Octopus electric

Keep_pedalling

In a 2020 thread Help2020 had an immersion heater on all day, perhaps they can confirm if they are in the same flat ant whether they are still leaving the immersion on all day?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6180015/electric-bill-is-1-215-78/p1

Spoonie_Turtle

You mention not using TV or lights until after 6pm.  Is that because you think 6pm is the start of your night rate? 

Your night rate is most likely to be somewhere around 12 midnight to 7am (or maybe 10.30-00.30 then 02.30-07.30) - not exactly, but around those sorts of times.

So everything not done in those times is charged at the day rate.  Which might include your hot water, and maybe heating unless you have storage heaters.

(If you don't know what sort of heating you have, you could post a photo and members here will be able to tell you.)

Qyburn

Gerry1 said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Your bill for July has estimates on it.you not have a smart meter by the looks of it
Ideally you ought to provide readings to Octopus every month.

It says Data Collector reading which implies that the OP has a smart meter.  

Octopus bills label smart meter readings as "Smart meter reading"

Netexporter

Data Collector is the official job title for meter reader, for Morrison Data Services and G4S before them.

Veteransaver

Looking at your night readings, I assume you have storage heating and immersion for hot water? 

Scot_39

fisherjim said:

I am with Octopus and they are brilliant, changing to a different supplier won't make any difference if there is something wrong with the meter or the way the supply is set up to the flat, or you are not using the dual tarrif correctly.

As stated by Robin9 you have a night rate which is  much cheaper, but your main consumption is day time where you are paying a premium rate, do you have storage heaters that you are having on during the day instead of during the low rate?

The OP is on prepay - which is currenty the cheapest variable tariff.

The OPs annual use is c2400 night c2800 day according to the tariff table for Dec - that 46% of total energy used at night - and more than enough on most decent multirate deals to mean it's cheaper - albeit just - to remain on multirate - if my maths is correct about 7% cheaper than Ofgems SR for Midlands (depending if East or West).

And the OP at Dec 24 rates based on the tariff table estimated annual usage

(2394*11.38+2826*28.05)/(2394+2826) = 20.4p ex VAT 21.43 inc VAT>

It's marginal and the OP would be best trying to increase night use if can - but it's still cheaper than the default Ofgem prepay cap of c23p for the Midlands  (22.95 East M, 23.01 Midlands) - but havent checked the Octopus version.

The c5200 is higher than the median cap TDCV of 3900 kWh - but I have doubts whether thas realisitic even for a 1 bed het to a high temp (say somehere towards upper end of NHS 18-21C).

Obviously the OP could try to reduce total use - but if needs that level of energy use for comfort / health - then thats possibly a no no - so maybe needs to make more use of tariff savings by trying to move more use into their night rate.  Based on potential guesses based on last 2 quarters

Possobly switching away from less day plug in heating in favour of more from NSH if has them - the increase in night use across last 2 bills suggests has some off peak heating.

 

From Jul to Oct - that was estimated at 200 d / 40 night per month - higher than my summer use -  but not excessively so.

And I am not convinced 40kWh / month - just 1.3 kWh / night is enough if the OP is heating HW tank at off peak rates.  (That would barely cover losses even on a smaller 100-150l modern tank)

From Oct 1 to mid Dec 24 - 2.5 months

the night use raised to 617 kWh - c250 kWh/pm - subtract the summer 40kWh - and thats a 210 increase - or around 7kWh / day - enought to charge a large NSH for 2 hours - or a couple of smaller ones for 1.5-2 hours - if OP has night storage heating.

( I only used my NSH heating once in Oct - for 3-4 days - but used more regularly in Nov and early Dec than last year - so suspect that will be highly variable)

the day rate has also climbed to 800/2.5 = 320 kWh pm - over 50% increase - which suggests perhaps using some supplemental heating at day rates ( a couple of lights for several hours longer just wouldn't add that extra 4kW per day) - but a 1 bar fire or fan / convector on low for just 4-6 hours a day on / off on thermostat would.

But the total at 1400 / 2.5 months - 560 kWh per month is not particularly excessive if heating was in use for a significant number of weeks during that 10 week billing period.

Until the OP comes back and confirms 

how their flat is het (heated) (types of heaters and what times of day used) and to what sort of temperatures per room, 

how their hot water is het (live, mini tank under sink or small hw storage tank say 100-150 / with immersion), 

and 

shower if electric not from tank etc it is difficult to advice on how any use - or probably if heating related - how more lo rate night could be made.

It is not clear what the next steps might be..

bristolleedsfan

Netexporter said:

Data Collector is the official job title for meter reader, for Morrison Data Services and G4S before them.

I wonder why "meter reader" is not mentioned. ????

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_collector

Gerry1

Let's hope that @help2020 comes back soon.  Perhaps they haven't realised that their original post has been moved?

In the meantime, a few more points...

• No need to sit in the dark.  The main culprits that can make electricity bills expensive are room heating and hot water, especially long hot electric showers.  LED lightbulbs cost very little to run, and in a 1-bedroom flat even old style incandescent ones wouldn't be cripplingly expensive unless they were left on 24/7.
• You should be on the Priority Services Register so that you get a bit of extra help.  Just call Octopus on 0808 164 1088 between 9am - 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am - 4pm on Friday and ask to join.
  
• If the meter on the wall is not inside your flat there's a possibility that it's supplying a neighbour's flat instead.  Do the Meter Sanity Test to make you're not paying for someone else's usage.  They might be thinking that their flat is very cheap to run and their bills never seem to go up much, despite turning the thermostat up high and having lots of long hot showers !

Phones4Chris

Netexporter said:

Data Collector is the official job title for meter reader, for Morrison Data Services and G4S before them.

Qyburn said:

Gerry1 said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Your bill for July has estimates on it.you not have a smart meter by the looks of it
Ideally you ought to provide readings to Octopus every month.

It says Data Collector reading which implies that the OP has a smart meter.  

Octopus bills label smart meter readings as "Smart meter reading"

Gerry1 said:

debitcardmayhem said:

Your bill for July has estimates on it.you not have a smart meter by the looks of it
Ideally you ought to provide readings to Octopus every month.

It says Data Collector reading which implies that the OP has a smart meter.  The estimates are at the start of the three-monthly periods when the Ofgem price cap changes, so they're to be expected.

There shouldn't be any need for the OP to send readings every month although it's a good idea to send them when the rates change.

This is a PAYG Keycard meter, yes? Then surely those readings labelled "Data Collector" are the actual readings on the days the KeyCard is topped up and fed back in the system, but then what do I know about such meters and topping up?
Might be a good idea to top-up if only a small amount on days the rates change - eg. upcoming Jan 1st.

@help2020 There's been a fair bit of technical waffle so far which I hope hasn't confused you.
The main thrust of what has been asked is more detail about your heating and hot water system, what might be automatic and what you may switch on/off yourself. This is so some constructive advice can be offered about how to make best use of your off-peak usage so that your bills are as low as you can reasonable get.

waveydavey48

Hi "help2020", I'm sorry to hear you are struggling.

As a reputable company Octupus energy have an obligation to help people with special needs. As you have learning disabilities I suggest you contact them, explain your situation and ask them to give you the appropriate support. Hopefully they will give you the help you deserve.

If they don't I suggest you contact "Citizens Advice" and they will help you.

All the best and I hope you get it sorted out.

Dave