Octopus flexible tariff no longer on offer

MissLFC

Have been with Octopus almost a year, cheap fix ends next month. Had a look on their site for new tariffs on offer to me- greenest, fixed & flexible. This morning the flexible option is gone. Will they put another one up at some point or is it too late? Not even sure which one I was going to go with just wondering why it has gone!

razord

Nope - just don't do anything. They have to put you on it, even if it's not advertised to new customers.

I suspect many suppliers will be trying to push people hard into taking a new fix in their renewal emails without mentioning the standard variable will be cheaper - but they have to put you on that if you don't accept a new fixed contract.

pink_pirlie

My fix just ended with Octopus and I've been put on the standard flexible tariff. My account shows Flexible Octopus July 2021 v1. 

[Deleted User]

pink_pirlie said:

My fix just ended with Octopus and I've been put on the standard flexible tariff. My account shows Flexible Octopus July 2021 v1. 

That is the ‘do nothing’ default tariff. The flexible tariff is still showing on CEC as being available but not on Octopus’ quote page.

Umiamz

I wonder if you can switch to them on a fixed tariff then ask them to change you to Flexible Octopus...

schrodingers_tariff

You will get moved to the variable as others have said, but in case anyone is reading this who is trying to get into Octopus variable from elswhere either ring or email them rather than trying to do it online. They will do a manual switch for you.

gboy25

Sorry just to piggy back on this. I am in a similar position- my fixed rate ends December 1st. I emailed about options in a bit of a panic and there next fixed rate for 2 years will be nearly 300 s year more (I live alone and am a lower consmer). Should I take on a new fixed rate or just get put on the variable when my fixed rate is up?

chewyluis

gboy25 said:

Sorry just to piggy back on this. I am in a similar position- my fixed rate ends December 1st. I emailed about options in a bit of a panic and there next fixed rate for 2 years will be nearly 300 s year more (I live alone and am a lower consmer). Should I take on a new fixed rate or just get put on the variable when my fixed rate is up?

Currently, any new fixed rate deal is almost certainly going to be well above the current energy cap on a variable tariff.

MoneySaverNeil

I finish my 12 month Fixed deal on 11th Oct.  Been paying £79 per month.  The new 12 month Fixed tariff on their website wants me to pay in excess of £200 per month !  And they've removed the 'Flexible Octopus' tariff from their list.  Fortunately, thanks to Martin Lewis, I know to 'Do Nothing', and just drop onto the much cheaper flexible plan they no longer show on their website.

But I'm disappointed that Octopus, who I've seen as much more reputable than the Big 6 (4), should behave in this way, removing the only sensible tariff and trying to tempt vulnerable and confused customers onto excessively priced tariffs that are blatantly not good for them !

A jump from £79 to £220 for exactly the same deal and power usage is shocking.  What if I'd just lost my extra £20 per week UC ?  It's time for reality to intrude, and the nonsense of Boris conference speech should be seen for the disgrace that it was. 

MWT

MoneySaverNeil said:

But I'm disappointed that Octopus, who I've seen as much more reputable than the Big 6 (4), should behave in this way, removing the only sensible tariff and trying to tempt vulnerable and confused customers onto excessively priced tariffs that are blatantly not good for them !

Are you talking about an email you have been sent with your option on it, or are you using the 'quote' option on the web page?

They stopped offering the SVT to new customers so you do not see it via the 'quote' option, but it remains visible on the full current tariff list.

Similarly if they sent you an email about your choices I'd expect it to mention that if you do not pick a new fix that you would move on to their SVT..?

wittynamegoeshere

Many suppliers seem to be denying the existence of the variable tariff at the moment, as they don't want you to choose it.

It's deliberately misleading, and is probably mis-selling.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if claims companies are offering to reclaim all the extra paid next year, once people start to see the massive direct debits coming out of their bank accounts.  But they'll probably all be bankrupt by then anyway.