Octopus Energy takes on Avro customers

Consumerist

If the statement is dated 21 Dec it wouldn't include a payment made on the 24th but are you sure it includes charges to 02 Jan.

Perhaps look at your online account to see what's recorded there. Have a look at meter reading dates too.

Tabatha_Kitten

Consumerist said:

If the statement is dated 21 Dec it wouldn't include a payment made on the 24th but are you sure it includes charges to 02 Jan.

Perhaps look at your online account to see what's recorded there. Have a look at meter reading dates too.

Yep. Correct.
Statement is dated 21st Dec 2021 but charges for both gas & eleccy are up 2nd Jan 2022.
Payment on 24th Dec reflected in online balance but not included on the statement.

Consumerist

Presumably, you submitted readings around 2nd Jan.

It looks like some of these statements are being produced manually - and not too well.

With any luck, now, with the return of automatic issues of statements when readings are submitted, it will all sort itself out when the next statement is issued. But it doesn't give you much confidence in their statements.

BooJewels

I've been with Octopus on another account for some time now and they're head and shoulders above any other supplier I've used, in respect of billing.  I take a meter reading, work out what I think it will cost, submit the meter reading.  Within minutes my balance adjusts by around the amount I worked out and a couple of hours later I get a statement for the same amount.  If I'm out by more than a couple of pennies I feel crestfallen - occasionally I mis-count the days and it's the standing charge I've got wrong that accounts for any difference.  I've stayed with Octopus because their billing has been so reliable.

Even now, with the account that has moved to them from Avro (a different, estate property), my Octopus billing is within a quid of my own estimates since September and I didn't work it out to mid-month when the tariff changed.  

oliverbrown

Maybe one day I will experience this legendary billing. I've been 4 months without being able to supply a reading to Octopus.

Pantile1

I am trying to remain patient with Octopus but the lack of any action so fare down the line is worrying me.  Avro have 2 months worth of direct debits £252 still to be refunded and Octopus have now taken 3 months worth of direct debits £468.  I have given Octopus 3 sets of meter readings (gas and electric) and still no sign of a bill/refund etc and with the possible increase in energy costs I just want to know where I stand.  I think I heard Martin Lewis advise someone on his TV programme recently to officially complain - I tried through Twitter and got the stick reply of "We are working etc....." and I'm really not sure how or if to take it further.  Anyone else in a similar situation at the moment?

victor2

Pantile1 said:

I am trying to remain patient with Octopus but the lack of any action so fare down the line is worrying me.  Avro have 2 months worth of direct debits £252 still to be refunded and Octopus have now taken 3 months worth of direct debits £468.  I have given Octopus 3 sets of meter readings (gas and electric) and still no sign of a bill/refund etc and with the possible increase in energy costs I just want to know where I stand.  I think I heard Martin Lewis advise someone on his TV programme recently to officially complain - I tried through Twitter and got the stick reply of "We are working etc....." and I'm really not sure how or if to take it further.  Anyone else in a similar situation at the moment?

Same situation. I emailed them the other day to ask what was going on. Got this reply:

I can confirm that we are still waiting for your final Avro statement and account balance to be transferred over. We will then issue an up to date statement and your account will be back on track! 

It might still take a couple of weeks for us to receive this, and please note that you will be notified via email once this is complete.

Any credit you had with Avro will be transferred over to your account in the next few weeks & you will also be able to view the Avro final bill via the Octopus dashboard once issued.

In the meantime we appreciate your patience and please let me know if you have any other queries.

The Avro final bill was generated last November.

Consumerist

Pantile1 said:

I am trying to remain patient with Octopus but the lack of any action so fare down the line is worrying me. . . and I'm really not sure how or if to take it further. . .

I agree this has now become very frustrating.

The formal approach would be to make a formal complaint; you can do this by email. I can predict that Octopus will blame the administrators, covid-19, Uncle Tom Cobley and all.

It is likely it would all be sorted by the time the Ombudsman gets to look at the complaint; but only the Ombudsman can decide whether to award any compensation in the circumstances.

It does seem to me that 4 months is a long time to complete the transfer - but then I haven't been through the SoLR process before this.

gt94sss2

Consumerist said:

It does seem to me that 4 months is a long time to complete the transfer - but then I haven't been through the SoLR process before this.

I don't think anyone will get any joy from the Ombudsman. We were with another supplier that collapsed before Avro and still haven't received our previous credit balance back yet either.

In addition, the Avro collapse impacted a lot more customers..

Unfortunately, lengthy delays are normal with SoLR transfers 

westv

Pantile1 said:

I am trying to remain patient with Octopus but the lack of any action so fare down the line is worrying me.  Avro have 2 months worth of direct debits £252 still to be refunded and Octopus have now taken 3 months worth of direct debits £468.  I have given Octopus 3 sets of meter readings (gas and electric) and still no sign of a bill/refund etc and with the possible increase in energy costs I just want to know where I stand.  I think I heard Martin Lewis advise someone on his TV programme recently to officially complain - I tried through Twitter and got the stick reply of "We are working etc....." and I'm really not sure how or if to take it further.  Anyone else in a similar situation at the moment?

Did Octopus set up those DDs or did you set them up yourself? I've not had any DDs taken by them yet but I'm probably further back in the process.