Octopus Tracker

vivalaeric

Hi there,

I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

tlcgrantham

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

vivalaeric

tlcgrantham said:

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

What does Octopus do when you do manual readings? Do they do an average from Tracker? How do they wage it?

I know that the gas rates will go up in December but for most of the time, these rates have been well below the cap.

I would still go for Tracker with manual readings. I just wanted to find out about the billing and actually saving up?

I'm in Southern England and they've offered me 6.99p + standing charge 27.47p for fixed gas.

MultiFuelBurner

tlcgrantham said:

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

Do you think you will have an issue with the new terms and conditions that require a smart meter for tracker. Or is your gas meter smart just not able to connect to send readings?

vivalaeric

MultiFuelBurner said:

tlcgrantham said:

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

Do you think you will have an issue with the new terms and conditions that require a smart meter for tracker. Or is your gas meter smart just not able to connect to send readings?

It it a smart meter. They were trying to fix it by installing a different gas meter by it didn't connect in the end. That's why I've been doing manual readings. My gas meter is on the ground floor and the electric meter room is on the 1st floor.

Spoonie_Turtle

vivalaeric said:

tlcgrantham said:

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

What does Octopus do when you do manual readings? Do they do an average from Tracker? How do they wage it?

…

I just wanted to find out about the billing 

If they don't have smart data then they will apply an industry formula to apportion the usage across the period between readings.  So it's not exactly averaging out, but estimating.  However estimates aren't a problem if you give frequent readings, or if your usage is fairly consistent with the main variable being the weather/temperature.

tlcgrantham

They estimate your gas usage per day using an industry formula which works out similar to actual use. I’ve been on gas tracker for 18months and keep daily records of my actual usage ( i.e. reading the meter every day) and compare it with the estimated daily use on the bill. Mostly it’s surprisingly close but it does vary but overall it’s never much out. You can of course send a meter reading everyday to octopus and get a daily bill.

masonic

vivalaeric said:

I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

You could submit daily readings if you wished. It might be worthwhile to submit more frequent readings when the prices are most volatile, if you cut down on usage when prices are high.

vivalaeric

masonic said:

vivalaeric said:

I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

You could submit daily readings if you wished. It might be worthwhile to submit more frequent readings when the prices are most volatile, if you cut down on usage when prices are high.

 tlcgrantham said:

They estimate your gas usage per day using an industry formula which works out similar to actual use. I’ve been on gas tracker for 18months and keep daily records of my actual usage ( i.e. reading the meter every day) and compare it with the estimated daily use on the bill. Mostly it’s surprisingly close but it does vary but overall it’s never much out. You can of course send a meter reading everyday to octopus and get a daily bill.

Spoonie_Turtle said:

vivalaeric said:

tlcgrantham said:

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

What does Octopus do when you do manual readings? Do they do an average from Tracker? How do they wage it?

…

I just wanted to find out about the billing 

If they don't have smart data then they will apply an industry formula to apportion the usage across the period between readings.  So it's not exactly averaging out, but estimating.  However estimates aren't a problem if you give frequent readings, or if your usage is fairly consistent with the main variable being the weather/temperature.

Daily billing? I can't be bothered. I could do this once a week.
I'm away in December so I wouldn't pay the highest rates.
So Tracker with manual readings or Fixed?

bristolleedsfan

vivalaeric said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

tlcgrantham said:

vivalaeric said:

Hi there,
H
I'm on tracker for electricity and its has been good so far, better than flexible and fixed.
I have smart meters for both electric and gas, but my gas meter doesn't connect (gas meter ground floor and electric meter 1st floor, try tried to fix it by installing) and I've been doing manual readings since last year.
I want to go on tracker for gas too but is it worth to be on tracker and do manual readings, let's say once a week, or should I stay on flexible (6.99p at the moment)?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum. I’m on Tracker for both but with a smart meter for electricity and a non smart meter for gas. I submit a manual reading about once a month for gas and don’t find it a chore. Surely you’d have to continue submitting manual readings whatever tariff your on unless Octopus can resolve the connection problems? If you’re happy to take the risk go for gas tracker or perhaps consider their fixed tariff at the same rate as flexible. 

Do you think you will have an issue with the new terms and conditions that require a smart meter for tracker. Or is your gas meter smart just not able to connect to send readings?

It it a smart meter. They were trying to fix it by installing a different gas meter by it didn't connect in the end. That's why I've been doing manual readings. My gas meter is on the ground floor and the electric meter room is on the 1st floor.

Have you asked Octopus if it is ok with them to go on gas tracker without a working smart meter?

Taken from product guide " We currently require anyone switching to Tracker to have a working smart meter. Unlike with other other smart tariffs, if your smart meter stops sending readings, you won't be forced to switch to another tariff, as we are able to bill based on monthly meter readings"