Energy Co-Operative - Oldham’s Collective Energy Switching Scheme

Mikebellows

Hi,
Oldham council have just completed a scheme where residents (All UK) have signed up to a co-operative, to purchase energy from one of the major suppliers. The suppliers have to make the council an offer to supply the energy at a "hopefully" cheaper cost. It is essentially bulk buying.
There are currently over 9000 registered with the scheme. Those registered will be offered deals in the next couple of weeks, which they are not obliged to take, if the deal does not suit them.

The next chance to join the scheme will be January...

http://www.oldham.gov.uk/fuel_coop

I have registered to receive an offer, which I hope will reduce my energy bill.

Any thoughts on this scheme from forum members will be much appreciated.

Wywth

Already posted
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4264795
and
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4297413

I suggest you consult a comparison site.

You could start making considerable savings today, or at the latest in 4-6 weeks.

As MSE Martin has previously said, these type of collective bargaining deals don't usually improve on the best deal you could get via a comparison site.

9000 registered enquirers, lets say a good 10% of them accept a deal - that's just 900 customers.
Eon lost 94,000 customers over two occasions they changed their prices!

Mikebellows

I have only registered - No commitment yet - Once I have the offer from the council, I will look at alternatives, to see if it really is the best deal for me. Nothing to lose really.

Wywth

Mikebellows wrote: »

I have only registered - No commitment yet - Once I have the offer from the council, I will look at alternatives, to see if it really is the best deal for me. Nothing to lose really.

Aye, lots of people 'only registered' for the pipeline card for cheap petrol or diesel, or for the 'atcostenergy' that was all going to save Britain from the rising energy costs, Both were based on a similar idea, yet no one got anything from either ... except for a load of spam.

Edit:
As for 'nothing to lose', well if you don't want to bag one of the final remaining good fixed tariffs that MSE Martin has been banging on about since August, that's up to you, but they may not be around much longer. A lot have already disappeared, and I don't think it will be long before the remaining few do as well.

Mikebellows

You don't gain anything if you don't try.

Wywth

Mikebellows wrote: »

You don't gain anything if you don't try.

Could I interest you in a email from the British Embassy of Nigeria about some official who will pay you handsomely to help him out of a little financial problem ? Or perhaps another that guarantees you a win on the Spanish lottery? :rotfl:

As you say, you don't gain anything if you don't try...:cool:

Mikebellows

Wywth wrote: »

Could I interest you in a email from the British Embassy of Nigeria about some official who will pay you handsomely to help him out of a little financial problem ? Or perhaps another that guarantees you a win on the Spanish lottery? :rotfl:

As you say, you don't gain anything if you don't try...:cool:

If your contribution is going to be of a futile nature, I suggest you refrain.

James1968

My local Council is investigating the possibility of actually registering as an energy supplier to cut-out the middle-man and supply the energy direct to their Council House tenants.

Mikebellows

That sounds like a good idea.

t0rt0ise

I registered for the last one of these with the co-op but when it came through it was far higher than I was already paying. No harm in registering but don't miss cheaper power in the meantime.

patman99

I did the Big Switch and chose the Co-Op even though it worked-out £75 a year more expensive than the EDF Blue choice. Noe that the Co-Op has dropped it's prices by 2% & EDF has increased theirs, the difference is nothing.
Add on the fact that you can become a member of the Co-Op and get back a share of the profits in cold, hard cash and they are now the cheaper option.