Tried getting reading - Meter updated so no R02 rate, and no way to enter reading online. Octopus

imeach

QrizB said:

SAC2334 said:

The worst ever electric meter to use in the history of UK domestic meters  IMO . along with the the tiny little keyboard which is terrible to use , it is why I refuse , so far , to let Octopus put this thing in my property . I ll see how long I can hang out . 

You don't need to hang out any longer, they stopped fitting new Secure Liberty meters years ago.

Nope
Still being fitted, admittedly newer models though

BossHogg

This saga still continues. Apparently first attempt to fix was not done correctly. Seems octopus wanting to claim day was recording in R02 since they acquired account from bulb... but it was recording into R01 until they updated the meter in first week of July.

Meter reader came around and submitted readings that moved day front 70k range to 90k range... 23,000+kwh so account hit with £10k bill and debt recovery talked about.

Thank god you can talk sense to the octopus customer support team and they removed crazy reading. 

They apparently need a billing expert to sort out day/night now swapped. 

QrizB

BossHogg said:

Thank god you can talk sense to the octopus customer support team and they removed crazy reading.
They apparently need a billing expert to sort out day/night now swapped. 

You just know that, if it was certain other suppliers, they'd be all "computer says no" about it.

BossHogg

Apparently a thing called a DMEX form was submitted today to fix the issue, as any other way resulted in huge delta charges being generated for day rate (20K+ KWh change), or -ve usage being rejected. Still hoping they can sort it.

BossHogg

Presume that there must be thousands of ex-Bulb customers like me where the update of meter software has flipped the Day/Night register usage since mid-July as Octopus just told me that there is now a 3mth estimate wait on the DMEX process (assume it stands for Dummy Meter Exchange, to allow break in register numbering).

Scary thing is the size of the amounts involved... So they can keep track of usage since that point they added 'Estimate readings' to 1st May causing +24Mw (24,000Kw) Day usage (£14K+) and -22Mw Night usage (£-7K) so account showing as in debt by £5k instead of £2k credit. 

I wonder how many others going through same thing, and possibly not having checked the meter or have photo evidence like I have. Hopefully any '-ve' usage on either register or refusal of system to accept numbers, should be red flag.

BossHogg

This issue is still ongoing... 6mth after the meter was updated and registers swapped (to what they should be)... still with account showing 5k in the red. Waiting for a DMEX ? To allow account correction. 

Wondering if I should involve the regulator or if that will just make things worse. 

I had my meter changed to a new gen 2 one, so wondering why they cannot use that to wind forward the effective readings and then swap to new numbering ranges. 

EssexHebridean

Have you raised a formal complaint about the matter as yet? That will at least start the clock ticking on when you would be able to go to the Ombudsman if you did decide to take that route. 

Hopefully the new meters are working OK and recording your E7 the right way round? And you have copious photos of the various readings on the old meters that you are keeping safe AND have backed up somewhere "just in case"? 

Lastly - have you checked whether you are best off on E7 allowing that you seemingly have gas as well? 

BossHogg

No... not raised as formal complaint yet... Good idea.  I have the photos of the burn tests etc.

I've not done the sums but suspect e7 may work well for me as I have high night usage. Would be worth checking thought. 

BossHogg

This saga still continues... Approaching a year since meter software was updated. 
No electricity billed since Nov 23.
At least the billing team restated readings to maintain continuity of numbers and it shifted by £14K from a £8K debit to a £6K credit... Even at low point in year I'm £5371 in credit but unable to get any of it back (till Elect usage comes off) and the Direct Debit payment is pure guesswork.

BossHogg

Now well over a year, and still no resolution... 
They were able to get the account to be able to start billing, based off a meter change to a Gen 2 one... but leaves a hole in the electricity billing from Jul - Nov 2023... Keep telling me there is a team slowly working their way through these historic issues on ex-BULB customers, as it is all regulated.
Madness, but at least no longer thousands in credit any longer.
I think I worked it out as about £250 unbilled electric, but seems I cannot change supplier or anything till its all sorted.