Avro Energy reviews: Give your feedback

phillw

Anyanka1 said:
I agree we should have the choice without penalty

I don't, if your choice costs them more money then you should have to pay a premium.

You can then make the choice how important your preference is.

Obviously having everyone in credit helps their cash flow and saves them money.

Telegraph_Sam

In my discussions over this with my supplier the question of variable D/D's costing more just never arose.  If there is such a case then I suspect it would amount to P-nuts.

On the other hand the principle of the energy supplier "hoarding" my pennies, when I don't get any benefit from it, sticks in my throat

niktheguru

"billing based on actual consumption rather than meter index readings". Could you explain this please. Granted that Smart meters permit billing based on something approaching real time readings, surely "consumption" is what is measured by meter index (?) readings? Reading no 2 minus reading no 1 equals consumption, two ways of saying the same thing?
I can log in and see my almost real time [Octopus] consumption, but the bill still comes once a month closely followed by the D/D.

Sam, when you go to the petrol station do you get an opening and closing reading for the consumption of your petrol? No, you see how many litres you consume and the cost.

30min consumption readings on tou tariffs are based on the same premise. You are billed for what you use.

The premise of having two readings and subtracting them is merely a convention which you're having a bit of trouble parting ways with!!

There are plenty of ways to skin a cat!

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

phillw said:Dolor said

OK. As far as I am aware, Octopus is currently the only supplier that offers billing based on actual consumption rather than meter index readings. SMETS2 meters are capable of measuring the energy consumed in 48 half hour periods each day on 4 registers. The problem with this billing method is that a data loss in just one of 48 HH periods stops automatic monthly billing. Other suppliers are, I suspect, using the Meter Reading SLC that requires them to obtain one index reading every 12 months and watching Octopus carefully.

If they get readings once a month then they are still billing for consumption

And billing for and taking a direct debit for are also entirely different things.

"billing based on actual consumption rather than meter index readings". Could you explain this please. Granted that Smart meters permit billing based on something approaching real time readings, surely "consumption" is what is measured by meter index (?) readings? Reading no 2 minus reading no 1 equals consumption, two ways of saying the same thing?
I can log in and see my almost real time [Octopus] consumption, but the bill still comes once a month closely followed by the D/D.

Sorry, I missed your post. I have been with Octopus for over 3 1/2 years and I have had SMETS2 meters for over 2 years. A large number of the electricity import statements that I have received do not show any start or end of billing period index readings. It is of no consequence if the supplier bills on the amounts used for each 30 minute period  x unit price. We all need to stop thinking in terms of just kWhs/year used and look back to when the energy was actually used. 

Telegraph_Sam

It comes to the same thing if my consumption is "recorded" and  totalised by my meter.  Otherwise by that logic I can take my brand new smart meter to the tip, do without it and accept that consumption comes from somewhere on high outwith my ken. Incidentally Octopus has today apologized and assured me that opening and closing readings will be included in my future bills.
Apologies for inadvertently going off topic in this Avro thread, I know there is a more appropriate forum for the above.

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

It comes to the same thing if my consumption is "recorded" and  totalised by my meter.  Otherwise by that logic I can take my brand new smart meter to the tip, do without it and accept that consumption comes from somewhere on high outwith my ken. Incidentally Octopus has today apologized and assured me that opening and closing readings will be included in my future bills.
Apologies for inadvertently going off topic in this Avro thread, I know there is a more appropriate forum for the above.

My latest Octopus statement and the one before that have no import smart meter readings. Even if they did, you cannot work out the cost of your usage as Octopus uses a single register for billing for Go which I believe is the tariff that you are on?

Look at the graphic that I posted on page 298 and you have complete visibility of how much energy has been consumed. You will get 31/30/28 days worth of data sheets each billing month.

Telegraph_Sam

Happy to respond but can we somehow switch this correspondence to the Octopus forum before we get booted off by the true Avro-Forumites?

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

Happy to respond but can we somehow switch this correspondence to the Octopus forum before we get booted off by the true Avro-Forumites?

No response required. 

bristolleedsfan

Telegraph_Sam said:

In my discussions over this with my supplier the question of variable D/D's costing more just never arose.  If there is such a case then I suspect it would amount to P-nuts.

On the other hand the principle of the energy supplier "hoarding" my pennies, when I don't get any benefit from it, sticks in my throat

Yet you did not keep Gas with your supplier that does variable direct debits if asked to, you switched gas to a cheaper supplier who only does monthly direct debits/seasonal monthly direct debits, maybe you will be building surplus credit up for winter months, do tell me if  any of that is not correct.

Larger suppliers all offer variable and fixed direct debits, your Electricity supplier is regarded as a larger supplier and they tend to be more expensive for "most people" hence why you switched gas out to what was at the time a cheaper smaller supplier

Telegraph_Sam

Correct except that today I have agreed with the new gas supplier to give me a refund of the excess credit build up and reduce my monthly seasonal D/D to cover the SC only - which will obviously be reviewed as winter approaches.  Can't complain.
On the other hand the electricity supplier has an "innovative" ToU tariff which should knock spots off Avro. Quite the reverse situation.