Co-operative Energy reviews: Give your feedback

toosey

Read my experience here;
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5178241

How can it take over a month to get my tariff updated.
Endless promises to call me back and nothing
Last night banged of an email to the Chief Ex, I wonder if that will get me a reply
Undoubtably the worst company I have dealt with and yes, I am a great supporter of the Co-op in general

zappster

We're with Co-op for electricity. Everything was fine until August, when they stopped taking our direct debit. It's only £40 each month, but despite umpteen emails they still haven't restarted the payments. The direct debit is fine at the bank. The Co-op say it's ok their end. But their computer just won't take any money.

No point phoning them, their waiting times are hopeless, I spent my whole dinner break at work Friday trying to call them, to no avail. Emails are taking ages to get a reply to, if they bother replying to at all. I applied for the Warm Home discount thing too, in December, on low income grounds, haven't heard a peep about that either.

Sent a final email off to them today. They either take the money next month or we're moving elsewhere, unfortunately. That's us bailed from Co-op Bank, now looks like Co-op Energy is going the same way for us. The Co-op movement is great in principle but it just hasn't worked for us, terrible shame.

madkingsoup

Consumerist wrote: »

If you were asked to provide meter readings on 21 Jan., it is likely that the switch took place on that date or shortly after.

They usually ask you to provide these readings within 48 hours so they can use them as the hand-over readings. Since you didn't provide them until later, it is possible they have estimated them.

Although it shouldn't be any excuse, they were offering market-leading tariffs and demand has probably overwhelmed them for the time being.

Turns out it happened on the 27th. How do I know this? Because I logged on to my old account at Scottish Power to get my final bills and they ended on the 26th.

Scottish Power never told me my final bills were there - not even an automated email.
Co-op never told me I was all swapped and with them - not even an automated email.

An Co-op isn't even cheapest for me any more; it's now Scottish Power. The exit fee from Co-op makes it not worth doing, but I feel like I'm stuck in some strange bidding war with only two companies after my money, neither of whom want to communicate with me.

Summary:
- Switched initiated on 17th December.
- Got the welcome pack on 22nd December.
- Got request for meter readings on 21st January.
- Gave meter readings on 27th January.
- Final bills from Scottish 6th and 13th February (both backdated to 26th January)
- First DD to Co-op 25th February.

Still not impressed...

Consumerist

madkingsoup wrote: »

Turns out it happened on the 27th.

So it looks as though they switched you as soon as they got your opening/closing meter readings. I assume you have verified that both suppliers have used the same hand-over readings.

Prices are moving quickly for the time being so you are bound to find cheaper prices when the movement is downward. The problem is if you wait for ever to switch, you are in danger of ending up on a standard variable tariff.

Although prices are still moving down slowly, the additional savings seem to be getting smaller whilst the end dates are moving further into the future. No idea whether that will turn out to be a good thing or bad by this time next year.

I don't think any energy supplier's switching service could be described as impressive.

bb69961

when i tried changed energy suppliers last year from co-op would not change my gas supply to my new company i phoned them several times i sent lots of emails i even forwarded emails from my new supplier to them i contacted energy watchdog and a few days before the 3 months before they could get into trouble they changed my gas supply and gave me my final bill i will never go back to them again

henryscat

I am with coop already, but have been trying to switch my tarrif with them, as they have a cheaper one available. However, as I am already a customer, I cannot do this online, I have to phone them.

I have been trying to contact them now for two weeks! I cannot get through via their telephone system. The one time I did get through to a human being, it was some kind of 'overflow' where a lady took my details and told me someone would phone back. That was over a week ago. I have also tried their 'contact us' page on their website. that was a week ago now too.

I am very dissapointed with coop. Sainsburys are now doing cheaper energy and due to the poor service I'm currently receiving, I am considering if the £50 early exit fees would be money well spent....

cleudo

They haven't reviewed my monthly dd since I joined them - now find I have a whopping £4000 balance and still no recalculation. Contact requests go unanswered - terrified they are just going to ask for the whole balance now.

Consumerist

henryscat wrote: »

I am with coop already, but have been trying to switch my tarrif with them, as they have a cheaper one available. However, as I am already a customer, I cannot do this online, I have to phone them. . .

According to <Co-op Energy FAQ> you should email them at -

[EMAIL="energy.leads&#64;cooperativeenergy.coop"]energy.leads@cooperativeenergy.coop[/EMAIL]

Their FAQ is out of date but it is probable the same principles apply if you are already a customer.

Their contract Ts&Cs require the payment of an exit charge if you change supplier before the switching window; it's not clear whether they still charge if you stay with Co-op and only change tariff; you should ask.

Consumerist

cleudo wrote: »

They haven't reviewed my monthly dd since I joined them - now find I have a whopping £4000 balance and still no recalculation. Contact requests go unanswered - terrified they are just going to ask for the whole balance now.

You don't say how long you have been with them but I would say a £4,000 debit would take quite a long time to accumulate unless you are a very high consumer. Is the balance based on regular meter readings or on their estimated readings?

zappster

No reply to my email of last week. But I DID receive a letter to say my application for a Warm Homes grant has been accepted & will be applied to my account soon.

I guess they're just awfully busy, too busy to answer emails, phone calls etc !