Octopus Energy reviews: Give your feedback

Telegraph_Sam

Swings and roundabouts in action.  The idea of switching to the Tracker over the summer and back to a fixed rate over winter has its appeal.

BargainBear

Before I pop an email to Octopus, does anyone here know if you can split your electricity and gas on different tarrifs e.g. Gas on fixed 12 month, and electricity left on tracker?

Telegraph_Sam

I would be interested to know for definite myself though there might be a case for doing the opposite - gas on tracker over the summer. If you get a response to your email count yourself lucky. Phoning is only marginally better.

bristolleedsfan

BargainBear said:

Before I pop an email to Octopus, does anyone here know if you can split your electricity and gas on different tarrifs e.g. Gas on fixed 12 month, and electricity left on tracker?

Yes many people have done that, DM via Twitter best method of communciation https://twitter.com/octopus_energy?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

[Deleted User]

BargainBear said:

Before I pop an email to Octopus, does anyone here know if you can split your electricity and gas on different tarrifs e.g. Gas on fixed 12 month, and electricity left on tracker?

Yes, I am on Octopus Go for electricity and a fixed tariff for gas. I am currently monitoring gas Tracker prices and I will probably change back to Tracker shortly. The only restriction that Octopus places on its customers is that there must be a 30 day gap between smart tariff switches: that is, Go to Agile to Go. Tracker tariffs are not treated as smart tariffs.

Telegraph_Sam

For what it's worth my interpretation of the Tracker graph-predictions is that the drop in gas prices over the summer will be greater than for electricity.

bristolleedsfan

BargainBear said:

 Gas on fixed 12 month, and electricity left on tracker?

12 Month Fixed Gas S/C direct via Octopus Website which is the rate April renewals have been offered at has been hiked 8.21p per day ( £29.97 per year) since November, by contrast same tariff via comparison sites Gas S/C increase has been 3.15p per day ( £11.50 per year)  since November based on my region ......

12 Month Fixed Dual Fuel direct from Octopus Website was hiked mostly during February apparently intentionally to be within a whisker of current cap level. ( I realise energy cap does not apply to fixed tariffs, as others have said energy companies seem to view energy cap as apparent target to aim for) and that is the rate April 12 Month Fixed renewals for existing customers have been offered - "most popular" Tariff

[Deleted User]

Telegraph_Sam said:

For what it's worth my interpretation of the Tracker graph-predictions is that the drop in gas prices over the summer will be greater than for electricity.

Check other sources as well. Remember economic activity is forecast to increase:

https://www.cmegroup.com/trading/energy/natural-gas/uk-nbp-natural-gas-calendar-month.html

Telegraph_Sam

It is a full time job for the professionals trying to predict this kind of thing. I can only assume that Octopus has taken such reports into consideration when making their own forecasts.

BargainBear

bristolleedsfan said:

BargainBear said:

 Gas on fixed 12 month, and electricity left on tracker?

12 Month Fixed Gas S/C direct via Octopus Website which is the rate April renewals have been offered at has been hiked 8.21p per day ( £29.97 per year) since November, by contrast same tariff via comparison sites Gas S/C increase has been 3.15p per day ( £11.50 per year)  since November based on my region ......

12 Month Fixed Dual Fuel direct from Octopus Website was hiked mostly during February apparently intentionally to be within a whisker of current cap level. ( I realise energy cap does not apply to fixed tariffs, as others have said energy companies seem to view energy cap as apparent target to aim for) and that is the rate April 12 Month Fixed renewals for existing customers have been offered - "most popular" Tariff

Whilst my question was more an educational one, as I realise I've now missed the boat for the most current "cold" period, I appreciate all of the responses. I can now apply that knowledge for the coming winter period and fix in a gas tariff instead of being open to the spikes which the tracker saw this winter.

I'm still considering locking in to the Octopus Exclusive 12M Fixed February 2021 v2 for gas, even if it's only for a few months until the tracker price settles and comes down.  For our area the fixed tariff gas unit price is 2.81p, this is currently better than the 3p+ unit price the tracker has been sitting at over the winter period.

I really need look back at the historic charts and analyse the trends for seasonal price changes so I can schedule in some time to research best prices around those periods.