Help understanding excessive electricity usage

1moneyspendingexpert1

Gerry1 said:

Get some evidence that it's stuck to support a claim for overcharging, otherwise a quick thump from an inspector's fist might unjam it — and then you'd have no evidence !

A few short videos would prove the indicated time isn't changing.  A good timestamp would be to include a DAB radio showing the time and date and tuned to a news broadcast (e.g. Radio 4) announcing the time and date followed by the headlines.

Also keep copies of all previous bills in case they are cancelled and reissued.

Thanks Gerry,

That's very helpful. I will certainly do that.

My concern is that Octopus will just be in denial, as when I originally raised these issues it was with Bulb, before they were acquired by Octopus. Even if no blame is taken, hopefully at least I can get this fixed and be on a more appropriate tariff - then work on somehow reducing my usage moving forwards!

Thanks again.

QrizB

1moneyspendingexpert1 said:

At the time it was with Bulb, before taken over by Octopus. This was at least 1 year ago. They said it was something to do with the fact my meter had a blue wire coming from it - which meant it was not compatible to be turned into a smart meter. Now that time has passed this may have changed, however after doing the appointment checker on their website they apparently have no bookings available in my area for the foreseeable future.

I imagine that Octopus will be happy to replace it with a smart meter, if you were to ask them.

But I agree with Gerry1 that, before doing tht, you need them to agre that your timeswitch is stuck and that you've been overcharged for as long as the night rate register hasn't been incrementing.

Gerry1

Don't allow the timeswitch to be removed until it's been agreed that it's faulty and you've been seriously overcharged for a long time.

If an initial enquiry gets stuck (see what I did there !), raise a formal written complaint (email is fine, put COMPLAINT in the subject line) and get a reference  number.  You can then go to the ombudsman upon receipt of a deadlock letter or after eight weeks if they don't send one.

You should ultimately win, but it may take a while if you're unlucky.  See what happened to Metered Out.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80633189/#Comment_80633189

Scot_39

Ideally it would have been nice if pics showed the wiring on the timer in particular and to from / the meter.

But given you have confirmed the meter model - the meter is only a 4 port - and if you have restricted supply home wiring (*)(some devices fed by wiring only live for 7 hours - or rather would have been c12:30 to 7:30 am looking at the in/out settings - if the timer hadn't frozen )  - the timer will also then be wired as a mains switch.

[(*) Thick power in tails - thick power out tail to restricted time consumer unit and thin meter time rate selection wire from timer to meter (the control direction for timer signal in that setup).

So nothing at all suggests that a bog standard 5 port smart meter cannot replicate set-up in one box (5 port means the timer and the 100A rated load switch contactor built into one box - so the restricted live supply comes out).

If no restriced wiring - everything needing time restricted power to reduce costs fitted with own timers etc - timer module just needs power in to drive clock mechanism and timer signal to meter - and a bog standard E7 tariff configured 4 port meter could replace the set-up].

So far so good.

The tricky part now - is you have no real idea whether E7 tariff really suits your usage patterns.

You know your winter and summer totals but not the current or potential future splits day vs night - its' safe to assume the 1100kWh winter vs 500-600 kWh summer - is dominated by heating.

But you also need to know how much of that is at day rate - sounds like potentially quite a bit - as you seem to be potentially heating and computing during the evening mid week and guessing more during day hours weekend - and in summer also for HW - when you use possible off-peak HW immersion.

Then you would need to know if could move some of it - into night - assuming the central air heating - has a storage capacity - and whether that would be controllable enough to still only use the same power (but at 37p vs 16p - it could use over double the energy a day peak rate plug in would if stores heat at the 16p rate).

Assuming other uses similar (washing computer etc )

Still think there is a large discrepancy somewhere between 5-6 hrs in evening from a 1.2 kW fire - may 7kWh daily and 500-600kWh extra winter vs summer consumption levels (more like 20kWh per day).  And even between that 7kWh daily and a home maintaining 22C temperature - even in just 1 room - let alone the "and comfortable elsewhere". 

