Octopus Tracker

savers_united

Mstty said:

This can't be good news 

BBC News - Germany takes step closer to gas rationing

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61908998

What we will probably see is a shift in supplier / buyer. Russia still has vast amounts of fossil fuels that they need to sell. They will find new buyers in China and India amongst others. That will reduce the demand on existing suppliers that the west are now turning to. Russian knows that Europe are trying to wean themselves off fossil fuels and that market is not going to be there for ever, the likes of China will make more sense long term for them.

There will be pinch points as we transition, but longer term new suppliers should be able to replace Russia based on reduced demand over the next decade. 

savers_united

SJMALBA said:

savers_united said:

The attraction of tracker is the voluntary cap which they seem to have maintained for v1 customers at least until their fixed term expires. From my understanding the other tariffs have had their cap increased, so nothing to stop them removing the cap altogether or raising it with some notice period.

What Octopus have done previously is not a guarantee for any future decisions, I think alot of it is down to the numbers on the tariff at the time and their computer systems. 

You always have the option to jump across to the variable flex but after October it's going to be alot higher so it's still worth keeping an eye on the fixed deals, I have gone with Octopus Go faster for another year at 35p per kwh and 8.25 off peak 5 hours with a 47p SC.

Yes tracker can be alot lower and SC is lower and there is a ceiling for now, but if that gets removed and Go and thr variable flex increases again I am stuck on a higher tariff all round. 

AFAIK, v2 was introduced in order to have a new/higher cap, just as v3 was introduced to have new/higher standing charges; in both cases, it left the previous versions as they were, and while it's not a guarantee, it does give an indication of Octopus' MO in respect of Tracker? However, I imagine it depends on how crazy wholesale prices get, as to whether they maintain their previous practices 'going forward'?

As you say, you are free to move to other tariffs if things don't go the way we hope...

Not sure I am hearing mixed reports, if you read some of the postings on here some are saying they are now aligned with v3 in terms of the cap even though they are on v2, not really sure as not on tracker myself any more.

But when I signed up to it over a year ago it was made clear to me that it's a variable tariff that can go up and down daily. At the time there was no cap, but due to the wild swings we saw last winter Octopus brought in a voluntary 6p for gas that was still approx 2p above the Octopus flexible tariff, those who stayed on it were rewarded in April as the variable rate increased to approx 7.5p tracker remained capped at 6p, I think it's the only tracker tariff to have done this, the new versions only reflect a different standing charge. 

Mstty

savers_united said:

SJMALBA said:

savers_united said:

The attraction of tracker is the voluntary cap which they seem to have maintained for v1 customers at least until their fixed term expires. From my understanding the other tariffs have had their cap increased, so nothing to stop them removing the cap altogether or raising it with some notice period.

What Octopus have done previously is not a guarantee for any future decisions, I think alot of it is down to the numbers on the tariff at the time and their computer systems. 

You always have the option to jump across to the variable flex but after October it's going to be alot higher so it's still worth keeping an eye on the fixed deals, I have gone with Octopus Go faster for another year at 35p per kwh and 8.25 off peak 5 hours with a 47p SC.

Yes tracker can be alot lower and SC is lower and there is a ceiling for now, but if that gets removed and Go and thr variable flex increases again I am stuck on a higher tariff all round. 

AFAIK, v2 was introduced in order to have a new/higher cap, just as v3 was introduced to have new/higher standing charges; in both cases, it left the previous versions as they were, and while it's not a guarantee, it does give an indication of Octopus' MO in respect of Tracker? However, I imagine it depends on how crazy wholesale prices get, as to whether they maintain their previous practices 'going forward'?

As you say, you are free to move to other tariffs if things don't go the way we hope...

Not sure I am hearing mixed reports, if you read some of the postings on here some are saying they are now aligned with v3 in terms of the cap even though they are on v2, not really sure as not on tracker myself any more.

But when I signed up to it over a year ago it was made clear to me that it's a variable tariff that can go up and down daily. At the time there was no cap, but due to the wild swings we saw last winter Octopus brought in a voluntary 6p for gas that was still approx 2p above the Octopus flexible tariff, those who stayed on it were rewarded in April as the variable rate increased to approx 7.5p tracker remained capped at 6p, I think it's the only tracker tariff to have done this, the new versions only reflect a different standing charge. 

V1 is capped at 6p V2&3 11p for gas

k_man

milo_2020 said:

Yea but like take tomorrows 31p average tracker to Agile's almost still pegged to 35p (East of England).

We are at that that borderline level.

Today Agile is 1 to 2p cheaper (even without SC saving).

So today and tomorrow cancel each other out.

When costs are a bit lower, Agile can win if usage can be flexible (reduce peak usage).
When cost go above 33p, Agile starts to win again.

I am however viewing this more as 2 types of fix, one at 35p, SC 21p

The other at 40p, SC 40p.

SJMALBA

Tracker v2 cap is the same as v3, which is how I thought it always was?

SCs on v2 are the same as v1.

milo_2020

I think they both have their own Pro's and their own Con's, your way of looking at it is how I am trying to look at it too.. Lol. 

SJMALBA

Here's today's Tracker unit rates & SCs:

Spoonie_Turtle

For the eastern region it's 

Electricity

Unit rate:36.34 p/kWh

Standing charge:37.65 p/day

Gas

Unit rate:7.88 p/kWh

Standing charge:27.22 p/day

Someone on the other thread for the fixed asked to switch but to delay it. That's an interesting tactic - anyone know if that might be possible for Tracker too?

milo_2020

I am about to try it to delay switching to Agile until end of next month  

savers_united

SJMALBA said:

Tracker v2 cap is the same as v3, which is how I thought it always was?

SCs on v2 are the same as v1.

V2 started out a lower rate but was upped to align with the v3 cap. Most on v2 seem to say that their cap has increased.

So chances are if gas prices go up 50% in October and the flexible tariff it's 10-11p then tracker v4 will likely be launched with a SC more aligned to flexible tariff and a cap 3-4p above the flexible, so it could be a 15p cap next time. If they don't do that and guarantee an 11p cap throughout the winter then tracker is a no brainer for anyone on the flexible tariff once the new Ofgem price cap is announced.