Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

niktheguru

Telegraph_Sam said:

If it's a matter of influencing people's environmental behaviour (re energy consumption) it would seem to me to be more sensible to use an "Intelligent" tariff carrot rather than a EV / non-EV stick.

I suspect it was more their intention to influence high users energy usage to times where there is less pressure on the grid and potentially when energy is cheaper. Ev users by their nature are high users, and if they can get ev users to charge their cars at a certain time rather than just plugging it in when they get home at 5pm when the whole network will be the busiest, the carrot of cheap energy at a certain time fits that objective.

Telegraph_Sam

Objective is clear. Best means to achieve it - carrot or stick - is debatable!

MWT

Telegraph_Sam said:

Objective is clear. Best means to achieve it - carrot or stick - is debatable!

Not sure what you are seeing as a ‘stick’…
They are offering a carrot to customers who have what they want… a large, remotely controllable, moveable load.
if you don’t have that then the tariff is not for you, that doesn’t make the need for an EV a ‘stick’…

Telegraph_Sam

I could imagine a large number of non-EV consumers being happy with the (old) Go Faster rates and being upset if they subsequently got disqualified. Call it something else if you wish.

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

I could imagine a large number of non-EV consumers being happy with the (old) Go Faster rates and being upset if they subsequently got disqualified. Call it something else if you wish.

Go and Go Faster are ‘trial’ tariffs and like all tariffs they could be withdrawn by Octopus at anytime; particularly, if demand for off-peak electricity gets closer to the available supply. Happy customers do not pay suppliers’ costs.

niktheguru

Telegraph_Sam said:

I could imagine a large number of non-EV consumers being happy with the (old) Go Faster rates and being upset if they subsequently got disqualified. Call it something else if you wish.

I very much doubt octopus would want the bad PR in culling existing customers who "breach the terms and conditions" for go/gofaster but can understand them screening new customersmore rigourously going forward if that is what they see fit, particularly if they feel they have enough for the beta tariff currently.

They would be within their right to move you to a different tariff as long as its clear in the terms and conditions when you signed up to the tariff. We know that most people don't read terms and conditions, but that in itself isn't a good enough excuse for then being outraged if they were to be kicked off the tariff for not complying.

savers_united

niktheguru said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

I could imagine a large number of non-EV consumers being happy with the (old) Go Faster rates and being upset if they subsequently got disqualified. Call it something else if you wish.

I very much doubt octopus would want the bad PR in culling existing customers who "breach the terms and conditions" for go/gofaster but can understand them screening new customersmore rigourously going forward if that is what they see fit, particularly if they feel they have enough for the beta tariff currently.

They would be within their right to move you to a different tariff as long as its clear in the terms and conditions when you signed up to the tariff. We know that most people don't read terms and conditions, but that in itself isn't a good enough excuse for then being outraged if they were to be kicked off the tariff for not complying.

I think the name of the tariff is enough to suggest its aimed mainly at EV drivers, since the launch of the tariffs in 2019 EV ownership has increased and will continue to do so.
Octopus will not have much difficulty in identifying those who are using the tariff for non EV purposes, in my 5 hour window I can rack up 40kw, even using the car granny charger will be over 10kw, a none EV user is going to be less than 10kw for the majority of the time.
The idea is to move high load usage to a time when there is spare energy capacity that needs to be used to keep the turbines turning 24hrs a day and move that high usage away from times when demand is already high, non EV users don't really move that much to make the same dent as EV charging does, and would require alot more non EV users to have the same impact,(Slots they just do not have) 

Like with any other fixed tariff will only have limited number of slots available, as these now start to fill up I don't see any argument against Octopus for enforcing the T&Cs that have always been there to ensure the tariff is used as always intended for high off peak users, i.e EV owners.

PR will not be an issue for them, at renewel your existing contract ends, you need to enter another 12 mths fix contract, at that point to ask for some kind of proof of EV ownership is fair in my opinion, they have also just increased their customer base by a few hundred thousand. 

niktheguru

savers_united said:

PR will not be an issue for them, at renewel your existing contract ends, you need to enter another 12 mths fix contract, at that point to ask for some kind of proof of EV ownership is fair in my opinion, they have also just increased their customer base by a few hundred thousand. 

Well, of course if they let the tariff end and ask for verification on renewal then that's won't cause anyone an issue as they aren't then moving anyone to a different tariff as their fix has ended. Seems the easiest way to enforce it.

masonic

niktheguru said:

savers_united said:

PR will not be an issue for them, at renewel your existing contract ends, you need to enter another 12 mths fix contract, at that point to ask for some kind of proof of EV ownership is fair in my opinion, they have also just increased their customer base by a few hundred thousand. 

Well, of course if they let the tariff end and ask for verification on renewal then that's won't cause anyone an issue as they aren't then moving anyone to a different tariff as their fix has ended. Seems the easiest way to enforce it.

There are no terms that would allow them to do so mid-contract. The only action they can take is to offer non-EV users an alternative tariff at sign-up.

niktheguru

masonic said:

niktheguru said:

savers_united said:

PR will not be an issue for them, at renewel your existing contract ends, you need to enter another 12 mths fix contract, at that point to ask for some kind of proof of EV ownership is fair in my opinion, they have also just increased their customer base by a few hundred thousand. 

Well, of course if they let the tariff end and ask for verification on renewal then that's won't cause anyone an issue as they aren't then moving anyone to a different tariff as their fix has ended. Seems the easiest way to enforce it.

There are no terms that would allow them to do so mid-contract. The only action they can take is to offer non-EV users an alternative tariff at sign-up.

you're probably right, but they have left it vague in their smart tariff terms and conditions: https://octopus.energy/blog/terms-conditions-agile-go/
Although it says that they could move you to an alternative tariff if you do not own or lease an EV, it doesn't state explicitly/clearly that this is only at sign up (but i'm guessing that is what they're implying) . And this was published in October 2020, so not a new thing.

We are discussing minutiae though, and they probably wont chuck anyone off anyway! Lets just hope everyone stays on the tariff they want!