You may or may not be aware - but Ofgem price multirate E7 tariff electric at a fixed use mix based on 42% night and 58% day usage cost split - but suppliers set their own peak / off peak rates to match the total (some might be 35p vs 16p others 40p vs 12p, etc) vs SR regional average currently c27-28p and some change that balance every quarter - so it gets a bit messy.  

The MR average price (total / TDCV) and the SR price do not match - nor do they stay the same price apart. 

Any use overnight though - like say 6kW of HW heating - 180kWh monthly will see you saving a little on what I fear could be your current peak rate for everything - more so in summer when c third of use - rather than winter - sub 20% - is still going to be cheaper than everything if its currently charged at the 37p day rate - but more expensive than if was all to be billed at single rate.

At your c37/16 quoted E7 rates - the current Jan Mar regional ave SR is c28.5p - your region ?

0% night = 37p average - 8.5p / kWh more than ave regional SR

If that is really what you are paying for all of your use (you said Octopus said something about a lower rate of charging - but then quoted a fairly standard E7 split) - you could have essentially been paying over 20% less on a "bill me at flat rate" deal.

25% = 31.5p - c3p more expensive (over 10%)

50% = 26.5p - c2p or so less

75% =  21p - probably 6-7p less (25% less etc)

But unless you can get nearer or above the 40% mix - the problem is your average kWh price is still likely to be more than c28p single rate.

I use off peak for bulk of heating - NSH for heating - and HW tank (but not always able to for the cold fed electric shower) and with E10 easy enough to move heavy use like cooking and washing machine etc most days as well - to early afternoon and late evening off peak slots - and last year used 79% off peak.  

(I'd struggle to do that on E7 without new heaters - so I still pay a price premium for E10 vs E7.)

Suspect you would need you landlords permission to change from dual rate capable metering and load switching if you have it. He could even make you pay to reinstate it at end of term - but that could just be an over the air update if keep home wiring as is (CA give an example of that outcome for prepay to credit meters - but suspect the basic principle holds - and I know meter fitters used to ask for owner's not tenant's permission)

But if you retain E7 metering - and discover the off peak / peak rate average price for your mix isn't working for you vs single rate - you could then ask to be moved onto SR billing - and retain the 7 hr switching and dual rate metering at Octopus - as I think other users have posted here have done so.  But thats only a recollection - cannot find by a quick search of past posts.

Can anyone with Octopus confirm they also believe that to be the case ?

Posters here have said if phone Octopus it's almost instant - other suppliers ? - but make sure your explicit on that point - that you want to retain the current meter and any load switch settings - just to be billed both registers on single rate.

And another question for Octopus customers - can you retain ALCS meter settings and switch to their - historically at least - cheaper Tracker tariff (or does that lose E7 type settings)

MWT

Scot_39 said:

And another question for Octopus customers - can you retain ALCS meter settings and switch to their - historically at least - cheaper Tracker tariff (or does that lose E7 type settings)

It has been possible to get ALCS configured with Tracker or Agile.

May need escalating to the proper team but it is possible and has been mentioned on this forum before.

Scot_39

Thanks @MWT

Just want to be careful not to mislead OP re his options - and as not with Octopus myself - but thinking I had read (certainly for agile - but really don't think that would suit the OP's current use of computers / fire etc) thought best to check.

markin

I am on a flexible tariff with Octopus. It is worth noting that only the day reading (2) works on my meter. The figure of the night reading (1) has never gone up since we moved here over 3 years ago. When I raised this with them some time ago, they said I was on a tariff where everything goes through on the day rate, but at a reduced price. I can't see anything in my account that backs this up. They also said they couldn't install a smart meter because I had an incompatible meter. That was over 1 year ago, so maybe things have changed now.

I think they are likely on single rate not E7. What price are you being charged?