New build - smart meters won't work - Octopus being useless

gas_giant_11

Smart meter not working - Octopus being useless

Hi everyone, I'll keep this as simple as I can.

I moved into a new build a year ago, transferred Octopus Go from my old property, everything seemed fine.

In December, octopus decided to revert my tariff to standard as they discovered the smart meters had not been "commissioned". Ended up in an ombudsman complaint and I was credited £600 ish.

They sent out an "engineer" in January to "commission" smart meters. This failed as the meters could not "communicate". The engineer stated that the meters "may start working in a couple of months"(?).

Fast forward to June, Octopus finally sent out another engineer. Same as before, meters won't work.

I have begged and pleased with Octopus to look at replacing the meters. I have answered all of their questions repeatedly. 

I have started a complaint as this looks like it'll need the ombudsman again.

Octopus are flat out refusing to undertake the issue or take the appropriate steps to get the meters working. Note: it's a new build estate, my neighbours meters are 10ft away from mine and are working fine.

Can anyone suggest what I can do here?

(For info, I have 2 EVs and solar panels so standard tariff is costing me a fortune).

QrizB

Have Octopus replaced your meters at all, or are these still the original non-communicating ones?

Are you in the north (where the WAN is LRR) or the south (where it's cellular data)? If your Comms golub has two LEDs it's the north, five leads and it's the south.

What exactly did your original Ombudsman direct Octopus to do? Have they done it?

gas_giant_11 said:

(For info, I have 2 EVs and solar panels so standard tariff is costing me a fortune).

This isn't ideal, but you should be able to get Economy 7 and the basic SEG export payments even without a "smart" smart meter. E7 would need Octopus to send someone out to reconfigure your meter if it's genuinely not communicating, though.

gas_giant_11

QrizB said:

Have Octopus replaced your meters at all, or are these still the original non-communicating ones?

Are you in the north (where the WAN is LRR) or the south (where it's cellular data)? If your Comms golub has two LEDs it's the north, five leads and it's the south.

What exactly did your original Ombudsman direct Octopus to do? Have they done it?

gas_giant_11 said:

(For info, I have 2 EVs and solar panels so standard tariff is costing me a fortune).

This isn't ideal, but you should be able to get Economy 7 and the basic SEG export payments even without a "smart" smart meter. E7 would need Octopus to send someone out to reconfigure your meter if it's genuinely not communicating, though.

Hi,

The meter have not been replaced, despite my request after the first failed "commissioning" visit for them to do so.

I'm in Scotland, my neighbours meters all work so I'm perplexed that mine don't. Obviously I understand there can be "dead spots", would moving the meters be an alternative to replacing them entirely?

My original ombudsman complaint was primarily around Octopus leading me to believe that I was on Octopus Go when my smart meters weren't communicating then adjusting my bill to full rate for all electricity used. This would therefore be a separate complaint (albeit the extended timescales are primarily due to the original error). The original ombudsman complaint ended when octopus made an offer that fairly addressed the difference in billing. 

As it stands, the communication with Octopus has ground to a halt again, with my complaint with their "metering lead". It has been like wading through treacle with them so far.

QrizB

Yes, I think you need a new complaint (whoch you may need to escalate to the Ombudsman in turn) regarding your non-communicating smart meters and Octopus's failure to rectify this over the last year (or however long it is since you/they first realised).

It's possible that you're in a radio dead spot in which case Octopus have various options to move your meters, relocate the comms hub, add an external antenna or utilise "mesh mode" where your meter sends it's data via your neighbour's comms hub.

gas_giant_11

QrizB said:

Yes, I think you need a new complaint (whoch you may need to escalate to the Ombudsman in turn) regarding your non-communicating smart meters and Octopus's failure to rectify this over the last year (or however long it is since you/they first realised).

It's possible that you're in a radio dead spot in which case Octopus have various options to move your meters, relocate the comms hub, add an external antenna or utilise "mesh mode" where your meter sends it's data via your neighbour's comms hub.

Thanks.

I was thinking along those lines myself. 
The info about antennae etc is good, although I again have been insistent on Octopus sending out an engineer capable/authorised to effect these solutions and they've basically stonewalled me so far.

I cannot believe how incompetent they are!

QrizB

gas_giant_11 said:
I cannot believe how incompetent they are!

Back when they had 500k customers, their CS were great. They had a dedicated smart metering team you could contact directly and who took pride in resolving problems like yours.

These days they've got 5M customers and their service has definitely slipped. Not helped by their misguided attempts to use AI as a frontline service agent (which is probably why you keep getting asked the same things), and the smart metering team no longer answer their own emails - they get routed to the same CS reps that handle normal enquiries.

Someone on the forum even had their complaint directed to the same CS agent they were complaining about!

cannugec5

I am in Scotland. I am with Octopus. We have never had a communicating Smart Meter, and like the OP our near neighbours have no problems. 

Our meter was replaced in December 24, but that made no difference. We now have an appointment for later this month to install a new meter with Cellular Communications hub. Special permission had to be sought to do this as these are not generally available in Scotland. 

The appointment is for a Saturday, which surprises me. To be honest I’m waiting for them to realise and then cancel…

Scot_39

QrizB said:

Yes, I think you need a new complaint (whoch you may need to escalate to the Ombudsman in turn) regarding your non-communicating smart meters and Octopus's failure to rectify this over the last year (or however long it is since you/they first realised).

It's possible that you're in a radio dead spot in which case Octopus have various options to move your meters, relocate the comms hub, add an external antenna or utilise "mesh mode" where your meter sends it's data via your neighbour's comms hub.

According to 

https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2

Mesh only seems to be listed for the cellular.

Despite the rules on N LRR vs Central / South Cellular - the site now states 2 in Scotland fitted with cellular - I was aware of the one a Dr in Glasgow - and he was an Octopus customer after getting nowhere with SP - when they fitted the cellular hub instead - his case was featured on the BBC Panarama attack on the roll out and tech

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq52382zd1no

Later this month that might become +1 from post aboive - seems the message is finally out there - that it isnt working.  Even if no doubt lots of persistence and hoops jumped through - to overturn a rule thats disappearing anyway - or at least partially (Ive seen others post regarding dual 4G / LRR WAN hubs in recent past too)

He apparently had 6 meters on LRR bofore oops Octopus Ofgem gave in and got him a Cellular hub.  

DCC plans for 4G in Scotland seem months away still at best. According to their Future Connectivy North planning as of Mar 25.

Another option might by a signal booster or a DIY dipole relay setup if like a bit of DIY. 

Several examples giving lengths to cut antennae to etc etc on line.

Scot_39

cannugec5 said:

I am in Scotland. I am with Octopus. We have never had a communicating Smart Meter, and like the OP our near neighbours have no problems. 

Our meter was replaced in December 24, but that made no difference. We now have an appointment for later this month to install a new meter with Cellular Communications hub. Special permission had to be sought to do this as these are not generally available in Scotland. 

The appointment is for a Saturday, which surprises me. To be honest I’m waiting for them to realise and then cancel…

Good luck.  Let us know how it goes.