Unable to switch tariff due to incorrect meter classification

Collyboy

Octopus became our supplier in 2021 and failed to notify us that, (according to them), our home electricity meter was classified as commercial not domestic. This is despite our having lived in the detached house for 38 years with no commercial use ever and no previous supplier questioning this misclassification. The contract we had with Octopus 2021 quotes ‘..the property to which Energy will be supplied ….. will be used wholly or mainly for domestic purposes.’. No mention of commercial. Para 14 is titled ‘Moving HOUSE’! They installed smart meters 2023 and were given an ‘In Home Display’ touch screen. Hardly sounds commercial.
At the end June when we wanted to switch suppliers to benefit from a lower fixed tariff we could not, as other suppliers said they could not quote for a meter registered as commercial. We notified Octopus on 27 June asking them to correct the mistake. After six weeks of emails and phone calls they eventually corrected it to domestic. Current rates will cost us around £450 per year more than had we been able to switch in June. Octopus say not telling us about the commercial classification is not their fault. We believe they should have notified us at the time they became our supplier or at least offered to match the June rates which we could have obtained elsewhere. That is what we suggested at the onset. Next step from them is a deadlock letter and Ombudsman referral. We consider Octopus have been negligent. Any advice on how to proceed? Thanks.

wakeupalarm

Were you paying commercial rates since 2023 and has your commercial contract now ended in June 2026 or have you been paying purely domestic?

Scot_39

what was your MPAN profile class (1st 2 digits on top line) when switched, what was it after smart meter upgrade and what is it now corrected ?

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

In reality if the problem was on national meter database its not realky Octopus's (oops typo) fault and 6 weeks is not unheard of to get that nationwide database updated.

Believe it or not folk used to switch home rates to commercial as for many years they were cheaper - a workshop in a shed/garage or even a room as office - was enough according to some posts read on sole trader forums and less often here in distant past.

presumably they were happy to supply you as domestic for those 5 years on standard domestic terms ?

Collyboy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115385#Comment_82115385

thanks, but the point is had I been able to switch to a 12 month fix in June with Outfox Energy as an example, over the next 12 months it would have been around £450 cheaper than switching in July.

Scot_39

Why do you think its Octopus's job to inform you ?

unless you think they set the setting either in 2021 or 2023.

Would you prefer they did so and then also likely rejected you in 2021 ?

bearing in mind commercial rates werent protected by epg £2500 cap for 9 months.

people on old twin meters for likes of e7 have had meter database related switching issues on off for years - theres at least one active post here waiting for a second mpan to be deleted months after discovery - cannot remember if anyone said were ever compensated for delay.

Collyboy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115464#Comment_82115464

thanks Scot. The profile class first box has only one digit - number 2. This has been the case since Octopus took it over in 2021 up to and including July 29th last bill. 2 or 02 I think relates to Domestic Economy 7. It was profile 02 since at least 2017 ( earliest record we’ve kept) until Octopus took over. I haven’t had a bill yet since the so called switch from commercial to domestic last week. Thanks for your help.

Scot_39

Sorry, maybe someone else can suggest how the new supplier indentified you as commercial.

debitcardmayhem

I wonder if the new supplier was EDF?

Qyburn

We resolved this for an organisation by speaking to the DNO and checking what they had on record. I then relayed this back to the supplier along with DNO's guidance about what they need from the supplier to make the change.

If your DNO happens to be SSEN, contact is mpas@sse.com

It took a few goes, for example at one point I had to pass back SSEN's specific feedback ..

The D0205 request that they sent was rejected as they did not add the correct combination, they only changed the PC but the PC is connected to the SSC and MTC that will require a change also.

Please ask the supplier to review the D0203 rejection and send the updated D0205 correctly.