Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

MWT

It's the usual problem, comparing DD amounts isn't the way to do it, especially with a winter switch. Compare the actual costs and then make sure the DD is covering the costs during the winter and reduce it once you hit the summer period, but just to a level sufficient to build up a reserve for next winter.

ABOone

Please share your experience with other MoneySavers. 
Well you asked.......
Did your switch go smoothly? 
No it didn't, been with them for nearly six months and it's been a nightmare, I've had enough, shambles of a company; 
Have you had problems since?
Er, guess! Yes, yes, yes! Problem after problem. The worst utility provider I have dealt with. Customer care is non existent. After I transferred I asked for their bank details, I was told they don't accept BACS transfers and I could only pay by DD or Credit/Debit card! Eventually I found the bank details hidden on their e-bill, but what a mistake for their customer adviser to make! Billing mistakes. Supposed to be quarterly billed, the latest bills are for just one and two weeks! This after being promised I would stop receiving monthly bills. Eventually I was given apologies, even offered a nominal voucher as way of apology, needless to say I didn't receive the voucher and the mistakes are still happening. I just hope they don't make a similar mess of my transfer away, but I can guarantee they will;
Is it easy to contact?
Well I can't get through on their phone, just engaged. I tried contacting their complaints email a week ago regarding the latest billing errors (been billed for one weeks gas, two weeks electric, both early February, but no mention of the previous seven weeks?), but am still waiting for a reply, meanwhile I have a bill ticking. 
They offer their 'cheap' fuel, but is it worth it if they can't even get the basics right? Never had such a poor experience like this from a Utility company. They seem completely out of their depth and don't have the internal systems and processes to cope. If the replies to my queries are anything to go by their training appears non existent. They are increasingly coming across as a 'Mickey Mouse' set up and I would not recommend them to anyone. Very disappointed. 
 

Mike2411959

I have been a customer with Octopus energy since July 2019 and up until now have had no reason to question their service. However, having just received an e mail to say they propose to increase my monthly DD by 20% I am not so happy! I feel the increase to be unjustified in that as with most people an account is likely to be in debit during the winter season which in turn reverses out during the summer season. I anticipate that will be the position with my account and will monitor this accordingly.  It feels like Octopus Energy are more concerned about cash flow management rather than taking a balanced approach to the customer. I have challenged the proposed increase and will feedback on here on the outcome.  

MWT

ABOone said:

...The worst utility provider I have dealt with. Customer care is non existent. After I transferred I asked for their bank details, I was told they don't accept BACS transfers and I could only pay by DD or Credit/Debit card! Eventually I found the bank details hidden on their e-bill, but what a mistake for their customer adviser to make! Billing mistakes. Supposed to be quarterly billed, the latest bills are for just one and two weeks! This after being promised I would stop receiving monthly bills. Eventually I was given apologies, even offered a nominal voucher as way of apology, needless to say I didn't receive the voucher and the mistakes are still happening. I just hope they don't make a similar mess of my transfer away, but I can guarantee they will;
 

I hope your transfer out goes smoothly, but it feels like you have wanted a product they do not offer right from the start...

Octopus keep things simple to keep costs low.

They do not offer payment methods other than DD and they do not offer quarterly billing in arrears.

Any 'voucher' they offered would have been directly applied to your account balance, if a credit was promised and then not applied then you should complain.

In short though, if you want to be billed in the old style of quarterly in arrears with direct payment then you do need to move elsewhere but take take to check that this is available from your intended new provider as the low prices available from many providers these days almost all assume DD and payment in advance...

MWT

Mike2411959 said:

I have been a customer with Octopus energy since July 2019 and up until now have had no reason to question their service. However, having just received an e mail to say they propose to increase my monthly DD by 20% I am not so happy! I feel the increase to be unjustified in that as with most people an account is likely to be in debit during the winter season which in turn reverses out during the summer season.

This will happen, especially if you switch to a new provider close to or during the winter period.

The balance you would normally build up over the spring and summer to cover the winter hasn't happened yet at your new provider and they are not going to be inclined to have you going noticeably negative within your first few months.

Octopus will expect the balance on your account to cover the projected bill for the next month, but once you get through this first winter you should be able to set the monthly payment at a level that will accrue the right amount to take forward into the next winter.

