Getting my smart meter fixed - Octopus

Qyburn

FlorayG said:

I have solar panels and export to the grid, so I need to be on one of the 'intelligent' tariffs - and looking at the Octopus website, that's the only kind they have now

You can be on a normal tariff for your consumption, while still getting export payments. 



https://octopus.energy/help-and-faqs/articles/which-export-tariff-can-i-combine-with-my-import-tariff/

Strictly the export needs a smart meter, but at least for the fixed rate export tariff Octopus could just work off manual readings.

Yorkie006

BarelySentientAI said:

I'm not with Octopus, so I don't know their T&Cs, but I am a little surprised that they won't put you on a 'normal' fixed tariff just because the smart meter can't communicate.

I could see that it needs to for the clever tariffs like Agile and Tracker, but not for just a conventional fixed rate - manual readings have been used for years on tariffs like that.

If you do decide to complain, that's where I would focus the effort - get onto the fix you want even without a new meter.

Any Octopus customers around who can comment on their experience?

You can be on a normal Octopus fixed tariff without a smart meter. They send reminders when it's time to give meter readings.

Marvel1

FlorayG said:

Yes it's just not connecting to their system so I have to read it every month - which I don't mind doing, but to get a good price fix I need it to work properly!

And so you should, smart meter means access to cheaper tariffs!

wrf12345

Their telephone response is usually better than their email response, BTW, but good luck.

Reed_Richards

So in fact your smart meter works perfectly well, it correctly records your import and your export.  What doesn't work is the Comms Hub that sits on top of your smart meter.  This could be because it is faulty, or because it needs an aerial attached to allow it to communicate, or because you live somewhere where the signal is too weak, in which case there isn't anything your supplier can do.  If you were told "we don't have the parts" I guess it's most likely to need an aerial attachment because normally the Comms Hub just plugs in to the top of the smart meter and that shouldn't be difficult to replace.

FlorayG

Reed_Richards said:

So in fact your smart meter works perfectly well, it correctly records your import and your export.  What doesn't work is the Comms Hub that sits on top of your smart meter.  This could be because it is faulty, or because it needs an aerial attached to allow it to communicate, or because you live somewhere where the signal is too weak, in which case there isn't anything your supplier can do.  If you were told "we don't have the parts" I guess it's most likely to need an aerial attachment because normally the Comms Hub just plugs in to the top of the smart meter and that shouldn't be difficult to replace.

I was told I need a new meter by the engineer and the particular one I need that will connect my gas and electric readings was out of stock. I'm pretty sure the engineer knows his job.

Reed_Richards

I wouldn't be so certain; some of these "engineers" are trained just to do this one particular job.  And all meter and comms hub combinations being fitted must be able to do the job required; you haven't established what is unusual about yours.  

FlorayG

My gas meter is about 50ft from my electric meter at the other end of the house. Apparently there is only one smart meter that can cope with this

Reed_Richards

Okay but your terminology is inexact.  A smart meter comes in two parts that are almost always fitted together.  There is the meter itself which does the metering and on top of that sits the comms hub which does the communications.  So it seems you need a particular comms hub to communicate with your gas meter.  And hopefully this will also enable remote communications with the DCC so your meter can be read remotely.  But if what you want in the short term is remote reading of your electricity meter then perhaps any comms hub could do that for you and you would have to just give manual gas meter readings?  It seems like Perfect is being the enemy of Good.  

FlorayG

They didn't offer that, and I suspect if I requested it then I would go back to the bottom of the list for proper replacement. Anyway now a complaint has been raised maybe I will get something done