Cannot keep pseudo single rate meter

JBMouse

• Not sure if this is the correct forum for this post, so here goes:
  I was on economy 7 over 10 years ago, but decided back then that I was not benefitting, I currently only use 18% of electric at night, so my then supplier  EDF changed my tariff to a single rate, but leaving the E7 meter in place, using it as a 'pseudo single rate' meter, and I had no problems. I moved supplier to Avro energy in 2019 and they also operated the meter in exactly the same way, pseudo single rate. As they ceased trading I was moved to SOLR, Octopus, and I have had constant problems with them trying to sort out my meter. I received no electricity bill for 6 months, despite emailing them, including photos of the meter, now I have just received a back dated bill but with an economy 7 tariff being applied. To make matters worse they have given me a new MPAN number showing a different code for the time switch portion of the number, I have phoned them and, long story short, they say they cannot do anything and ECOES can't or won't allow it. Am I being given the run around? I do NOT want a smart meter which is their solution  but I don't think this is correct. Can anyone shed any light on this.  Before I retired some many years ago i worked for EDF in Data Collection investigations, so I have some detailed knowledge of the systems in use, but may be out of date now.

Gerry1

You can join EDF as a new customer on their SVT but only if you phone them.

At least that would stop the problem continuing, and you can then take Octopus to the Ombudsman (or the Small Claims Court) if they refuse to recalculate the bill or apply an equivalent goodwill credit.

MWT

JBMouse said:

Am I being given the run around? I do NOT want a smart meter which is their solution  but I don't think this is correct. Can anyone shed any light on this. 

They can do this without a smart meter but all suppliers will try to encourage that solution as they are under pressure to hit the install targets.

I suspect the CS staff you've been dealing with have not been there all that long perhaps.

Just file a complaint and it should get sorted out, use the avro@octopus.energy email address as they will be more familiar with this issue.

They can't change the database entry to make your meter single-rate without physically changing the meter, but they don't have to do that...

 

... just complain and make sure they understand that you just need to be billed as a single-rate meter, you do not need the meter changed and this is something they state they can do...

SAC2334

If you re going to need a new meter which looks like you are, then you will have to accept a smart meter as the solution because the suppliers are saying the old eco 7 and single rate meters are obsolete.
Whats the problem with a smart meter ? end of the day its just another meter, albeit a user unfriendly meter especially the nightmare Secure Liberty meters.  Maybe you can have one which is not connected to the comms hub so it just acts as a normal meter set for single rate. Your supplier could do that possibly .
I used to read meters in areas where Eco 7 s were installed to most properties even if you had full GCH . With these new toxic rates for Eco 7 which the UK are being conned with now, the suppliers who used to do Eco 7 at really low rates with the day and night rates almost the same are long gone , Eg Yorkshire Energy for one. 
All these areas , eg Sutton in Ashfield, Worksop ,Retford  will be in the same boat and will be wanting their Eco 7 s changing to single rate only .  
Many Eco 7 s were installed mainly near large power stations to encourage night rate use to keep the power stations busier  at night .Amazing how many there are who all have had GCH from new but had Eco 7 meters 

JBMouse

My job, before I retired, involved sorting out all the system mix ups with meter rates, especially E7, and transposed mpans, and all manner of foul ups, so I used to be up to date, but now I am not, so I need to know if pseudo single rate meters are still acceptable to ecoes/mpas, and how could octopus change my mpan without informing me, and changing the tariff unilaterally. I have a tel no for ecoes, may try them.