Not possible to switch from Bulb to Octopus?

norsefox

I'm in a quandary right now.  We have had solar recently installed, and will have an EV later this month.

We've been with Bulb for some time, and I had been hoping the transfer to Octopus would occur smoothly.  With challenges and a potential judicial review, this doesn't look like it will happen quickly.

Given my wife can charge the car for free at work, getting onto an EV tariff won't be as beneficial as it would be otherwise.  With the solar panels, the Octopus SEG (Outgoing Octopus) is likely to be the most beneficial tariff.  Though it won't help right now, it will likely be useful into Spring and Summer.

I just called Octopus and the call centre wouldn't entertain a direct transfer as their system won't allow it.  Is this anyone else's experience, or is there another method to make it happen?

The workaround could be to switch to another provider, and then to Octopus, but that seems fairly absurd...

Also, we don't have a smart meter yet.  Bulb won't do it online, and their customer service is dreadful.  I'll keep on pushing them, but it may be the new supplier (ideally Octopus, who did quote 4-6 weeks) might be the better option.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like Octopus is playing ‘hardball’. I assume that in the takeover negotiations there must have been some allowance made for the costs saved for such things as customer referral costs. You are an Octopus customer in all but name unless a Judicial Review decides otherwise. The only option that you have is to switch to ANOther supplier; wait 28 days and then switch to Octopus.

 I hope your EV is Intelligent Octopus capable as I have a modest bet with a colleague that the Go tariff’s days are numbered. The Go Faster tariff has already been withdrawn and it is unlikely to reappear.

PS If you are on Go, Octopus Outgoing is limited to 4.1p/kWh. E7 and Agile Octopus Outgoing may give a better return from next Spring onwards.

norsefox

[Deleted User] said:

Sounds like Octopus is playing ‘hardball’. I assume that in the takeover negotiations there must have been some allowance made for the costs saved for such things as customer referral costs. You are an Octopus customer in all but name unless a Judicial Review decides otherwise. The only option that you have is to switch to ANOther supplier; wait 28 days and then switch to Octopus.

 I hope your EV is Intelligent Octopus capable as I have a modest bet with a colleague that the Go tariff’s days are numbered. The Go Faster tariff has already been withdrawn and it is unlikely to reappear.

PS If you are on Go, Octopus Outgoing is limited to 4.1p/kWh. E7 and Agile Octopus Outgoing may give a better return from next Spring onwards.

Thanks for the response.  

The EV is a Renault, so not currently supported for Intelligent Octopus.  Currently, neither is the installed charger.

Agile Octopus is definitely our preference, as my wife will be able to charge the car a couple of times per week at work (how long that lasts, we'll see) so the benefits of a lower overnight charging cost are somewhat reduced. 

Though I work from home much of the week, having a home battery makes no economical sense, and being able to sell energy back to the grid at a decent (though variable) rate, seems likely to be more beneficial than the overnight reduced rate.

The dragging of the Bulb transfer is frustrating, but we won't likely be exporting anything until February/March so there is still time.

I will continue to hound Bulb to get the smart meter installed...

Alnat1

Can I suggest ringing Octopus again, you might get a different response from a different customer services person. State that your reason for moving is to get the Outgoing Agile tariff.

Took me 3 calls to get moved over in MarchApril last year, when we had the solar fitted.

nologo

Speak for yourself 😀 I've exported 10kw today.