Cooperative Energy - do I have a case?

gt94sss2

I would say it does apply given the OP was providing accurate readings and that means the suppliers billing system/processes were at fault.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-bans-suppliers-backbilling-customers-beyond-12-months

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-backbilling-guide-your-rights

A consumer shouldn't have to check bills are accurate when they are giving meter readings (though it might be good to do so!)

Cardew

The reason your gas readings were 'ignored' is a well known situation caused by the computer algorithm.

All bills are issued by the 'all seeing, all knowing' computer. The computer compares your meter reading(or even that from a meter reader) with the last meter reading and if it differs by more than the computer 'thinks' is possible, your reading is rejected and an estimated reading used for the bill. So clearly you have been getting bills based on under-estimated readings and an accurate reading is rejected every time.

It is not until there is human intervention by the accounts staff will an accurate bill be issued.

The ombudsman is a waste of time and I suspect you will not get much more, if anything, than the £50 compensation you have been offered.

Gerry1

gmd06 wrote: »

I do think they have created a false impression of how much their energy costs by using estimates and not billing me appropriately over a period of time.

Their customer service has certainly been poor, but they haven't given a false impression of how much their energy costs. They will have said the cost is X pence per kWh and a standing charge of Y pence per day. And that is (presumably) exactly what they charged you for your measured usage, not a penny more. The problem is simply that your usage has been more than you imagined it would be.

It's like setting up a tab in a pub. Beer costs £2.50 per pint (well, it's a 'Spoons) and at the end of the evening you hand over a tenner to pay for your four pints. But the barman asks for another fiver because you've actually got through six pints. They haven't given a false impression of how much their beer costs, you just hadn't been keeping tabs on it... :beer:
Saying that you would have left them if you had been aware of the situation doesn't really cut the mustard either. You'd have had to pay a similar amount more with the new company and, assuming that the Co-Op had been the cheapest when you joined them, the new company's rates might well have been dearer. Take that £50 and run !

gt94sss2

gt94sss2 wrote: »

I would say it does apply given the OP was providing accurate readings and that means the suppliers billing system/processes were at fault.

I should add that while I think the OP has a legitimate case under the back billing code in regard to accurate billing and only being charged for the last 12 months etc, I don't believe their argument that he would have left Co-op earlier will help at all and it will just confuse matters.

Best to just stick to the backbilling argument.

nigelbb

gt94sss2 wrote: »

I should add that while I think the OP has a legitimate case under the back billing code in regard to accurate billing and only being charged for the last 12 months etc, I don't believe their argument that he would have left Co-op earlier will help at all and it will just confuse matters.

Best to just stick to the backbilling argument.

I agree. The Co-op has admitted they received customer readings but didn't use them. There is no onus on the customer to check the bills are correct as the energy company is expected to send out correct bills if they have all the readings. The bills were incorrect through mistakes made by the Co-op & the OP is not expected to pay for the Co-op's mistakes.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-backbilling-guide-your-rights

Cardew

nigelbb wrote: »

There is no onus on the customer to check the bills are correct as the energy company is expected to send out correct bills if they have all the readings.

IMO there is always a responsibility for the customer to check the bills are correct. Below is a quote typical of the T&C of energy companies.

If the estimate on the bill is wrong, get in touch with your supplier and give them the accurate reading. They should then adjust the bill accordingly.

The fact remains that notwithstanding the OP had sent readings, the bills clearly showed that those readings had not been used and estimated readings were substituted.

Robin9

nigelbb wrote: »

....................There is no onus on the customer to check the bills are correct .....................l]

Maybe not but my energy bills are my third (after food and council tax) biggest expenditure and I think it's in my interest to check them.

gt94sss2

Cardew wrote: »

IMO there is always a responsibility for the customer to check the bills are correct. Below is a quote typical of the T&C of energy companies.

A company can claim to have any T&C it likes - it doesn’t mean it’s legally enforceable or a fair/valid T&C.

Utility regulators tend to have copious amounts of documentation on the importance of firms billing correctly and for this being the suppliers responsibility.

That’s also why the backbilling code holds the supplier responsible for estimated bills unless the householder deliberately blocks access - the reasoning being after a certain period of estimated readings, it’s the suppliers responsibility to take their own meter reading..

gmd06

Update on this as the situation has been resolved. I wouldn't say I am 100% satisfied but I have had it acknowledged by Cooperative Energy that they were in the wrong.


My exit bill initially was more than £950. This has now been reduced to £700.



I received money off initially for back-billing. After my case was reviewed by the Ombudsman it was reduced by a further £58 due to back-billing and I received an extra £100 as a goodwill gesture.



I have also received a written apology from the company due to their poor service.



I will pay the bill as it stands now and be done with it.

EnergyRookie

gmd06 wrote: »

Evening all,

Looking for a bit of advice. I have just sent my complaint to the Energy Ombudsman so playing the waiting game but wondered if my situation was normal and do I have a case?

Basically, I left Cooperative Energy in June and received a massive final bill. I had previously upped my monthly DD to almost 3 times what I had been paying originally as well as paying a sum of around £500 to clear the arrears back in November. I was under the impression at that point my account was on an even keel and I was paying extortionate amounts monthly from then until June. Regardless, my final bill was nearly £1000 on top of my monthly DD.

Cooperative Energy have said that this was because my readings were based on estimates and not actual readings. The majority of the bill is for gas. They claim that they had not received a gas meter reading since March 2017.

I told them I had supplied regular meter readings over the last 2 years using their online portal. I also asked why they did not receive readings from the meter reader who attends my property at least twice a year to take readings.

It turns out that:

1. Morrison Data Services - tasked with taking readings at my property only supplied Electricity readings as that is all Cooperative Energy asked for.

2. Cooperative Energy has admitted to receiving meter readings from me via the online portal but they chose to ignore them and continued to estimate.

Cooperative Energy has since knocked around £50 off the bill due to backbilling.

I have told the ombudsman that had the true cost of Cooperative Energy been apparent and not based on guesswork then I would have left them many, many months ago. I actually think they owe me money for obtaining my custom under false pretenses!

What likely outcome can I expect in this case? I feel that the ombudsman will side the the company and I'll be forced to pay the full amount. Never been in this position before so no idea what to expect really.

Thanks in advance.

gmd06 wrote: »

Update on this as the situation has been resolved. I wouldn't say I am 100% satisfied but I have had it acknowledged by Cooperative Energy that they were in the wrong.


My exit bill initially was more than £950. This has now been reduced to £700.



I received money off initially for back-billing. After my case was reviewed by the Ombudsman it was reduced by a further £58 due to back-billing and I received an extra £100 as a goodwill gesture.



I have also received a written apology from the company due to their poor service.



I will pay the bill as it stands now and be done with it.

So if I understand you correctly, you actually had to pay the company over £1200 after you left them. i.e. the £500 initially, and now the £750 the ombudsman say you still owed. (and that doesn't include any amounts effectively written off due to back billing, goodwill, etc)

I would urge you to conduct a new comparison using the correct actual annual usage figures that resulted in you owing so much money; it probably woould indicate a completely different supplier/tariff due to the difference in usage compared to what you thought when you left.