Tomato Energy (Electric Only Supplier) - Too Good To Be True ?

bristolleedsfan

lohr500 said:

Personally, I think the storm clouds are fast approaching for TE. 

Whilst I applaud their desire to be a serious disruptor in the UK energy market, in my opinion and without prejudice,  the way they have gone about it is shambolic.

• From not understanding the basics of how the half hourly time stamp works on the smart meter data.
• To launching the MyWatts platform which initially was (and it would seem for some) still is very slow to show any customer data. And in the early days when it did work, for me and others, the usage and cost data was incorrect.
• To onboarding new customers straight onto a TOU tariff without 1st requiring a switch onto a single rate tariff so they could establish if they could reliably access the meter data.
• Then throwing out offers of various bill discounts to those customers where they couldn't access the data and so couldn't bill.
• And now, this week, billing customers who signed up for a TOU contract at a flat rate because of the problems reading the half hourly usage data.

Meantime their CEO has been, or possibly still is, in Cameroon selling the concept of Tomatopia to Africa.
I would have thought his priorities were closer to home.

Others may disagree.

I have seen no evidence anywhere T.E automatically compensating for switching delays. someone posted OFGEM compensation links to  Farouk on Facebook, he replied saying stop posting misinformation compensation is for  switching by mistake and we not doing that. T.E potentially face £40 x 2 x ????? + maybe OFGEM fine if OFGEM pick up on mass failing.

lohr500

Agree 

If you are getting bills that are accurate and you are saving compared to other options, then make hay whilst the sun shines.
Other than potentially being stuck with an SOLR for a while until you can switch out, the risk is minimal.
With DD payment in arrears, based on actual bills rather than a budget plan, TE are not sat on any of your cash. 

The worry over how long it might take to switch out from a SOLR and the possibility of my existing 12M fix of 4.9p off peak fix with UW being withdrawn, was enough to make me leave the TE greenhouse.

At 18,000 kh p.a.with 95%+ off-peak, any length of time stuck on SVT with a SOLR gave me sleepless nights.

JKS$(

masonic said:

Alnat1 said:

Octopus are probably using "the mysterious 3rd party" reading, which they are legally forced to do. This may be higher or lower than the actual reading but has to be used by both the losing and gaining suppliers.
The problem seems to be happening because Tomato don't use readings at all and totally rely on the 30 minute usage figures. They therefore can't start charging only when the meter has passed the reading specified by the 3rd party and they start to charge from midnight on the date the account is transferred.
The problem lies with Tomato and not Octopus. 

Origin of the issue is Tomato probably not processing the opening reads correctly, resulting in no D0086 flow. However, it is unlikely this would result in the gross overestimates being seen. For one thing, Octopus has routinely been capturing a read on the day before the switch, so the final bill is for a single day's usage. Any 3rd party validation would not allow a reading more than 2.5x your seasonally adjusted EAC to be used - it would be reduced to the adjusted EAC for this 1 day and would result in a lower reading. In the absence of a reading that is also what would be used. The difference would therefore be small and often in the customer's favour (if they are switching to a cheaper tariff).

I'd contend that the real problem lies with the system itself. There should be a period of overlap where both suppliers can obtain the data they need from the meter for accounting purposes.

Your final point is far too sensible...

The other points about adjusted estimates make sense - if those estimates are based on your historic use. My estimate is based on a previous occupant's data, not mine, & we have very different energy uses. 

If Octopus continue to insist their final bill is correct & TE begin charging me from the first day of supply (irrespective of opening reading), then I will pay two suppliers for the same energy. Feels like I'm being penalised for someone else's high energy use  

Have others had their photos of meter readings ignored? It never occurred to me that would happen. 

bristolleedsfan

JKS$( said:

bristolleedsfan said:

JKS$( said:...

If your final Octopus Bill is estimated with numeric value after decimal point then it is not a valid final reading.

Old supplier and new supplier closing/opening readings have to be the same to avoid paying for same energy twice.

https://octopus.energy/unhappy/

I've asked Octopus if the reading having a number after the decimal point means it's an estimated reading - they insist it's an actual, accurate reading, not an estimate. Every bill I've had from them has listed meter readings all with a number after the decimal point, all with 'smart meter reading' printed next to that number. 

The first meter reading that appears on myWatts is for 6 Feb, my switch date was 27 Jan, so I don't know if TE have used the same incorrect reading as Octopus for their opening reading - waiting for TE to confirm what opening reading they are using. 

