Co-operative Energy reviews: Give your feedback

modsandmockers

docj wrote: »

I've lost patience with Co-op Energy. I started the switch from Scottish Power in mid January and it went downhill from there on. Apparently the Co-op started providing my gas and electricity in mid-March but never managed to tell me. No information, no meter readings, no access to the online account, and no response to very many emails, so I've started a formal complaint and am moving away from them. I like the whole Co-operative movement idea, and I do some banking with them, but, as a far as I can see, the energy side is just hopelessly chaotic and disfunctional.

docj wrote: »

Oh yes, they've managed to set up the direct debit and take a payment. Scottish Power have stopped taking money but I haven't found out whether I'm in credit or not. I've switched a few times and this is by far the worst.

Sainsbury's have sent me the new paperwork already, so fingers crossed for a better service from them.....

If Co-op Energy started taking DD payments without notifying you first, then they are probably in breach of the DD rules. I hope you have reclaimed any payments which they took, and have cancelled the direct debit. It's hard to predict whether the switch to Sainsbury will complete smoothly, given the continuing problems at Co-op.

If Scottish Power have transferred your supply to the Co-op, then they should have sent you a final bill, which would tell you whether or not they owe you money. Until you are satisfied that you know the various meter readings which are being used, and that they are correct, you cannot begin to check the accuracy of the payments which are being asked of you. The best place to start is to look at your most recent bill (from Scottish Power?) and work forward from there by calculating how much energy you have since used, and totting up any payments you have since made.

Anna_Graham

Started switching process 22/4.
Have been unable to get through to Cooperative Energy by phone to give meter readings. Automated e-mail message from Coop Energy stating that reply to message giving meter readings will take10 days. Unclear if switch has gone through successfully.
Disappointed!

eddystone_2

Well after the post on the 2nd regarding coop and the email i would receive on Friday 5th that has turned out to be a load cow of manure,nothing,nada zilch from them so still do not know our balance so off to the Ofgem site and what a load of rubbish that is as all it seems to do is to pass you off to CAB or money advice lines,does anybody know how to make a complaint to the watchdog(who may be toothless)as we are loosing the will to live with this company and it is costing me a lot of precious time trying to get any sense from the coop,has anybody thought about a group of us contacting Watchdog and get this problem out in the public domain big time.

bellandbottle

I am still trying to find out why my outgoing supplier (Flow) thinks that electricity is still with them.

I used the address given by MSE DanL - no reponse. I am really not impressed with that particular aspect.

I've had no final bill from Flow, cannot see a way to enter my meter readings with Co-op, and I feel that I am in limbo.

I would appreciate MSE publishing a clear statement of what options are now open to us. I am open to staying with the Co-op, but there is only so much I am prepared to take.

fat-pudding

bellandbottle wrote: »

I am still trying to find out why my outgoing supplier (Flow) thinks that electricity is still with them.

It's could be the case that Co-op have not actually transferred the electric. They claimed that my accounts both moved over on 4th April, EDF said no they hadn't received any instruction to switch and I contacted the electricity distributor and asked them and they confirmed the supply was still with EDF.

I then told Co-op to *not* transfer anything as they had their chance over 4 months and were in breach of contract and they ignored my email and then initiated a switch during May.

What you can do is call the electricity distribution company for your area (this is different to the company you pay for energy) and ask them who the meter is allocated to. You might need the meter serial number if they can't find your address.

blisteringblue

I've had the misfortune to switch to co-op in Feb, apparently they've had my eleccy since April and Gas from May. Yet I've still to receive a welcome pack, still not had a DD setup on the account and I've chased and chased via phone (like pulling teeth), via email and via twitter.

Enough is enough, I've started a switch to another supplier. Just sent another complaint telling them this and they can bill me for the energy I've used but I will not be paying any cancellation fees. If they try will go straight to the Ombudsman.

I've also copied my complaint to a "Andy.Springall@cooperativeenergy.coop" apparently he is head of the customer experience at Co-Op energy !!

And I thought First Utility were bad :mad:

Consumerist

eddystone wrote: »

. . . does anybody know how to make a complaint to the watchdog.

You first need to make a complaint to the supplier. They then have eight weeks to resolve the problem, after which you can refer it to the Ombudsman Services: Energy.

You may find it helpful to make your complaint through <Resolver> who will monitor/record your communications and will, if necessary and with your permission, pass your file to the Ombudsman for you. I haven't used Resolver myself but it looks promising.

If, however, you want to give it up as a bad job and move on then MSE Dan L has posted <arrangements> under which you may be able to move without paying any exit charges.

blisteringblue

Consumerist wrote: »

If, however, you want to give it up as a bad job and move on then MSE Dan L has posted <arrangements> under which you may be able to move without paying any exit charges.

Thanks for this link, I've also copied my final email to these telling them I am moving. I certainly won't be paying exit fees so better keep them all in the loop.

modsandmockers

blisteringblue wrote: »

Thanks for this link, I've also copied my final email to these telling them I am moving. I certainly won't be paying exit fees so better keep them all in the loop.

It remains to be seen whether Co-op's responses to a new email address will be any different from their responses to their normal email address (ie - Zilch!). Unless your energy supplies are adversely affected, and so long as you are not paying over the odds, then I can't help thinking that initiating a switch away from Co-op is quite likely to add just another layer of complication. I am simply keeping a record of my daughter's energy consumption, and making sure that she doesn't get herself into a situation where she is owed money by Co-op Energy. She is putting money aside into a dedicated savings account so that if and when Co-op Energy sort themselves out, she will be able to pay for all the energy she has used. I am hopeful that there will be a variety of 'incentives' for new and existing customers in the not too distant future.

I don't believe that the problems with Co-op Energy are caused by the usual general low standards of customer service which are normal in the energy industry. I think they have had a major system failure which has the potential to put them out of business. Unless the problem is causing some kind of emergency situation for any individual customer, then I think we might as well withhold all payments, and wait to see what happens.

blisteringblue

Interesting thought, If MSE are already talking about exit without fees then I can't see it being a problem.

I will see how it plays out with the exit. I've put the money aside too, just playing it so I don't have to stump up the extra £60.