Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

Telegraph_Sam

masonic said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

Arguably the total load shift would be increased if the system was less rigid in its demands, and catered for moderate converts (like me) also.

Is the only way one can examine and compare the individual T's & C's by "signing up" for each in turn?

What is the minimum notice period that the supplier should give of a change of tariff in the absence of which the tariff used rolls over / defaults to the original as I understand it?

You can find the T&Cs under the Our Policies section of the website https://octopus.energy/policies/ under Legal Stuff. The minimum notice period for the end of a fixed term contract is 42 days. However, if they fail to do that they are not necessarily required to roll a customer over on the original tariff, even though that's what has happened to some in the past.

It would be interesting to know more about just what happens in practice when the 42 days notice has not been observed - either none at all or some lesser period. Somewhere I heard of "14 days" and somewhere else of a month. Are these voluntary or statutory arrangements?

QrizB

Telegraph_Sam said:

sln8458 said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

I believe that there is more than one not so simple way of selling elec back to the grid and I'm happy to plod on with the FIT system that I set up originally.  Shelling out mega bucks for solar batteries is quite a different matter even for non-accountants. They must compete with heat pumps in the political brownie points stakes.

In order to be paid for any exported solar power you will need a 'smart' meter from Octopus.

We've been trying since Christmas, still no meter, just excuses.

VERY POOR OCTOPUS!

It may or may not be comparable but I first started getting FIT payments from Scottish Power for what my solar panels produced long before smart meters had been invented.

It isn't comparable; FITs are paid on the basis of total generation, which does not need an export meter.

SEG is only paid for exported electricity, so an export meter is essential.

Telegraph_Sam

Are they either / or alternatives or can one be really clever and get paid for both?
Is an export meter the same as a smart? My place would get a bit crowded if the FIT and smart meters were joined by an export meter.

sln8458

Telegraph_Sam said:

sln8458 said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

I believe that there is more than one not so simple way of selling elec back to the grid and I'm happy to plod on with the FIT system that I set up originally.  Shelling out mega bucks for solar batteries is quite a different matter even for non-accountants. They must compete with heat pumps in the political brownie points stakes.

In order to be paid for any exported solar power you will need a 'smart' meter from Octopus.

We've been trying since Christmas, still no meter, just excuses.

VERY POOR OCTOPUS!

It may or may not be comparable but I first started getting FIT payments from Scottish Power for what my solar panels produced long before smart meters had been invented.

Yes, ours is the same.

However if you have a new solar installation FIT is no longer available, but some suppliers (eg Octopus) will pay you for any exported surplus. BUT, in order to get paid it is MANDITORY that you have a SMART meter.

Just try getting one!!!!!!

SpanishBlue

sln8458 said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

sln8458 said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

I believe that there is more than one not so simple way of selling elec back to the grid and I'm happy to plod on with the FIT system that I set up originally.  Shelling out mega bucks for solar batteries is quite a different matter even for non-accountants. They must compete with heat pumps in the political brownie points stakes.

In order to be paid for any exported solar power you will need a 'smart' meter from Octopus.

We've been trying since Christmas, still no meter, just excuses.

VERY POOR OCTOPUS!

It may or may not be comparable but I first started getting FIT payments from Scottish Power for what my solar panels produced long before smart meters had been invented.

Yes, ours is the same.

However if you have a new solar installation FIT is no longer available, but some suppliers (eg Octopus) will pay you for any exported surplus. BUT, in order to get paid it is MANDITORY that you have a SMART meter.

Just try getting one!!!!!!

When I applied to Octopus to have Smart Meters fitted in February this year, I had numerous dates offered to me, including appointments for later that week and several for the following week.

Perhaps it depends on what area you live in?

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

Are they either / or alternatives or can one be really clever and get paid for both?
Is an export meter the same as a smart? My place would get a bit crowded if the FIT and smart meters were joined by an export meter.

You can retain your FIT generation payments and be paid SEG for exports. To be paid SEG, you have to agree to forego all export payments under the FIT scheme. You will then be paid SEG for the actual exports to the Grid as recorded by the export side of a smart meter. A smart meter is BOTH an import and export meter: one meter - two MPANs.

masonic

Telegraph_Sam said:

masonic said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

Arguably the total load shift would be increased if the system was less rigid in its demands, and catered for moderate converts (like me) also.

Is the only way one can examine and compare the individual T's & C's by "signing up" for each in turn?

What is the minimum notice period that the supplier should give of a change of tariff in the absence of which the tariff used rolls over / defaults to the original as I understand it?

You can find the T&Cs under the Our Policies section of the website https://octopus.energy/policies/ under Legal Stuff. The minimum notice period for the end of a fixed term contract is 42 days. However, if they fail to do that they are not necessarily required to roll a customer over on the original tariff, even though that's what has happened to some in the past.

It would be interesting to know more about just what happens in practice when the 42 days notice has not been observed - either none at all or some lesser period. Somewhere I heard of "14 days" and somewhere else of a month. Are these voluntary or statutory arrangements?

They are regulatory requirements. If they aren't adhered to, then the customer has grounds to raise a complaint. The complaint would probably be settled by an apology and some compensation, based on what actual loss the customer faces as a result of  through the lack of communication. This could for example be in the form of extra days spent on the default tariff before switching to a cheaper tariff. If a customer is still able to switch to their desired tariff before their current one expires, then they would not have lost out.

Telegraph_Sam

[Deleted User] said:

[Deleted User] said:

Telegraph_Sam said:

Are they either / or alternatives or can one be really clever and get paid for both?
Is an export meter the same as a smart? My place would get a bit crowded if the FIT and smart meters were joined by an export meter.

You can retain your FIT generation payments and be paid SEG for exports. To be paid SEG, you have to agree to forego all export payments under the FIT scheme. You will then be paid SEG for the actual exports to the Grid as recorded by the export side of a smart meter. A smart meter is BOTH an import and export meter: one meter - two MPANs.

I could imagine that weighing up all the pros and cons of SEG vs FIT's would be rather a daunting task for many myself included. Equally important is that if one did switch from FIT's to SEG's I doubt that there would be any going back later; that if one did switch to Octopus Flux (??) and it turned out to be uncompetitive, it would not be possible to go back to square one - switching out of Flux would leave one hands tied without any external income at all from the grid?
A risk not worth taking unless there were clear cut advantages from going the SEG route?

[Deleted User]

if one did switch from FIT's to SEG's I doubt that there would be any going back later;

You can elect to switch back to exports under the FIT scheme after 12 months on SEG.

Telegraph_Sam

Would you agree that it would not be simple to calculate the net benefits of SEG's vs FIT's in advance, other than suck it and see (after 12 months)?