Co-operative Energy reviews: Give your feedback

dennisjosephphillips

Last year I initiated a switch using MSE on 13/05/2016.

End of 'cooling off' period was deemed 31/05/2016.

Switch completed 05/06/2016 (23 days)

dennisjosephphillips

14-day cooling off period now expired.

Have now received confirmation from existing Supplier (First Utility) that they have been contacted by the 'switch-to' Supplier (Co-op) of my intention to switch, which will now take 14 days.

F-U will let me know when this is complete and request closing meter reading when process has been completed.

(Incidentally F-U supplied me with a Smart Meter and In Home Display early in December 2016).

dennisjosephphillips

Now Day 30 of proposed switch.

Would have expected either F-U or Co-Op to have contacted me regarding meter readings.

I have called Co-Op who have advised that there is a 'problem' re. Gas.

I have given meter readings as a way of "chivvying" them along...

dennisjosephphillips

When initiating switch on 05/06/2018, Co-Op stated that this would take 35 days and would be complete by 11/07/2018.

Co-Op had immediately set up an online account and subsequently emailed me on 10/07/2016 to say "... your switch to Co-operative Energy is almost complete" c/w a request for an opening read and information you needed to complete registration.

The outgoing supplier (First Utility) correspondingly emailed me on 10/07/2018 to inform me that my final balances for gas /electricity were being processed and emailed me again on 26/07/2018 to confirm that my account /services had ended on 10/07/2018 and that my final bill/credit was available.

A balance Credit was then paid into my Bank on 04/08/2018.

MSE C-E-C then emailed me on 09/2018 to confirm that my switch was complete!

Although the switch went smoothly and within the stated timeframes, my only gripe is that Co-Op never provided updated/progress emails to confirm my gas/electricity was now supplied by them (although I did call them on several occasions to confirm Direct Debit amount/date and correction to gas reading (in cubic metres, NOT kWh).

In conclusion. no problems with switch!

jjm234

Beware Co-op.
Over three years they have gone from being about the cheapest to highest.
Today I got a letter from them intending to increase my direct debit by a whopping 40%.
A few calculations later after meter readings and I found my consumption was on its way down and so the £64 debit on my account would be wiped over next few bills. I called them to try to fix a more sensible increase to DD and all I got was a circular conversation trying to force me into taking on a cheaper tariff that you had buy out of and flat refused to negociate otherwise. I was not prepared to see the DD increased by so much (I suggested 20% would see me in credit within 3 months) so told them I would look elsewhere as I was not going to go into a buy out contract (£60).
I have just now moved to Bristol Energy with no buy out and will save 31% fixed over a year :-)

Consumerist

I can't comment on whether the level of DD was reasonable in your circumstances but if you were not happy with Co-op Energy then you may have done the right thing.

If your account is £64 in debt, however, Co-op may decide to object to the switch to another supplier unless you settle their account within 30 days. You should provide Co-op with meter readings, if you haven't already.

jjm234

Thanks for warning!
I'll call them again to ensure they don't try that. The account never skipped a beat for 3 years until a big bill last quarter (about 3 times normal consumption) but the deficit is already disappearing monthly so I was not impressed with a non negotiable 40% hike.
Ah the joys, long line on phone so got back online. Balance on account now zero. Once they take their (hopefully last) inflated DD I'll have to go chasing them for refund.
Cheers.

Consumerist

jjm234 wrote: »

. . . Balance on account now zero. Once they take their (hopefully last) inflated DD I'll have to go chasing them for refund. . .

Once you have confirmation of the switch completion from the new supplier, I suggest you cancel the DD at your bank to avoid paying two suppliers at the same time.

This is one of my gripes earlier in this thread.

boobbby

Long time since I wrote anything on here although I see Consumerist is still going strong. My September tariff is ending soon so had considered moving to Igloo energy but because I am in so much credit with the Co op energy (£250) I am tempted to stay with their September 2018 tariff as this will also change on the day my present good value tariff ends. I will then next year make sure I don't have so much credit! Should I change or stay with the devil I know ?

Consumerist

boobbby wrote: »

. . . I will then next year make sure I don't have so much credit! Should I change or stay with the devil I know ?

Yes, still carping on - it gives me something to live for.

SWITCH SWITCH SWITCH. Why should Co-op gobble up your hard-earned credit balance?

It may take a while to get your money back - problems with the gas seems to be their stock excuse for everything at the moment. - but you will get it back eventually. And don't forget to cancel their DD at your bank the moment the new supplier confirms that both gas and electricity are switched.