When you switched you should have received a refund from your previous supplier if you had been paying the right amount to build up a balance to cover winter use, so those funds should be available to you now to cover the extra winter payments you are now making...

fat-pudding

I'm having a really frustrating time with Octopus, I was originally moved to them after Iresa went out of business but when joining an address discrepancy was found with our electricity meter where it is somehow registered to the wrong address.

Octopus told me that they would rectify this in 2018 when I first joined them, however I tried to leave Octopus in December 2019 but the new supplier would not take me on as this address discrepancy still existed. I spoke to Octopus again said they would sort it and confirmed that they had done this but a week ago I tried to leave them again and found that the new supplier will not take me on due to this discrepancy still going on.

I emailed Octopus about a week ago by email if they would resolve this and have heard nothing back so have had to phone them today to finally get a complaint registered.

Honestly I would avoid this company as their customer support is very poor. 

Shakin_Steve

MWT said:

ABOone said:

...The worst utility provider I have dealt with. Customer care is non existent. After I transferred I asked for their bank details, I was told they don't accept BACS transfers and I could only pay by DD or Credit/Debit card! Eventually I found the bank details hidden on their e-bill, but what a mistake for their customer adviser to make! Billing mistakes. Supposed to be quarterly billed, the latest bills are for just one and two weeks! This after being promised I would stop receiving monthly bills. Eventually I was given apologies, even offered a nominal voucher as way of apology, needless to say I didn't receive the voucher and the mistakes are still happening. I just hope they don't make a similar mess of my transfer away, but I can guarantee they will;
 

I hope your transfer out goes smoothly, but it feels like you have wanted a product they do not offer right from the start...

Octopus keep things simple to keep costs low.

They do not offer payment methods other than DD and they do not offer quarterly billing in arrears.

Any 'voucher' they offered would have been directly applied to your account balance, if a credit was promised and then not applied then you should complain.

In short though, if you want to be billed in the old style of quarterly in arrears with direct payment then you do need to move elsewhere but take take to check that this is available from your intended new provider as the low prices available from many providers these days almost all assume DD and payment in advance...

Not quite true. You can make a debit card payment on their website.

bristolleedsfan

Also without quoting MWT post again Octopus have answered people on its facebook threads that it can set accounts up for full payment to be taken if my memory serves me well 10 days after a Bill has been issued.

BluSpark

I have spent more than three months attempting to switch my supply away as they were more expensive than a tariff offered by British Gas which was recommended through the MSE credit club. The meter Octopus installed was set up incorrectly (apparently my 3 bed house is an industrial estate according to the way octopus set it up) and I have had to contact oftopus through Facebook and phone on a daily basis since 15th January 2020 to try to get my switch completed. It is now March and I am no closer to being able to complete my switch away from them.

itchyfeet1000

I was transfered to Octopus energy last year by Co-op energy when they stopped their service. I received an initial email informing me that my account had been transfered and that nothing had changed, I was on quarterly billing with no direct debit, my meter was read about once a year and I submitted a meter reading every bill when it was not, I made a final payment to Co-op and was squared up with them.
After a month I received a request for a meter reading so I phoned and pointed out that I was down for quarterly billing and was told that their system could not do quarterly bills or stop the email asking for a monthly reading but they insisted that nothing had changed and I could ignore these request and submit one every quarter to generate a bill. A few days later I received a very high estimated bill obviously not based on my previous usage so I phoned again and was told that I had to pay but they still insisted that nothing had changed from the Co-op, I pointed out that this was a change from quarterly to monthly but their rather surly operator insisted that this was not a change. He then said that if I signed up for direct debit I could have a quarterly bill "but we won't take any money this way" which from my understand both now and then was a massive lie as their system does not handle quaterly billing and what is the point of a DD if they don't use it? I just said that the best thing for me to do is find another supplier which offers quarterly billing which is what I have done.
I would urge anyone thinking of switching to Octopus to resist the pressure to go DD initally and see how their service works out before doing so, many of their recent reviews on Trustpilot are bad with people telling of multiple or large amounts take from their accounts for power they have not used and they are struggling to get their money refunded, better still avoid Octopus.