Octopus Energy Shady Business Practices

Spoonie_Turtle

niktheguru said:

TheElectricCow said:

Stubod said:

..click bate post from a newbie??

I don’t think it’s fair to immediately jump to that conclusion, the OP could genuinely be having an issue with their account or may just have made a simple mistake when setting the amount. I agree calling it a “shady business practice” is a bit of a stretch, but they have justified their beliefs and have explained why they feel the system is unfavourable to customers based on the facts as they understand them. Everyone here was a newbie at some point.

This will entirely depend on if the OP bothers to engage again in his/her thread. There's always a suspicion when there's a long "first post" from someone who then doesn't contribute despite a lot of advice from other posters.

I get staggered in this day and age how so many people start crying wolf as soon as there is no automatic online way to do something. Calling customer services isn't hard and usually gets very quick resolution to problems. Now if the op had tried this and got no where, then I'd have sympathy with him/her but it sounds as though they havent.

Might not be hard for you but it is for a lot of people, for all sorts of reasons.  Writing an e-mail is often easier than phoning but still not necessarily easy.  (You would not believe the energy and anxiety it takes me to draft and send even a simple few lines of an important e-mail where clear communication is needed.  I'm much better at it after successful experiences than I was before but still can't just type one and send it straight away.)

However I certainly agree the OP is stretching with calling it shady business practice!  And if they don't return to engage in the thread - if, many people don't realise how busy this board is at first - then yes it casts doubt on the value of their post.

Xbigman

TheElectricCow said:

Xbigman said:

I have the same problem as SRGreenwood. My Gas account hasn't set up properly and the DD adjustment screen doesn't work.

I get to this screen;



and then it goes straight to this screen.




There is no option to change anything. Its clear something is not right rather than a scam. I'm waiting for a reply to an email at the moment and I expect this to be sorted fairly soon. Of course a million or so Bulb customers might be in the queue in front of me so I'll just be patient and wait it out.


Darren.

As discussed in the earlier replies, the place you set the amount is at the bottom of your first screenshot - see circled area below:
You need to click there and replace that £46.28 with your own number, then press the big purple “Update payment amount” button to confirm the change.

I can't click on it, that's what's broken.



Darren

 

Gerry1

Xbigman said:

TheElectricCow said:

Xbigman said:

I have the same problem as SRGreenwood. My Gas account hasn't set up properly and the DD adjustment screen doesn't work.

I get to this screen;



and then it goes straight to this screen.




There is no option to change anything. Its clear something is not right rather than a scam. I'm waiting for a reply to an email at the moment and I expect this to be sorted fairly soon. Of course a million or so Bulb customers might be in the queue in front of me so I'll just be patient and wait it out.


Darren.

As discussed in the earlier replies, the place you set the amount is at the bottom of your first screenshot - see circled area below:
You need to click there and replace that £46.28 with your own number, then press the big purple “Update payment amount” button to confirm the change.

I can't click on it, that's what's broken.

Darren

@Xbigman

It's probably down to your browser settings.  Try disabling any ad blocker and allowing cookies, or try some other browsers.

MWT

This does come up as an issue sometimes with accounts that are transitioned under the SoLR scheme.

Generally once the transition is complete the DD change option is available but sometimes it doesn't happen properly and it can take a call / email to support to get it fixed.

molerat

Gerry1 said:

@Xbigman

It's probably down to your browser settings.  Try disabling any ad blocker and allowing cookies, or try some other browsers.

That is certainly a possibility.  There are many sites that do not work with correctly different browsers or settings, I have found clickable boxes a particular problem.  EDF was one at the time Zog customers were transferred where some options were not appearing on account screens with different browsers.

Jaybee_16

When I was transferred from Bulb to Octopus I thought the monthly DD too low but wasn't able to change it on their website. Once the first months payment had been paid to Octopus, I went back onto their website and was able to change the monthly DD to an amount I was more comfortable with. 

Xbigman

I posted this earlier but for some reason it vanished. This is my real problem, my gas account has not finished setting up.


Darren

born_again

I wonder if these that can not adjust DD amount, is related to browser or O/S issue?

Best guess Apple & Safari 🤷‍♀️

BeerSavesMoney

t0rt0ise said:

CanNeverThinkOfAUsername said:

I have my Direct Debit set at £1 and when i get billed i make a card payment there and then on my cashback credit card. Never had any issues doing this. I like the idea of a variable DD, but i don't like the fact it is not a fixed date. So i get round this with the £1 DD plus card payment.

Mine is a fixed date. Bill on 10th and DD taken 14 days later. 

Mine is also a fixed date with my bill generated on the 15th and payment taken on the 1st. 

MikeJXE

born_again said:

I wonder if these that can not adjust DD amount, is related to browser or O/S issue?

Best guess Apple & Safari 🤷‍♀️

No problem for me changing my DD or accessing all of the site

Apple and Safari are the only access I need