Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

bristolleedsfan

Ally_E. said:

bristolleedsfan said:

wakeupalarm said:

Umiamz said:

wakeupalarm said:

Does anyone or preferably someone who is already paying by Direct Debit after receipt of bill know how often the bill is produced by Octopus Energy?  Is it monthly, quarterly or six monthly?

Assuming that you mean variable direct debit, opting to pay the full balance, then they produce a statement after every meter reading that you submit and schedule a direct debit for any balance owing.

For example, I get a statement on the 23rd of every month (I have smart meters) and a direct debit is scheduled for the full amount around 14 days later. My mother submits readings manually when she gets a reminder email (once a month) and the same thing happens for her - statement next day and direct debit for full amount around 14 days later.

Yes, variable direct debit. But how long do they take to produce the bill if you don't enter monthly readings. Do they produce a bill based on estimates monthly, quarterly or six monthly.  I will be away for several months later in the year and want to know if the direct debit will be coming out monthly, quarterly or six monthly on receipt of bill.

"If you don't send us readings for over three months, we'll automatically send you a bill based on estimates"
https://octopus.energy/blog/why-we-dont-send-monthly-statements/

I usually provide a reading on the 22nd of every month. In Jan I didn't provide a reading on time and they created a bill using estimates on 6th of Feb.

That is odd, there is no particular date in a month that a meter reading is required. they merely send a reminder to send a meter reading, 

SGB89

I was sent a link to sign up to Octopus tracker v2 so they can do it - assuming you emailed them before they moved to v3.
According to the information I was sent it's 12 months and seems like the standing charges are fixed despite saying they can change which is why someone on here said they had to make a v3 to increase them.

Hopefully that is the case.

Here are the figures for the year on this tariff (assuming wholesale prices don't skyrocket again)



So at the moment its probably the cheapest tariff.

I suspect gas prices will start dropping over summer when demand is low which is already starting to happen.

masonic

I doubt many people will plan to stay on Tracker beyond the end of the summer. It is a great option while personal usage, and national demand, is low.

BargainBear

Hmm Tracker V3 only shows an electricity tariff for me when I enter our postcode, have they removed gas from V3?

SGB89

masonic said:

I doubt many people will plan to stay on Tracker beyond the end of the summer. It is a great option while personal usage, and national demand, is low.

It all depends on if they start offering cheaper fixes again by the end of the summer. I don't think they will as all the energy companies will be wanting to claw back as much money as they can.

Even if wholesale rates drop like a stone I still think they will be reluctant to offer any decent fixes until 2023+. 

So it will be a case of looking at the average price on tracker vs what fixes, if any appear that end up being cheaper than trackers average price based on the rates you are billed on the latest monthly statement.

SGB89

BargainBear said:

Hmm Tracker V3 only shows an electricity tariff for me when I enter our postcode, have they removed gas from V3?

they've removed it from v2 as well. no idea why. 

bristolleedsfan

SGB89 said:

BargainBear said:

Hmm Tracker V3 only shows an electricity tariff for me when I enter our postcode, have they removed gas from V3?

they've removed it from v2 as well. no idea why. 

Occasionally they have a technical problem with a particular daily rate , will probably be showing tomorrow,.

Thrugelmir

SGB89 said:

masonic said:

I doubt many people will plan to stay on Tracker beyond the end of the summer. It is a great option while personal usage, and national demand, is low.

Even if wholesale rates drop like a stone I still think they will be reluctant to offer any decent fixes until 2023+. 

To guarantee supply. Futures contracts will be entered into months in advance. No one runs their business on the basis of spot wholesale prices. Which always fluctuate with the seasons. The weather can cause all sorts of spikes. 

MWT

SGB89 said:

I was sent a link to sign up to Octopus tracker v2 so they can do it - assuming you emailed them before they moved to v3.
According to the information I was sent it's 12 months and seems like the standing charges are fixed despite saying they can change which is why someone on here said they had to make a v3 to increase them.

They can put you on any tariff, current or not if they want to, but as you say, what matters is when you asked to be put on it...

Re the standing charges, they can change on any of the tariffs even if they are fixed, but only in specific circumstances, like a new government imposes tax or levy...

To just change the standing charge because they wanted to did need a new version of the tariff.

bristolleedsfan

MWT said:

SGB89 said:

I was sent a link to sign up to Octopus tracker v2 so they can do it - assuming you emailed them before they moved to v3.
According to the information I was sent it's 12 months and seems like the standing charges are fixed despite saying they can change which is why someone on here said they had to make a v3 to increase them.

To just change the standing charge because they wanted to did need a new version of the tariff.

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