Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

Telegraph_Sam

So Neon and Avro (and one suspects Symbio) are, along with Yorkshire Energy, the exceptions?? (in not having proper account management facilities?)

niktheguru

I wouldn't say that. You'll find the cheaper suppliers have a more basic payment system. Symbio you can make manual overpayment but only fixed to the balance of your last bill which happens to be overestimated....so a bit pointless.

These suppliers are cheap for a reason, think of them like the value brands at the supermarket. Same product but without the frills. If you want the full shebang you have to pay for it. There's no way you'll get the cheapest supplier with everything...everyone else will go bust!

Telegraph_Sam

Strikes me that Octopus is as good a trade-off between the two extremes as one is likely to get at present unless I'm missing someone.

masonic

Telegraph_Sam said:

So Neon and Avro (and one suspects Symbio) are, along with Yorkshire Energy, the exceptions?? (in not having proper account management facilities?)

Some suppliers offer just as cheap 'pay on receipt of bill' style tariffs. What you are objecting to is the fixed DD system where payments are spread evenly across the year rather than in line with your seasonal use. Suspect if a company just pulled what you owed by DD after each bill was produced you'd be happy.

Telegraph_Sam

Except that in my experience with late lamented Tonik the D/D's were related more to their anticipated finance requirements than to my consumption (usual mantra: "you must build up a balance to cover your higher winter spends ..."  But this was never reversed in the Spring and credit repayments were a tabu topic throughout). I was distinctly not happy and got out just in time. Give me direct control any day.

masonic

Telegraph_Sam said:

Except that in my experience with late lamented Tonik the D/D's were related more to their anticipated finance requirements than to my consumption (usual mantra: "you must build up a balance to cover your higher winter spends ..."  But this was never reversed in the Spring and credit repayments were a tabu topic throughout). I was distinctly not happy and got out just in time. Give me direct control any day.

That is the standard fixed DD system rather than a 'pay on receipt of bill' style tariff. I've been with a number of suppliers using a fixed DD system and have not had any issue with paying more over a 12 month period than the energy I consumed. It's certainly not my preferred option, but if it saves me money overall I'll take it.

niktheguru

Sam, I think for your requirements Octopus is the perfect fit. It does everything you want it to at an "average" (not cheap, not horrendously expensive, with tracker.) price. The only issue is you're constantly seeking a cheaper deal but without having to compromise on your requirements, which is completely fair enough, and a hassle free life is an easy life.....but i don't think you are going to find anything cheaper without some sort of compromise.
Saying that tho, my last 24hrs of elec use was at 10p/kwh on go (and the last month overall was 9.5p/kwh).....was not having a smart meter really worth 5p/kwh extra!! (I really like the additional usage info it gives!)

Telegraph_Sam

Your observations are reassuring tks!  For the short term at least, longer term will depend on the price differential between Tracker and whoever would qualify as alternatives - which are few and far between taking all things into consideration. What would have been your Go costs if your consumption had been outwith the cheap rate periods?
Judgement on smart meters has to include change of supplier / address hassle depending on how well organised the supplier(s) are or are not, as reported in numerous threads.

niktheguru

I use roughly 14kwh a day. When I charge my EV car (about twice a week) it can go to 26kwh.
I was previously on symbio paying 10p/kwh, but on renewal it was going up to 12-13p which is when i moved to go.
My current go rate is 14.4p/kwh peak and 5.5p/kwh off peak.
The mix is usually approx 2/3 to 1/3 of peak to offpeak use (between 8.30pm and 1.30am), the only change in our behaviour is that we intentionally turn the dishwasher on after 8.30pm and do washing/drying of clothes after 8.30pm most of the time too (tho sometimes in day when needs must!)
so on a normal day it averages at about anywhere between 10p/kwh to 12p/kwh
On a day where i charge the car it goes to around 7p/kwh overall.
Obviously prices for go have now increased with a peak rate of about 16p (but luckily i locked in with a 12 months at the lower rate)
There is NO way in the foreseeable future that tracker will beat this.

Genuinely, the experience with smart meters on octopus is excellent, and they deal with any troubles very quickly (unlike some of the horror stories with other suppliers) My gas meter wasn't properly commissioned when they swapped it, so i gave manual readings, and they fixed it within a week completely remotely. They both upload all data perfectly and I have nice graphs showing me my 30min usage. You can also download an app called "bright" which gives you your usage from either meter at any time, and more rapidly (with octopus you get the data the next day, with the bright app you get it up to date to the last 30mins)

I don't really agree with the smart meter issue on change of supplier. A lot of the problems have been with people having older SMETS1 meters which were not inter-supplier compatible, and then switching not aware that they would go dumb (which is always very clearly stated upon every switch) and then being surprised when it wasn't giving readings. It also doesnt help that some suppliers like AVRO are fitting meters but not executing readings properly (more than likely as they are only fitting them because of their obligations, but still want to overcharge customers)
With SMETS2 meters the switching process will be much simpler. You will still always have to give manual opening readings to your new supplier and once they have integrated your meter to their system it will work smartly.....and worst case scenario if it doesn't, just give manual readings!

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

Judgement on smart meters has to include change of supplier / address hassle depending on how well organised the supplier(s) are or are not, as reported in numerous threads.

I confess that I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. A meter is a meter whether it is smart or not. The supplier switching process is the same for smart and non smart meters. Octopus has an exceptional smart meter team. Suppliers are now required to install SMETS2 meters that are independent of any particular supplier,  and these meters will remain smart after a transfer of supply.