Octopus not helping

BooJewels

Pericles1st said:

I’ve checked and my smart meter was installed 19 May 2021. I am extremely frugal

In that case, my numbers for pre-June were a chunk off - you used even less than I'd guessed during the early days of the new meter.  From 19th May 2021 to 13th June 2022, which is 390 days, you used 1023m³ (assuming that the new meter started at 0), which is 2.62m³ per day on average - including a full winter - and a total cost of around £950 - a significantly smaller fraction of your post June usage of just under 17m³ per day since.

As @Jyana suggested - you need to try and remember - or find the paperwork, as presumably you got a bill and made payment - of the new radiator installation.  Your meter readings do suggest that it might have been around 13th July - at least, that's where the problem seems to have started.

[Deleted User]

2Sheds said:

Pericles1st said:

Here are the readings
13august 1614.0
28august 2309
consumotion 695
bill £549.27

I was away from 22-25th august

Blimey has someone tapped into your supply !!

Greg Jackson CEO of Octopus gives his email on Twitter (Customer issues: email greg@octopus.energy  for best response), add that to all your emails and let them know your rasiing a complaint to Offgem and the https://www.ombudsman-services.org/

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/making-complaint-about-your-energy-supplier-or-network-operator

When Octopus replied keep at them saying it's not good enough as they'll drag their heels, once I mentioned the Ombudsman-Services when I was owed money it turned up that week.

"Please confirm by close of play Friday, upon when I will have to formally complain via the Ombudsman Services."

The Energy Ombudsman will not accept a complaint unless the supplier's formal complaints procedure has been followed in full or deadlocked by the supplier. Threats of ' I will formally complain via Ombudsman Services' is no threat to the supplier at all.

Pericles1st

The radiator was installed on 1st June. A long time before the bills went crazy. Boiler going off at 10.30 . I will see what happens. Thank you for your support 

Misslayed

When I got my bill (by email) on 15/08 I noticed there was no charge for gas, just electricity. I replied to the email pointing it out. A few hours later I got this reply:

This is because we didn't receive a reading from your smart meter. I've pulled a reading but it's quite high compared to your previous usage patterns, please could you send me a photo of your gas meter so I can check the reading?

I duly sent a photo, next day got this response:

Hello XXX

Thank you for the photo. I've looked into this and unfortunately I haven't been able to generate a gas bill for you as of yet. This is because I believe your meter was impacted by a meter firmware issue earlier this year. We have a fix for this issue, I just need to look at how it may have impacted billing on your account.

I've asked a specialist to look into it so we can solve the problem as soon as possible and I'll update you as soon as I can. 

Best wishes, 

Elle B

Octopus energy specialist

And a few days later:

Just a quick update for you. Your case is with our specialist but unfortunately they're in high demand at the moment so they have not had chance to look at your account yet. Apologies for this, I'll update you again as soon as I hear more. 

Best wishes, 

Elle B

Octopus energy specialist

My smart meter readings online show I used £385 worth of gas in the last month!

So it looks like it's a known issue and they are dealing with it, I've just been lucky in that I'm being kept informed. 

pochase

When did you contact them about the issue? I don't think you have mentioned that at all.

MoneyGeoff

Is the gas meter still going up even with the boiler off? Is there a lever near the meter that allows you to easily shut off the gas completely? Does the meter number on your bill match the number on your meter?

Pericles1st

Thank you re the gas meter situation. Very interesting. At least you had a response. I spoke with people twice and have sent about 6 emails. Nothing to say ooops we think there is a problem. Just another enormous bill! Am leaving boiler off for another hour. That will make it 3 hours and I can check if any difference. 

Irratus_Rusticus

Probably shouldn't join in but been following this for a while.

The problem is two rogue gas bills? A question was whether having a new radiator somehow redirected other flats' gas pipes to OP's gas meter? Surely even the greatest eejit of an untrained gas fitter would have to go some to relocate all the gas supply pipes like this? Fitting a new radiator requires isolating the old one's water supply, not the flat's gas supply. Fitter might have to switch off the boiler for a moment. No reason to go a-changing any gas pipe runs? Do radiators have gas pipes?

If boiler was using all the miscreant gas, surely you'd hear it's gas burner all the time, and the radiators would be hot, leastways any without a thermostatic valve.

If OP has internet access, or help to set up online account with Octopus, could check if O have the smart meter data? Not just estimating wildly. Tho' why they would spike estimates, no idea. Mystery.

Pericles1st

It was a British Gas fitter who did the extra work. So not an issue re doing things to pipes. Also the two bills came much later. Still disturbing that £900 is the bill for under two months and no activity. Am sure something will happen soon especially as others experiencing a similar situation 

BooJewels

@Pericles1st - What did the meter do with your boiler switched off - you presumably have put it back on now?

@Irratus_Rusticus - I wasn't suggesting that the gas had been redirected when the rad was replaced as the gas supply wouldn't need to be touched for that process - but if he turned the gas off to do the work at the meter (not sure he'd even do that, just the water), it might have tripped an error within the meter itself.  The timing was suggestive, that's all.

But the firmware update causing an issue with the meter sounds like a much more plausible explanation.   It's very possible that if this is a known issue over many customers, Octopus may have just added the OP to a queue of accounts to be looked at - hence they've not had a reply yet.