Issues Post Switching- Octopus

PoppyPastGo

Hello

We switched to Octopus in July this year after issues with Ovo (different post). We switched from E10 (Ovo) to E7 (Octopus). We have a smart meter and were assured that switching would be simple.

It hasn't been. We have encountered several issues, the main one being that we are now on an E7 tariff but our meter is still on E10 timings. Octopus have gone from saying that they will sort it, to we need to get an electrician to sort it, to just ignoring us.

We have approached other companies about switching but no one seems to be able to answer if this will be an issue with them too. Can anyone advise?

We have a SMETS2 smart meter with the 5 inputs and our storage heaters are the old 1990s Dimplex type- not the modern Quantum.

Frozen_up_north

A gen 2 smart meter should automatically switch correctly. Are Octopus able to remotely read your meter? If so, they should be able to set the switching times.
Octopus have a variety of tariffs, including some that switch to off peak in the afternoon, so should be able to accommodate economy 7.

PoppyPastGo

Yes, they are receiving readings from our meter. It was a bit of a rocky switch. For some reason they put us onto a single rate tariff for a few weeks before finally (after several phone calls) switching us to the E7 tariff we had agreed to when we signed up.

But for some reason the timings haven't been switched and the famous Octopus customer service don't seem to be of any use in figuring out what is going on. We've even been cut off during phone calls and there are about 20 emails we are still waiting to receive that we've been promised over the past 10 or so weeks.

QrizB

Try Octopus's complaints process.

If that doesn't get you any satisfaction after eight weeks you can take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

Swipe

The problem you have encountered is the first line staff not understanding the problem. As mentioned, it's always wise to raise such issues as a complaint right from the start.

Scot_39

Firstly hopefully this was registered as a formal complaint fairly early in those 10 weeks - and you can now escalate straight to energy ombudsman - as they failed to rewsolve within the allowed 8 weeks.

It is their responsibility to configure the meter correctly - even EDF managed it in the end (for a while) in the case of Rosie1001s weeks of repeated sagas.

Essentially successful multi rate tariffs - and if want it display/meter cost estimate correctness requires

the correct tariff timings at which the peak and off peak registers are logged

the ALCS calendar timings used to switch restricted feed

and

the correct tariff rates at the tariff times

In your case it seems they have likely done the first - possibly the third - but failed (if even tried) - to adjust the second - the ALCS calendar.

Unless those two sets of timings match - the E7 will never work properly.

Like Rosei1001 at various times - you'll have heating on at periods logged into off peak and peak register readings - and normal use outside off peak - logged as off peak incorrectly etc - and be charged the wrong amount.  Depending on settings and other timings of heavy use - maybe paying more - in some cases maybe just maybe less (but I suspect once heating active - more is more of a risk).

Youd have to edit the form of words accordingly but their was a form of words to send to CS given in the Rosie1001 threads along the lines of getting them to match the outcome you desire.

I'd formally ask in a complaint why they have been unable to set the 3 sets of data - particularly the ALCS Calendar which you believe is still E10 to E7 values in your case.

Qyburn

Sounds like complete rubbish from Octopus. If the meter settings or timings are screwed up then an electrician won't be able to fix it. I think "we need to get an electrician to sort it" just means Octopus have decided they're not going to do so.

PoppyPastGo

Thank you all for your replies, they have been really helpful. 

We made a formal complaint about 2 weeks ago- and received an email today acknowledging it! 

Swipe

You need this resolving ASAP before the storage heaters need to be switched on. I had a similar issue with E.On Next and had to hound them every day until it was fixed.

Scot_39

Sorry just to be clear as above it is the ALCS Calendar that controls the times your restricted heating circuit activates - and I assume it is the fact that that is still switching at your old times - when you say the meter is on E10.

I am actually surprised they didn't wipe it completely for single rate operation - or set it full on - both of which could have needed electrician intervention anyway - but maybe they have simply forgotten it was required to be set because of that initial error.

But have they actually set any of the other sets of parameters to match E7.

Can you see E7 rates on your meter - is it recording on say TOU register 1/2 or rate 1/2 etc.

Some meters have useful data in their sub menus - others less so - but as I may have misunderstood - nice to check what has and hasnt been set.

It would be nice to confirm if say the meter registers / rates were switching at 0700 0730 GMT 0800 0830 DST or whatever Ofgem's E7 timings may be (plus any small offset set in your meter - 0-30min - typically towards lower end of that range)

Can you see an active register symbol - e.g. 1 or 2 - or active rate on your meter - either on LCD or on room IHD display.

If you have an IHD is there any count down to rate switches - mines starts 90 others c60 min etc - mins before iirc - and can you tell when the rate changes - I can also see my current tariff rate in one of the menus on  my old smets 1 model - it switches from peak to off peak according to the set - I assume(*) - tariff times ?

((*) = as Not all e7 meters have alcs)

If you need help with menus / reading - post what you meter make and model is - e.g. Aclara SGM-14xx-b  EDMI ES1x-b etc etc. and/or  IHD model ?

PoppyPastGo

The meter was checked recently by an independent contractor who's been hired to check meters in the area. His response was 'all is as it should be'. I can't get to the meter just at the moment to check the information myself.

Our display shows a countdown entering and exiting off peak times. Under Octopus this was something it only began doing about 4 weeks ago when they finally switched us to our E7 tariff and off the single rate one they had put us on. The information on the display unit and the Octopus app shows us as being on E7. I was on a comparison site a few days ago, and it came up that our meter is E7 suppled by Octopus.

 As for the timings, we don't have our storage heaters on at the moment, but if we switch them on at the plug the light shows if they are receiving a signal. They are still only lighting up on E10 times. The hot water we are switching on manually for a few hours in the morning. One of the first indicators something was wrong was the SM display showing we'd spent about £2 overnight due to the water coming on at the E10 times.

Ironically, when Ovo installed the smart meter there were no problems with it receiving the signal for the E10 times. It was probably the only thing that wasn't a problem.