Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

MWT

stephenS said:

For an energy company that is technically advanced in most areas, it is a curious and disappointing omission. Even inferior companies like British Gas and Ovo are more advanced in this area.

The difference between Octopus and most of the others is that they give you the tools to create your own solutions, which tends to work to the advantage of those adopting more flexible solutions like Agile.

The API allows you to integrate the Agile tariff into your own home automation systems, or just a spreadsheet or two as you prefer.

If you don't want to do that then as already mentioned, the Octopus Watchdog app is a simple solution.

They are improving the standard user portal, but whatever they do there will not suit everyone, but the API adds the flexibility that is completely absent from most other energy companies...

TadleyBaggie

I switched from OVO to Octopus around a month ago, initially went OK. My gas/electric estimated usage was £125 and they took an interim payment of £42 or so which seemed OK. After a month I submitted both meter readings (electric meter is SMETS2 but not connected to Octopus it seems). So was very surprised when they took the next DD and it was only £40 or so. On checking I found that they were only billing for gas because the electric tariff was "unknown". I contacted them and they corrected after a few days. 

So not the smoothest start but nothing too bad. Now if only OVO would refund me the £245 credit I have...

Preston_B

Thinking of moving from Tonik to Octopus...really just to get away from Tonik's terrible customer service of late

Can any Octopus customer tell me are you forced to have a smart-meter on sign up as I don't want one.

And I do know that no energy company can force you to have a smart meter, but I want to avoid the constant badgering into having one I've experienced in the past

Umiamz

Preston_B said:

Thinking of moving from Tonik to Octopus...really just to get away from Tonik's terrible customer service of late

Can any Octopus customer tell me are you forced to have a smart-meter on sign up as I don't want one.

And I do know that no energy company can force you to have a smart meter, but I want to avoid the constant badgering into having one I've experienced in the past

Not at all - in fact they make clear in their smart meter FAQ that you don't need to have one if you don't want one.

inspectorperez

Preston_B said:

Thinking of moving from Tonik to Octopus...really just to get away from Tonik's terrible customer service of late

Can any Octopus customer tell me are you forced to have a smart-meter on sign up as I don't want one.

And I do know that no energy company can force you to have a smart meter, but I want to avoid the constant badgering into having one I've experienced in the past

I made the same move as you are planning several months ago. So far as Octopus are concerned, they were excellent. Prompt and informative email communication supplemented by friendly and efficient telecommunications when I needed to speak to someone. Most important of all so far as I was concerned was the email that I received from them confirming that I was now officially onboard as their dual fuel customer! That was a "victory" of gargantuan proportions so far as I was concerned and cause for celebration. The least said the better about the Tonik side of things!!

They genuinely do as far as I can see base their monthly DD payments on 1/12th annual usage, so even joining at backend of winter season and owing them money for the first couple of months, there has been no change to monthly payments.

Preston_B

I just saw an earlier post mentions a tariff called tracker v1 when you follow a the link on Octopus site and put in your postcode it’s one of the many current tariffs.
I was quoted Exclusive Octopus 12M fixed May 2020 v1 but the Tracker v1 tariff is a lot lot cheaper....how do you get it and is it only for smart meter users?

MWT

Preston_B said:

I just saw an earlier post mentions a tariff called tracker v1 when you follow a the link on Octopus site and put in your postcode it’s one of the many current tariffs.
I was quoted Exclusive Octopus 12M fixed May 2020 v1 but the Tracker v1 tariff is a lot lot cheaper....how do you get it and is it only for smart meter users?

No, you don't need a smart meter for that one, but if you don't have a smart meter they will break down your usage by day using approximate numbers. Total will be accurate, but the split by day will be somewhat arbitrary.

Keep in mind that the tracker will change on a daily basis so you have no certainty that it will always be cheaper than a fixed rate at some point during the fixed term, but it stands a good chance of being cheaper.

You may not be able to move straight onto it, but once with Octopus you can ask to be moved.

Preston_B

Cheers MWT , I understand now that makes perfect sense 🙂
Think I will join Octopus next week, I’m fed up of Tonik’s terrible customer service and just want an energy suppIier I can trust as I’ve had a whole host of disasters.
Even though Avro comes up as saving me an extra £30 a year (on CEC) its maybe worth that just to get good service from Octopus

MWT

Preston_B said:

Cheers MWT , I understand now that makes perfect sense 🙂
Think I will join Octopus next week, I’m fed up of Tonik’s terrible customer service and just want an energy suppIier I can trust as I’ve had a whole host of disasters.

None of them are perfect, but I've always had the feeling that the people at Octopus do really care.

Do make sure to go pick up a referral link from the correct group on here before you sign up, it will get you (... and your referrer) a £50 bill credit.

inspectorperez

MWT said:

Preston_B said:

Cheers MWT , I understand now that makes perfect sense 🙂
Think I will join Octopus next week, I’m fed up of Tonik’s terrible customer service and just want an energy suppIier I can trust as I’ve had a whole host of disasters.

None of them are perfect, but I've always had the feeling that the people at Octopus do really care.

Do make sure to go pick up a referral link from the correct group on here before you sign up, it will get you (... and your referrer) a £50 bill credit.

Excellent tip, but doesn't that presuppose you do your comparisons on a comparison website and then follow up with a visit to this site? Just wondering for the next time I change, although not in mind to do so for a while yet.