MSE News: Co-op faces customer backlash following bungled system upgrade

steveweblin

Has anybody managed to follow the Co op energy compliants procedure? I have tried and failed so have now gone to the ombudsman.

steveweblin

I read on facebook that some people have got money out of the COOP Energy by asking their banks to reverse direct debits. My bank would refund regular direct debit payments paid in error but will not settle a final bill where I am due a refund so I am stuck.

However may be worth trying your bank.

peter.collins443

I have complained to the co op chairman last week re a number of problems:


1) received a surcharge without warning.
2) They failed to generate a quarterly bill in May
3) A meter reader called in April and in late may they had not received his readings
4) They have not taken my monthly direct debit
5) Still unable to see an update account


Its time the ombudsman started to take action .......


peter.collins443

peter.collins443

Quick update within less than 8 hours I had three emails from co op saying they have allocated a manager to investigate my complaints.


Also from the co op


Thank you for contacting Co-operative Energy.

We are currently in the process of launching a new customer service and billing system. The new system will play host to an array of new services and further improve your customer experience at Co-operative Energy. To enable us to complete the move to our new system we may be delayed in responding to your email.


peter.collins443

topmonkey

Got fed up of waiting to hear about my switch to Co-op so sent an email to find out what's going on on 7th June. Got a reply today (10 days later!) to say that I had already been switched over to Co-op on 25/05/2015 and that I should have had a letter from them before that asking for my meter reading. I had no such letter and it seems like they are calling me a liar instead of admitting their mistake.
All I have is an account number, no online account login or anything.

Really poor service and it's particularly frustrating after I left Scottish Power due to their 'system upgrade' customer service fiasco in which they stole £300 from me (I had to get the ombudsman involved and even then only got £100 back).

boobbby

Not many complaints these days so have the co op got it right or are most worn down and and have given up complaining. Just had a look at my account and although I have been with the Co op energy since February it still shows no electric usage and the same made up gas usage as it has always been!! I do send them meter readings !!

geriatrix1

Judging by their Facebook page there are still many problems ...

miniemma

Worn down, bored, finding the whole complaints process pointless. No bill since I joined in February but I just sat down and did the figures and I owe them money rather than the other way around so I'm going to leave it at that and see what happens.

bellandbottle

Most of the active stuff is on "Add your feedback on energy supplier Co-op".

System

Individual consumers can and should complain to the energy section of Ombudsman Services:
http://www.ombudsman-services.org/energy.html
Alas, you have to (1) formally complain to Un-co-operative Energy (2) wait while they ignore you for 8 weeks (3) then complain to the Ombudsman.

If Un-co-operative Energy has taken Direct Debits from you, you can tell your bank to reverse them, under the Direct Debit Guarantee. You do not have to give your bank a reason. It is up to Un-co-operative Energy to contact you to ask you to pay anything you really owe them. To do this, they would normally have to issue a coherent and intelligible bill, based on correct meter readings.

Energy companies are required to log complaints and report statistics about them to the regulator, Ofgem. I don't know whether Un-co-operative Energy is currently capable of logging complaints. Ofgem will not act on complaints from individual consumers.

Some organizations, including I think the Consumers Association (Which?) can make a "super-complaint" to Ofgem. MSE members who are Which? members could ask the Consumers Association to make such a complaint.

Members of Mid-counties Co-operative, which owns Un-co-operative Energy, can complain to Mid-counties Co-operative that managers at Un-co-operative Energy appear to have bought a duff new IT system and introduced it without any proper testing or phased switch-over. Midcounties Co-operative is (or was) profitable, and (oddly) is not part of the ailing Co-operative Group, which used to own the wrecked Co-operative Bank.