Co-op Energy OWNED BY YOU

kar999

For all those posting that the Coop is more expensive it's probably because it's mainly the Midlands Region where they are the cheapest. Consumption will also play a part due to the standing charge.
http://www.cooperativeenergy.coop/assets/documents/price-list.pdf

This independant video from Energyhelpline is somewhat out of date now but applied to me when I switched in July 2011. They were the cheapest back then and are still only £17 more expensive now but that is before adding back dividend credits.

I do however live in the Midlands.

http://www.energyhelpline.com/fri/fri/domesticenergy/news/video/19956063

meggsy

baby_frogmella wrote: »

to all those with coop energy, i presume you can enter your energy readings online? If so, does their system give you an automatically generated bill based on your latest readings like most other companies do?

Customers are encouraged to give monthly readings and receive points for doing so (50 points for dual fuel) and my quarterly bill was based on the latest readings.

meggsy

C_Mababejive wrote: »

But do the co-op actually trade electric and gas or are they simply a re-seller/shop window for another supplier?

I go for the cheapest..

Not a reseller, they have their own license

baby_frogmella

I'm about to leave SSE after my Go Direct 5 tariff ended...Scottish power are the cheapest for dual fuel closely followed by Coop (only a fiver more each year not taking any dividend credits into account). However i'm torn between the two:

Scottishpower Pro's
+ Fantastic online billing system...you can enter meter readings anytime and quite often their system automatically generates new bills there and then (i used to be with them a few years ago)
+ no standing charge on their online energy saver 17 deal...yeah i know i will get clobbered higher unit charges for the first 225 elec/670 gas kwh per quarter but when i'm offshore and energy use is ZERO, at least i know i'm not paying standing charges

Coop pro's:
+ Brilliant customer service (unlike SP), emails get answered within hours based on my experience so far
+ Not tied into any contract
+ Money back through their dividend scheme

Who should i go for?:o

cosaurus

baby_frogmella wrote: »

I'm about to leave SSE after my Go Direct 5 tariff ended...Scottish power are the cheapest for dual fuel closely followed by Coop (only a fiver more each year not taking any dividend credits into account). However i'm torn between the two:

Scottishpower Pro's
+ Fantastic online billing system...you can enter meter readings anytime and quite often their system automatically generates new bills there and then (i used to be with them a few years ago)
+ no standing charge on their online energy saver 17 deal...yeah i know i will get clobbered higher unit charges for the first 225 elec/670 gas kwh per quarter but when i'm offshore and energy use is ZERO, at least i know i'm not paying standing charges

Coop pro's:
+ Brilliant customer service (unlike SP), emails get answered within hours based on my experience so far
+ Not tied into any contract
+ Money back through their dividend scheme

Who should i go for?:o

I've just moved to Coop (switched on Dec 29) and I can highly recommend them.

As you say - emails get answered within hours, and each time it's been by someone very competent who actually answered (and didn't just say "we are looking into the matter") - I wanted to know when I would get my £50 joining credit, and when they would send readings to the old supplier.

The reading submission interface is also brilliant - much better than Atlantic's (the only one I can compare with). I can see which readings I entered when and can enter them multiple times if I like.

Here's why I went with them:

1. Cheaper. I was on Atlantic's best online deal (in Scotland) and Coop is £30 less per quarter (dual fuel) compared to their rates (I didn't use the calculator, I took Atlantic's bill for the last 3 months and compared it to Coop's rates, including standing charges). I think the reason mine came out so much less is because we use less electricity than most. Most other plans charge a high amount for the first 225 kwh or whatever, and lower rates subsequently, i.e. you are penalised for being a low energy user. Coop has a fixed daily standing charge. This may not meet your needs, baby frogmella...
2. £50 starting credit (others have similar plans too, but sometimes you have to go through cashback sites, or jump other hoops). My credit has already shown up in my account (5 days after starting).
3. No cancellation charge (I might be leaving the country in July, so didn't want to pay a penalty when leaving)
4. Extra points for online readings (others have this or something similar too)
5. Warm fuzzy feeling :-) (mostly negated by this thread, now that I've learnt more! Thanks all!)
6. Raising money for charity - I only just found out about this - they have an ambassador program - anyone who signs up through a member's link generates 600 points for charity (~£8) which the coop matches. Mine is at cooperativeenergy.coop/compare/refer/ambassador/MCCOE016834 in case anyone is interested, and wants to help Macmillan Cancer Support...

Hope this helps...

swimmer_2

Thanks for all the replies. Interesting to read the various reactions. I can understand if people think they will save money by sticking with the multi national corporations, but I think if millions followed my plan you'd all be saving a LOT more in the long run, as the Co-op energy would be the become the biggest in the country and with that power would mean bigger discounting and as a co-operative it means customers can become members and vote for further improvements. SO, I stick with my point if you all moved to Co-op Energy you would be supporting a BRITISH PEOPLE owned company rather than German RWE, French EDF etc. So, if the Co-op was making 100's of millions in profits they would be staying within the UK economy not flying off to foreign multi millionaire shareholders.

Also, since I wrote that original post I have read the Co-op group is taking on 2,000 young apprentices in sectors from customer service, funeral care to farming to help youth unemployment. They are a great company in my opnion and seem to care a lot more than your average multi national corporation thats for sure!

My personal of NPower is awful. I cannot stand them, they are trash, and you know what it must not just be me holding a grudge against their low life behaviour as they recently got fined £2 MILLION pound for poor customer service from Ofcom.
http://www.npowerno.blogspot.com/2011/11/npower-fined-2-million-by-ofgem.html

and if you are happy financially supporting a company that bursts into peoples homes and spray chemicals into dogs faces
http://www.npowerno.blogspot.com/2011/11/npower-stormtroopers-spray-dog-with.html

then I suppose its a free country, but I stand by what i say I'm off to Co-op energy as soon as poss, and I'll be staying clear of these multi nationals in all sectors from banking to electricity.