below.

What Were the Panda Power Reviews Like?

Panda Power opened its door in 2015. Originally an electricity-only provider, the company also offered gas and dual fuel plans as well. But, is Panda Power any good? Were customers happy with their energy services? We look at customer reviews left for this division the two main websites in Ireland.

Reviews on Trustpilot

There were very few comments left for Panda Power on the customer review site Trustpilot with a total of 152 reviews. The provider had an average rating of 2.4 out of five stars. 66% scored the supplier as bad or poor. Only 31% of customers gave a rating of good or excellent.

At first glance such a rating seems less than impressive, customers do tend to write reviews most often when displeased with a provider rather than when they are pleased. As such, review ratings, in general, can be somewhat skewed.

Issues that customers were displeased about when it came to Panda Power’s services included:

1. Billing issues and estimated bills
2. High prices and continuous price increases
3. Dissatisfaction with customer care and poor communications
4. Slow to respond
5. A lack of clarity regarding additional charges

Here is an example of negative comments left on this review website:

AVOID!!!
Absolute scam artists when I started my contract I was paying 0.17c per unit for electricity my latest bill was 0.33c so my electricity has doubled. They start you off cheap but over the course of the year your price per unit rises in every bill.

When it came to customers who were happy with Panda power, the reasons cited were:

1. Friendly and helpful customer service
2. Offering discounts when tariff ends
3. Green energy source

I have been with them for the past 2 years. People over the phone very polite and helpful and got a call to keep offering me a discount at the end of my contract. Once had a problem with estimated reading but called them and provided the actual one and they send me right invoice. Very happy with them!

It is important to note that all of the positive Panda Power reviews are from August 2021 and earlier whereas negative comments are much more recent. This could indicate a recent decline in customer satisfaction.

What Were Panda Power Reviews on Google Like?

Reviews left on Google are a little more challenging to decipher as Panda customers have left reviews for both their waste collection services and energy provider services. Unfortunately, there is no way to separate the two types of comments left and we, therefore, have to keep in mind that this affects the provider's overall average rating.

Panda Power received an average rating of 2.2 out of five stars from a total of 434 reviews on Google. This is a much larger sample of opinions compared to the Trustpilot website. Once again though, many of these are not referring to their energy services.

Negative comments seem to refer to similar themes mentioned on the Trustpilot website, high prices and unsuspected price increases. Here is just one sample of such comments found in Google reviews.

I signed up to Panda Electricity during January 2021. I'm with them almost a year now and I strongly advise everyone to stay away from this provider. Their electricity has already rose 5 times over the last 11 months (every bill except for the first bill had an increase) - the latest increase was 4cent per kwh. The price per unit has risen from just under 14c per kwh to 24c per kwh in 11 months (nearing doubling within a year). I'm moving away from them and will never return and I strongly recommend everyone currently with them to do the same, and for those not with them to never utilise their service.

There are more positive comments found on this website compared to Trustpilot as shown by the following quote:

No problems with company have gas and electricity with them few years now..any issues or questions just ring them or email. Fast communication, no hassle with payments and even rang me to renew contract with new deals.. my only advice, shop around...unfortunately prices going up everywhere so shop around before you find your best and check it on yearly basis.

Overall, despite a slightly higher review rating on Google, with a 2.2 average, the company could have improve its energy services.

What Are Panda Waste Reviews Like?

Now that we have seen how the provider is seen for its energy service, let's have a look at its waste collection services. Is Panda Waste better than Panda Power?

Panda has been a synonym for collecting bins in Ireland for over 30 years. A much more established institution compared to their relatively new energy branch. Once again, we turn to the two main customer review websites in Ireland to see what their customers think of their waste services.

What Are the Panda Waste Reviews on Trustpilot Like?

Once again we find very few reviews left for Panda waste collection on Trustpilot with a total of 24 reviews. This service does have a higher ranking than Panda Power reviews with an average rating of 2.1 out of five stars. 21% of customers gave a rating of good or excellent and 79% indicated a bad or poor review.

The issues customers were unhappy about Panda’s services include:

1. Bins are not being collected.
2. Poor customer service
3. Difficulties getting accurate billing for bin collection

Here is a negative review found on Trustpilot:

I have been trying to get Panda to remove its bins from outside a house I moved into. Bins have been there for weeks, blowing all over the road and blocking the driveway. Customer service agents are useless. Greyhound offer a far better service. Avoid Panda at all costs!!!

As for satisfied customers of Panda's waste services, the reasons cited were:

1. Friendly staff
2. Efficient service

Hired a skip recently and needed it in a hurry. The staff were so friendly and helpful. They did everything in their power to help me.

Overall, Panda's waste services are better received by its clients but, there can still be room for improvement as is often the case with many companies.

What Are the Panda Waste Reviews on Google Like?

As mentioned in our Panda Power review section, comments left on Google are more difficult to examine as they are for both bin collection and energy services. The average rating is there fore the same at 2.3 out of five stars.

The issues mentioned by customers are the same as the ones outlined on the Trustpilot website, bins not being collected and confusing pricing.

After signing up for Panda household waste service in Kilcock in October 2021, my brown bin waste was not emptied despite multiple emails and phone calls. I had to cancel the service because driver of this route decided he is just not going to do pick up bins at my house, because it is situated on the main road. On several occasions the driver tress passed in my yard and took a bin which was stationed permanently at my side entrance. My service was pay per lift so I had paid for collections I didn't want. Eventually I got tired and complained because it was too much. The old bins were meant to be collected and new service provider promised to deliver new bins, the old bins from Panda were in my driveway for weeks and all passers-by started throwing things in and I had to dive in to empty it manually so that the bins were empty for collection since my account was already cancelled. PANDA YOU ARE A DISASTER!

The positive reviews revolve around good, fast, and efficient service:

Used for skip hire to Wicklow Town, the skip arrived on time and was collected on time (despite being advised of a delay of up to 3 days) The driver called beforehand to let us know he was coming and when I called the office to let them know the skip was ready for collection they were very helpful. Good price too. I'd definitely recommend.

There is a tendency to find both extremes in terms of reviews for waste collection. Customers either find the provider extremely responsive and efficient, for others, they see them as completely useless at bin collection.

Are There Any Other Panda Power Reviews?

There are currently no other reviews available for Panda Power, apart from some sporadic posts on boards.ie. However, with the most recent comment found on this website dating from 2011, these comments had little representation of the company's services today. Feel free to contact Panda Power directly if you would like to submit a complaint or have any feedback for the provider.

It is also worth noting that Panda Power’s and Panda Waste divisions belong to the Beauparc Group. One could always inquire about reviews for this company to shed some light on Panda's leanings. We were unable to find any customer reviews for the Beauparc Group ourselves as their dealings tend to be with other businesses rather than end-user customers.

What's the Verdict for Panda Power?

Without a larger sample of reviews, it can be quite hard to get a balanced picture of what the company was like. However, there are enough similarities between some available reviews to get an idea of some issues and benefits associated with being a Panda Power customer.

In general, Panda Power's customer service agents were well-liked, both friendly and responsive. However, it did appear that there was some disorganisation and miscommunication in the company, given the issues that customers have had with price increases.

Another common issue that repeatedly came up was customers who had switched to Panda Power because they had the cheapest deal, only for prices to later rise.

If you are unhappy with your energy prices, you could always opt for a supplier with a fixed price tariff. Check out our list of Irish energy providers and the tariffs they offer before decide to switch.

You will also want to compare Panda Power reviews with that of other providers such as Bord Gáis, Electric Ireland, or Energia customer reviews. Customer service, responsiveness, and reputation are important factors when choosing an energy provider for your home.