Octopus energy tracker tariff billing issue

Jojomissy

I swapped to the tracker tariff a few weeks ago and I have had a bill which I consider higher than normal.

I was previously on Go tariff but the new electric car was delayed so swapped to this tariff as it is cheaper, especially as the rates have been lower over the pandemic.

I have attached some screenshots as I am confused, the app states I use an average of 10kwh per day but the meter reading I put through is 3 times higher. 
I have never had a bill generated and had to chase them with Octopus but I read if you put a meter reading in it generates a bill so this is what I have done to generate the bill, even though they receive 30min readings from my meter.

I have added screenshots of my average daily usage from their app and then a copy of this mornings bill for 3 weeks usage.

Can anybody see anything obvious before I contact them as it does not make sense for me.

Thank you for reading

MWT

Firstly, if you have concerns about your bill or any problems on one of the 'smart' tariffs, I would suggest using the following email address rather than the normal support email:

smart@octopus.energy

I also wouldn't suggest entering your own meter readings once you are on a smart meter, it is better to let the meter do the work, but if for any reason the data is not correctly received it can delay billing while they obtain the missing data, but an email to the above address should help get that fixed.

In this case though, it would appear that by entering the meter readings you have prompted their system to generate a bill using your readings which on the Tracker tariff will have been apportioned across the billing period rather than by using the actual daily 30 min data.

... but it does look as though something is wrong with the readings you have given them.

Where did you get the meter readings from? ... the meter or the IHD?

Jojomissy

The reading is from my meter taken yesterday morning. I have just been down to double check and the meter reads 4849 which is 8 units which sounds about right.

I have never entered a reading before this as they always assured me they were getting 30 minute readings although I never had a regular bill generated.

MWT

So the '8th May customer reading' isn't something you entered?

I would email smart@octopus.energy and let them know that you didn't provide that reading and it has caused a large bill to be generated incorrectly.

... in future though I wouldn't try to work around the system by providing readings once you are on a smart meter, just use the email address for the smart team.

Also, when you email them, ask if you can be invited to the 'Octopus Energy Forum', you'll find a lot of current users of the smart tariffs post there, along with app developers and Octopus staff. It is a very helpful place and will answer many questions you may have as a current customer.

Jojomissy

On 12th March I have a photo of a reading on my phone stating 3994.
On 8th May they are saying they read 4083.
Then 3 weeks later it jumps massively to 4841.
There is no way we have used that much and their app states the same. 
Confused 

MWT

If the 8th May reading is reasonable then the current reading appears to be wrong...

Either way the problem is going to be related to the meter reading you have given them.

Do you have the 'In Home Device' (IHD) available?

I'd always recommend taking the meter readings directly from the meter, but some of the smart meters do not make that easy and present other readings that are not the kWh reading you need as well as the real reading, so checking the IHD may help verify if you are giving them the correct meter reading...

Jojomissy

I was advised to press 9 on the meter which brings up this reading in KWh. It is stating around 8kwh since yesterday which is about right.
I do not use the IHD. I read everything from the meter and use the octopus app. It is only this past fee weeks where the usage has jumped on the meter but not according to the app.

Thanks for trying to help me with this.

Jojomissy

Ok, I think I have given them the incorrect reading.

When the engineer fitted the meter he told me to press 9. On octopus site it says press 6 numerous times which gives a reading of 4104 so my error.

This was a meter fitted by eversmart before they went bust, I then moved to Outfox the Market where it turned to a dumb meter so I fear I have been giving the wrong readings. 

When I joined octopus they managed to reactivate to a smart meter but as I said they never generated Bill's and I have been with them since February.

So the error is mine 

MWT

When did you switch to the Tracker from Go?

While you were on 'Go' you would have been getting two meter readings, a day and a night reading, you access those differently on the Secure 100 meter as per the instructions on the Octopus website FAQ.

When you press 9 on that meter it gives you the combined total for both day and night registers, which it the correct reading to use with the Tracker, but I wonder if that May 8th reading is just the day reading?

You can get a clue to help see if that is what is going on by accessing the day/night readings on the meter and see if the current day reading difference from that May 8th reading makes more sense and matches the total of the daily readings in the web portal...

https://octopus.energy/help-and-faqs/categories/meters/read-my-secure-smart-meter/

... in any event I still think this is a billing anomaly that the Smart team can sort out for you, but do take a look at the meter readings again if you want to figure out how it might have happened...

Jojomissy

I have always used the press 9 approach when the meter turned dumb with Outfox.
I did not give readings to Octopus except an opening one as the meter was still dumb. I was on their starter tariff for a few days which was single rate, I then moved to Go which is 2 rate but they took the reading from the smart meter.

The car was then delayed with the Pandemic so I was advised on here to swap to tracker. I was informed by Octopus it was complicated due to moving from 2 rate to one and would take 6 weeks but mysteriously it was changed the following day and my bills adjusted.

Still confused but they seem to be getting the same readings as I do pressing 6 a few times rather than 9 which I previously did.

Thanks again.