MSE News: GB Energy goes bust, 160,000 customers affected

bowesworld

tg99 I am in the same situation as you. When I called GB Energy to query this I was told that any debit amount owed to GB Energy is now owed to CO-OP Energy!!

GB Energy's website currently says:

"I’m paying back debt to my old supplier. Will I still pay this to my new supplier?
We are in conversation with Ofgem and the receiver about how to handle customers who are in debt. We will therefore provide an update in due course."

tg99

bowesworld wrote: »

tg99 I am in the same situation as you. When I called GB Energy to query this I was told that any debit amount owed to GB Energy is now owed to CO-OP Energy!!

GB Energy's website currently says:

"I’m paying back debt to my old supplier. Will I still pay this to my new supplier?
We are in conversation with Ofgem and the receiver about how to handle customers who are in debt. We will therefore provide an update in due course."

Thanks. Will await the update then I guess as Coop have not yet asked me to repay the debt or upped my DD amount to cover it.

sheff6107

Any debt is owed to GB Energy, not the Co-op. If the Co-op came after you for any charges prior to 29 November you should ask for the Notice of Debt Assignment.

footyguy

sheff6107 wrote: »

Any debt is owed to GB Energy, not the Co-op. If the Co-op came after you for any charges prior to 29 November you should ask for the Notice of Debt Assignment.

According to Ofgem

I’m paying back a debt to GB Energy supply. Will I now pay this to Co-operative Energy?


Co-operative Energy has made arrangements with GB Energy Supply to take on the management of customer debts, so they will collect any outstanding money you owed to GB Energy Supply. You should contact Co-operative Energy if you have any questions.

Source: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/gb-energy-supply-customers-your-questions-new-supplier-co-operative-energy

NewShadow

Just got a really dodgy email:

Dear Ms NewShadow,

Important information about your Direct Debit
As communicated to you previously, Co-operative Energy has taken over responsibility for your GB Energy Supply account and for the collection of your Direct Debits.

Due to a system error, during the transition period we failed to take a Direct Debit payment for your account in December.

We would like to take this opportunity to apologise to you for this error and assure you that we have taken steps to make sure your future payments will be taken as usual.

As a payment was not collected this could cause your account to run into debt. To stop this from happening, I recommend you make a single payment of £35.00 to cover your usual monthly Direct Debit amount.

How to make a payment
To make a payment through online banking or at your bank, please use the details below. Please make sure you start any payment reference with 000968** with any payments you make and use the bank details below:

Bank Sort Code: 20-53-22
Account Number: 13019845
Account Name: The Co-operative Energy (GBES)

If you choose not to make a payment, any shortfalls in the balance on your account will be corrected during your six monthly Direct Debit review later this year.

Please note, if you have recently made a payment you can disregard this email.

Thank you for your patience and we look forward to continuing to provide you with energy.

Yours sincerely,



Andy Springall
Head of Customer Experience

For context I was a GB company for roughly a month while I was waiting for the BG collective nearly a year ago.

When I left - a year ago - I had a final balance/refund and haven't contacted them/had contact since and therefore I wasn't a customer in December - when they apparently 'failed' to take my DD - and didn't receive any communication about them taking over the (closed) account.

Wondering if this is legit and I need to tell them to go swing before they reactivate the DD based on my old details or if this is a scam and I should just delete it.

I can't see how a legitimate company would/should/could send out an email asking a customer to make a random (and in no way protected) direct bank transfer...

Anyone have a legit email for the coop to report possibly fraudulent emails?

alanwsg

NewShadow wrote: »

Just got a really dodgy email:

I just got the same dodgy Email.
I was a GB energy customer but switched away about a year ago.
Also, this Email was not sent to the address that I gave GB energy (But to a suspiciously similar address).
I think their Email list may have been swiped!

Edit - I noticed they asked you for a £35 payment - they asked me for a much larger amount (But an amount that would be in keeping with my past bills).

That makes me think this is either a !!!!-up by the Co-op, or much more than just Email addresses have been stolen by hackers.

Edit again - I noticed it has the correct account number as well.

CAA

I've had the same email. I think it's legitimate as they mention the exact amount of my direct debit, plus I know they didn't take my payment in December. Though asking for a bank transfer seems a odd way to claim it back.

uptdale

There seem to be a number of issues which have not yet been sorted out at GB. The thing that concerns me is not knowing exactly who my energy supplier is:

My contract is with "GB Energy Supply", according to the terms and conditions on the website. Who or what is that, now?
I've just had an email from GB, which explains that "GB Energy Supply Ltd is a company registered in the UK & Wales [sic] (registered number 08500842) at registered office The Energy Centre, Garstang Road, Broughton, Preston, PR3 5DL". That's wrong on at least two counts: company number 08500842 is the company in administration, and the law requires communications by the company to state that it is in administration, which the email does not. And the registered office is now at the offices of BDO, not in Preston.

It is concerning that these details are still wrong. Customers are entitled to know which company they are dealing with.

System

uptdale wrote: »

There seem to be a number of issues which have not yet been sorted out at GB. The thing that concerns me is not knowing exactly who my energy supplier is:

My contract is with "GB Energy Supply", according to the terms and conditions on the website. Who or what is that, now?
.

The first part of your post is easy to answer. You are now a customer of Coop Energy - appointed by Ofgem under what is known as The Supplier of Last Resort. The bit that is less easy to answer is why the Coop has done little to update the online account page (other than using words like supported by the Coop) for GB Energy which it is using to manage accounts going forward. That said, it is possible that the Coop purchased the GBEnergy brand as part of the deal.

As far as making any one off payments to the Coop, you can normally check who the recipient is by checking with your Bank. I use FD online banking and it has payment details (Sort Code, Account No) already set up. I also get to check who the recipient is before confirming the transaction.

uptdale

You are now a customer of Coop Energy - appointed by Ofgem under what is known as The Supplier of Last Resort.

I am the customer of the company which I have a contract with, and that is not clear. Even what is meant by "Cooperative Energy" is unclear. It could be Midcounties Co-operative Limited (registered number 19025R), whose CEO, Mr Reid emailed me on behalf of that company, trading as Co-operative Energy, saying “we will honour your current contract”. “We” in that email must mean Midcounties Co-operative Ltd. Or is could be Co-operative Energy Limited (company number 06993470), a company which holds an electricity supply licence and is the contracting party for customers of Co-operative Energy (according to that company’s website).

it is possible that the Coop purchased the GBEnergy brand as part of the deal.

Quite possible, but if the Coop is using a trading name the law requires them to make that clear. The wording on their recent invoices ("GB Energy Supply Supported by Co-operative Energy Ltd, Registered in England No.6993470") does not seem to meet that requirement. In fact it seems to suggest that "GB Energy Supply" is a company or other entity separate from Co-operative Energy Limited.