Octopus Energy

Jeanie_Harman

Having given my exact energy use over the last year Octopus offered a very favourable at a reduced monthly payment. So I changed to them as my supplier. Just one month in and they are saying that as I estimated (!!!!) lower than my actual usage they have to double my monthly payment. Clearly they just offered low rates to get the business and did not base their quote on the figures given. I see on their website that they are going to take the increased dd as from the next payment. They also say that they recommend I pay an amount which is approximately £8pm less than they are planning to take. Three irate emails to them later (sent well spread out over a couple of weeks) but with no reply I receive a request ( a few days ago) for meter readings, which I gave them. Today, eventually, I get an email saying that if I give them up to date meter readings they will see if my account is ok and in the meantime they will return my dd to the original amount. I have tried to change my payment on the website but it says it doesn’t recognise the amount I entered as a valid figure (63.50). I also told them in the email that I was happy to pay the recommended amount.
Can’t get through on the phone. Don’t respond to emails until I threaten to change supplier again. Don’t appear to read the email or look at the account properly. Website that is not fully functional. If things don’t change soon then I shall certainly change suppliers again and wouldn’t recommend them to anyone.

Capyboppy

Today I have had an email from them stating I use £15 more a month than my £68 and I should be paying £80 a month. I have actually dropped it from my original estimate from them of £74 a month as I put in the £200 credit that was returned to me from Bulb. As well as this there was also a £50 referral credit as well as the first payment of £74. Off the top of my head I have nearly £300 credit with them and there will be another £200 once I get the winter payment for the over 60s from the Government. It is quite obvious they have not taken this into account as even based on £80 for the winter months - lets say it is the next 4 months. It  does not need to be put back up to £80:  4 X £68 = £272 + £400 approx = £672. Take away the £320 they have estimated I use that still puts me in credit by £352. Surely they can see that by my account?

I left SP and then Bulb thinking this was going to be an ethical and straightforward company. I do hope all those of us who swapped are not wrong!

 In fairness there was a link to click with various options to keep or change the amounts and also one to contact them to say why it should stay the same.  This is the option I have taken so I am hoping when they contact me it will be to acknowledge that they have not taken the credit into account. They were decent enough at the beginning to delay the very first payment until I both received the credit from Bulb; this was along with the eventual first payment of £74 ('Ive made 2 to date); an additional payment of £20 (me showing willing) plus the £50 referral amount. They have got everything right so far so they need to really look at our accounts and take on board what we are pointing out.

Like you, if they don't respond in a suitable manner, I will be looking to swap again although I can't do with the hassle really.  There has been a lot of talk about having gas and electric from separate companies  which was something  I had considered but I was so exhausted looking at all the different companies tariffs and working them out for our annual consumption minus all the credit we had accrued. I did think of Ovo as they/or did give 5% interest on balances. But I believe their customer services have gone down plus their tariffs have gone up.  I suppose I could always just ask them to refund my credit, pay the £80 and just put in the credit money difference each month, but it is one extra thing to have to remember and worry about. I hope you get it sorted  Jeanie with your issues. I shall update if and when I hear back from them.

Capyboppy

How bizarre is this. They're trying to tell me my payment is going up after I lowered it because of the credit. Why on earth don't they just wait until the balance has gone down? (That's before I was going to put in the other £200).  They are even contradicting themselves by saying, "Why don't you return money back to your bank account?  Words fail me.

[Deleted User]

I am not here to defend how Kraken* works but I can say, with confidence that if you use the built in ability to set your own DD payment in My Account, Kraken will not object. I have been with Octopus for 2 1/2 years, and I set my monthly DD payments based on maintaining a small credit balance. 

*Kraken - Octopus’ bespoke billing system now licensed to some other UK suppliers.

clive0510

I been with octopus for a about a year now and last week I sent them my first meter reading since I been with them. they emailed me a few days later telling me they owe me £3. I did originally  apply to have a smart meter fitted so wouldn't have to bother with meter readings. that was going to go ahead, and then in the spring as we all know, it all got called off. so just waiting to here now. otherwise ok

Capyboppy

Dolor said:

I am not here to defend how Kraken* works but I can say, with confidence that if you use the built in ability to set your own DD payment in My Account, Kraken will not object. I have been with Octopus for 2 1/2 years, and I set my monthly DD payments based on maintaining a small credit balance. 

*Kraken - Octopus’ bespoke billing system now licensed to some other UK suppliers.

So why is it saying they are going to alter my payments to £83.10p a month? I have already altered it to £68 with having so much credit. The very fact they are saying in the same breath it is going up/request money to be returned to your bank account is bizarre. It should be one or the other.

Jeanie_Harman

[Deleted User] said:

I am not here to defend how Kraken* works but I can say, with confidence that if you use the built in ability to set your own DD payment in My Account, Kraken will not object. I have been with Octopus for 2 1/2 years, and I set my monthly DD payments based on maintaining a small credit balance. 

*Kraken - Octopus’ bespoke billing system now licensed to some other UK suppliers.

Yes I saw that option on the website and tried to use it. It kept telling me to enter a valid amount. I tried 63.50 and £63.50 and it wouldn’t accept either. Useless

Scorpioangel

This is a company that I would advise anyone to avoid; they are utterly incompetent. I have just moved from them and attempting to get a final bill based on actual readings appears to be impossible.
BTW, I was transferred to them when my last supplier went bust and stayed because I couldn't see a better deal over the couple of years I was with them, but, I never set up a DD, just paid on receipt of the bill. With the current debacle i am glad I did it that way

MWT

Scorpioangel said:

This is a company that I would advise anyone to avoid; they are utterly incompetent. I have just moved from them and attempting to get a final bill based on actual readings appears to be impossible.

Not sure if this is the source of your problem, but they, like all energy suppliers, are not allowed to just use the actual readings when you switch away, they have to use whatever the 3rd party intermediary judges your readings should have been.

It is crazy but those are the rules for switching, both losing and gaining suppliers have to use the same readings so you don't get charged twice for the same energy, but unless there is a large difference between your reading and the calculated reading, they have to use the calculated one...

FFS2020

Scorpioangel said:

This is a company that I would advise anyone to avoid; they are utterly incompetent. I have just moved from them and attempting to get a final bill based on actual readings appears to be impossible.
BTW, I was transferred to them when my last supplier went bust and stayed because I couldn't see a better deal over the couple of years I was with them, but, I never set up a DD, just paid on receipt of the bill. With the current debacle i am glad I did it that way

So that is an option with them then?  To just scrap the DD altogether and pay each bill manually as and when it comes?  I'd much rather do that but not sure how to set it up.

Hargreaves1910

I just transferred my gas to Zog. I found Octopus pretty useless after one year and will soon be moving my electric as well. They are still aking me to supply a gas meter reading!