Energy suppliers

[wheypat]

Just wonder if "them having your money interest free" is a real concern?

I suppose not a major cost. But why not pay for your household electricity and gas the same way as you pay for the petrol or diesel in your car? Namely pay as you go.

Cause most people drive pretty much the same number of miles week in, week out - so the cost each month is about the same. Where as in the summer I can go 3 months and use 10 cubic feet of gas and hardly an electricity (I have solar panels and a battery), whereas in the winter I'm using much more of both. I'd rather pay a flat £100 a month each and every month.

[melonfool]

I suppose not a major cost. But why not pay for your household electricity and gas the same way as you pay for the petrol or diesel in your car? Namely pay as you go.

Well, we have to pay in advance because we have oil fired heating and hot water.

But we save up for it, not pay monthly because though you can pay some suppliers a monthly amount to keep it filled up they charge more per litre. So we set aside £100pm for the oil and then pay it all when the tank needs to be filled.

Mel

[andycowl]

I will look further at GB Energy

Maybe not. They've gone bust - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38119754

[jackdaww]

I will look further at GB Energy

Maybe not. They've gone bust - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38119754

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i was aware - see my earlier posts on this topic.

many thanks anyway .

ps. ive gone with octopus - lets hope they're more solidly based.

[BobGe]

Just a quick note. People may like to look at Co-op Energy and check their tariffs. I noticed they also appear to give existing users a good deal rather than stitching them up after the initial teaser period as so many do. (Note the existing user tariff sheet is without VAT though!) Seems they have a (new?) website up since the 23rd Nov. which seems to function well - it seems to work with 'old' IE9, for instance, which usually falls over on any 'modern' sites. No problems with sign-up. Have yet to log-in and post a meter reading, of course..., that's usually where the trouble starts with IE9!

(No personal interest other than I just signed up for electricity and hold some Co-op Group final repayment notes 42TE)

[andycowl]

People may like to look at Co-op Energy...

I have just left Co-Op Energy. While the tariffs were OK, the billing system (introduced a year ago), customer service and Web site is just woeful. Just woeful. Just switched to Ovo (similar rates) who seem to be much better.

[BobGe]

I have just left Co-Op Energy. While the tariffs were OK, the billing system (introduced a year ago), customer service and Web site is just woeful. Just woeful. Just switched to Ovo (similar rates) who seem to be much better.

Perhaps you could have a quick gander at the website now and maybe you will be able to comment if it's different / improved as of 23rd Nov. ?

[andycowl]

Not sure what life changing event happened on 23rd November but the site (and the woeful billing portal) looks unchanged to me (although I have a skeleton account now).

The final straw for me was that I was unable to enter an electricity meter reading online. For a tariff that's supposed to be 'Online only'. Long, deep sigh.

[Sussexlad]

Perhaps you could have a quick gander at the website now and maybe you will be able to comment if it's different / improved as of 23rd Nov. ?

I have a Coop energy account and enter the two MRs once a month without any difficulty though I agree the site is a bit clunky ! Have no problem with them and like their attitude the the customer. That's not to say it can't change of course.

[BobGe]

The final straw for me was that I was unable to enter an electricity meter reading online.

I've has that problem on other sites, browser incompatability due to my love of old PCs...
I don't let it worry me much.

[quelquod]

So it appears that the Coop is taking over the accounts of all of the GB customers on the same contractual terms regarding prices and contract duration. I'd already cancelled my DD but it appears I'm not the only one and the Coop is coping with that.

Oh well! Could be (a lot) worse.

[IsleofWightPete]

Interesting additional info on this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bills/ ... lapse.html

Four weeks ago, energy regulator Ofgem introduced a safety net to protect credit on customers' accounts if a firm goes bust.
But a catch buried in its rules means anyone who asks to leave an energy firm — whether before or after it goes out of business — is excluded.

[jackdaww]

Interesting additional info on this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bills/ ... lapse.html

Four weeks ago, energy regulator Ofgem introduced a safety net to protect credit on customers' accounts if a firm goes bust.
But a catch buried in its rules means anyone who asks to leave an energy firm — whether before or after it goes out of business — is excluded.

======================

so we are encouraged to shop around and switch , but then lose protection?