Billing error and now suddenly I owe Octopus £800

Chris_b2z

It may be worth asking Octopus to consider throwing in an extra £50 if you agree to having a smart meter installed. That would benefit both parties if it can be done.

mathilde

I'm loath to try again with the smart meter. Bulb installed a smart meter last year, and in so doing disconnected my heaters. Then it wasn't their problem because it was their contractor's fault. So I had to pay an electrician privately to get it fixed. Something about smart meters not being compatible with storage heaters? I don't care enough to find out because I already have two jobs. I just don't want anyone else coming out and messing with the set-up.

BeerSavesMoney

Are Octopus saying your Bulb bills were wrong or the bills that Octopus issued were wrong?

Octopus usually issue a bill shortly after you submit the meter readings so confused as to how they could claim they are wrong if they issued one using the readings you provided? Unless they weren’t using these readings and basing it off estimates?

mathilde

They're saying they haven't billed me enough. I've sent meter readings and they've "checked my usage" but never sent me a detailed statement until today. I could see that I was using less than I was paying, and I was angling to get my monthly payment reduced, when this happened.  

badmemory

You have learnt the first rule of dealing with energy providers.  Do not trust them.  Read your meters regularly & produce your own bills that you can compare with theirs.  Frankly yours will be easier to understand.

mathilde

Part of what I pay Octopus for is to produce bills with reasonable care and skill. Saying "oops you owe us £800" isn't reasonable care and skill. If I'm meant to "produce my own bills" then they can put me on their payroll.

MultiFuelBurner

You can of course kick up a stink, that is your right.

Ask them to start a complaint, issue a deadlock letter if you can't come to an agreement and then take it up with the ombudsman service.

mathilde

Thanks for all the measured advice, it's really appreciated.  I've written to ask them to write off more of the debt, we'll see what they say. It has been a good lesson in not trusting energy companies. 

EssexHebridean

Just checking OP - are you on Economy 7, and if so, is the issue relating to the day/night readings not having been recorded correctly?

mathilde

Yes that's it exactly!