You can see by this example numbers after decimal point are not used for valid opening/closing energy accounts when switching. ( difference was automatically refunded, i used this example during message ping pong after Octopus told me final reading could not be lower than last smart meter reading they took, which is not correct.

WoB

I joined TE less than a month ago from Octopus. We were planning to get an EV and the overnight off peak 5p rate is fantastic.  The switch has gone well and meter readings are accurate etc.  However, I didn't realise (my own ignorance) all the checks and requirements that went on with a potential EV charge point install.

It turns out there is some work required in the meter cupboard (upgrading tails and installation of an isolator switch) which is the responsibility of the energy provider. Now, the smart meter was fitted a few months back by Octopus and they supposedly should have done this work then.

Anyway, I called TE and explained the situation. The customer service rep didn't have a clue what I was asking and went away to check with a colleague. The answer that came back was that TE currently do not undertake any metering work and that I'd have to find an alternative to do the work. I checked that this meant moving provider and this was confirmed.

Anyone else thinking of moving to TE ahead of any electrical installation (EV, solar, batteries) I'd have your supply/meter checked out before hand as if anything needs upgrading you're screwed.  I'm going to have to move supplier in order to get this work done. Shame as I loved the low tariff and standing charge.

Newbie_John

WoB said:

I joined TE less than a month ago from Octopus. We were planning to get an EV and the overnight off peak 5p rate is fantastic.  The switch has gone well and meter readings are accurate etc.  However, I didn't realise (my own ignorance) all the checks and requirements that went on with a potential EV charge point install.

It turns out there is some work required in the meter cupboard (upgrading tails and installation of an isolator switch) which is the responsibility of the energy provider. Now, the smart meter was fitted a few months back by Octopus and they supposedly should have done this work then.

Anyway, I called TE and explained the situation. The customer service rep didn't have a clue what I was asking and went away to check with a colleague. The answer that came back was that TE currently do not undertake any metering work and that I'd have to find an alternative to do the work. I checked that this meant moving provider and this was confirmed.

Anyone else thinking of moving to TE ahead of any electrical installation (EV, solar, batteries) I'd have your supply/meter checked out before hand as if anything needs upgrading you're screwed.  I'm going to have to move supplier in order to get this work done. Shame as I loved the low tariff and standing charge.

I wouldn't also make big plans relying on TE, they are great while they last, or at least while their tarrifs last - right now they are way better than any other competition ones (sure 5p are possible elsewhere but they come with high day rate) - and this is my main worry - prices are going up and TE will revisit their tarrifs at some point - question is how bad will they get? Will they add few pence to their Lifestyle tarrif? Will they introduce 30p+ peak rate 16-19? Glad winter is nearing its end and my usage will start decreasing.

crumpet_man

But for those already signed up with TE, the lifestyle tariff is fixed for 12 months.  I'm not going to worry about what the price might be nearly a year from now.

nekr0mantik

I took the bait and switched from Octopus Fixed to TE Lifestyle. My Octoplus fixed starts today and my current switch date to TE is 6th March. So Octopus should have readings for today to 5th. Will see how it goes. Will switch back to Octopus if TE works out badly. One thing that is bad on TE right off the bat is I called to ask questions and was on ques for 15 mins and then gave up. Octopus answers phone calls quicker. 

WibbleBaaaaaa

crumpet_man said:

But for those already signed up with TE, the lifestyle tariff is fixed for 12 months.  I'm not going to worry about what the price might be nearly a year from now.

Yeah, i also this month jumped to TE for Octopus and i have no worries about what might happens to them because all i can go back to is insane 63p daily standing charges and hoping agile stays out the red every day............but i would have done the jump back last August, but i stupidly listened to all the Mystic Megs roaming the internet proclaiming that TE would be gone by Septemper 2024, then they said October, then they moved it to November, 100 guaranteed, TE could not survive past October, then November came and that was it, TE has no more luck left, get out now they screamed, then Dec and Jan came and they all went quiet....and here we are in Feb, and i could have enjoyed 6 month of TE and dodged 6 month of misery on Octo agile, if i had not listened to the boothy lawyers roaming he net, so lesson learned.

chuckie851

Like the others, I'm going to TE Lifestyle next week.  Just one worry though.  My smart meter hasn't been sending readings to Octopus since September.  The engineer is coming to give it a kick, and I told TE to do the switch later next week.  Fingers crossed they manage to get a reading on the 6th.