Octopus Smart Meter Experiences

[LongRanger]

My switch from SSE to Octopus Go completes on Sunday. All been very smooth so far.

really is crazy thinking if you charge the car in 50% stages max you can “fill up” for under a fiver for 250-300 miles. Bonkers. Just about the only benefit of COVID having been a regular long distance traveller away from home before the company car turned up.

 

[KaiM]

My experience has been good with Octopus. My timeline as follows:

-moved to Octopus 5th October
-smart meter installed 4th November
-got switched to Go on 12th November

 

[tomorrowman]

My experience has been good with Octopus. My timeline as follows:

-moved to Octopus 5th October
-smart meter installed 4th November
-got switched to Go on 12th November

moved to Octopus 5th October
Smart Meter install 13th November (Today)

 

[MrBadger]

For those getting a new meter installed and do not have a whole house isolation switch fitted, now is the time to get one fitted. Its free if you ask when booking installation.

For those wondering why a whole house isolation switch is useful. Its one less reason for an electrician to huff, puff and tutt when quoting for electrical work that would otherwise need the main fuse to be pulled - which many make out to be a significant issue and use as an excuse to make the job sound more difficult.

 

[phil4]

Mine fitted one when he fitted the smart meter, without me asking... so it goes main fuse, into meter, into 100A switch, into normal fuse board. Previously it was main fuse, meter, normal fuseboard.

 

[kuruma]

My experience has been good with Octopus...

wish I could say the same.

Today I had confirmation of something that Octopus should have told me when I registered interest for a smart meter back in February. Apparently, in many places in the north (including TS postcodes such as mine) you can't have SMETS2 meters installed because they interfere with RAF signals. New hardware is being produced next year which will make smart meters possible for us, but I've been waiting nearly a year to be told this and had to find it out from SMS, the company that manages smart meters for the north.

Bummer.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

SMS seem to know a lot more about smart meters than Octopus, which is not surprising since they deal with them all the time.. but given they base their entire business on smart tariffs it would be better if they tried to get a bit more clued up. It was SMS who told me eventually I'm not in a smart meter area, after multiple failed (and pointless) installs.

 

[nxsynjs]

Shocking service so far.. Switched from previous supply 10th of june and STILL waiting for a smart meter install. Was due to have it fitted today between 8 and noon, but the engineer did not show. Phoned up and was told they had to cancel due to an over running job. I then replied, you have earlier installs than 8am? Just how hard do they work they installers..No phone call no apology just. Oh the earlest date is now 7th of Dec

I fully realised and appreciate covid slowed things down, but in this time I have had 2X 7kw chargers fitted, garden done, kitchen decorated, garage door replaced etc etc, and only getting the same "we are sorry for the delay.. excuse.. excuse" message. So octopus have never give us proactive information, it's always been us having to nag

The whole reason for changing to octopus was to save money, which having to wait 5(deducting a month as lockdown was lifted in july) months they have not done.

 

[NigelT]

hmmm, I've been with Octopus since Feb and still waiting for a smart meter upgrade. I have an old smart meter that's tied to British Gas apparently.

I guess its a bit of a postcode lottery?

 

[nxsynjs]

hmmm, I've been with Octopus since Feb and still waiting for a smart meter upgrade. I have an old smart meter that's tied to British Gas apparently.

I guess its a bit of a postcode lottery?

Are they keeping you up to date with how installs are going and a likely install date.. It's not so much the waiting it's the being treated like a mushroom.. Kinda hoping they give anyone who has had to wait over a certain amount of time a good will gesture for the inconvenience. Otherwise in 6 months time i'm off..

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Heh.. no.. I left after 6 months or having been stuck on their full 'bend over' tariff and they said they'd underestimated my bills and claimed another £200 (I'd had so many meters they'd lost track of how much electricity I was using, and their guess was way over my own calculations, but since there was literally no data to prove either way I had to pay it).

There's the tracker tariff now (which I think didn't exist a few months ago) which is probably worth getting on if you're going to be stuck without a smart meter for many months.

 

[exlatccatsa]

hmmm, I've been with Octopus since Feb and still waiting for a smart meter upgrade. I have an old smart meter that's tied to British Gas apparently.

I guess its a bit of a postcode lottery?

Keep pestering them.. its the only way.. email or even better, phone.

 

[Drew57]

I sent Octopus this email to [email protected] many months ago. The following day they confirmed installation for 3 days later....

Good morning

When I arranged to switch to Octopus back in xxx I requested a smart Meter so I would be able to charge my EV at home in the most cost effective way. When the transfer happened, I asked again & also confirmed interest via the link just to be sure.

I appreciate that there has been a delay in installations due to the previous lockdown but it is frustrating to know of several other Octopus customers who have had smart meters installed recently and yesterday my next door neighbour showed me their new meter (EON) and asked when Octopus will be fitting mine. I had to tell them that I have had no communication from Octopus about this, not even a scheduled date (theirs was scheduled very efficiently two days after lockdown restrictions were removed and fitted yesterday morning)

My cousin (another Tesla owner) was also going to switch to Octopus (with my referral) to use the Agile plan but the lack of communication or a date for my own installation is making him reluctant.

Please can someone provide me with a schedule date even if it is within a few weeks so I know where I stand. Your communication with me has been excellent in every other way, it's easy to speak to your very helpful people on the phone although they do not always seem to have the correct or consistent information. Maybe a case of the left arm not knowing what the right arm, not knowing what the other six arms etc are doing!?

I am otherwise very happy to be your customer.

Thank you

...not suggesting that anyone copy my message but a firm but polite email may work.

 

[Mr Miserable]

wish I could say the same.

Today I had confirmation of something that Octopus should have told me when I registered interest for a smart meter back in February. Apparently, in many places in the north (including TS postcodes such as mine) you can't have SMETS2 meters installed because they interfere with RAF signals. New hardware is being produced next year which will make smart meters possible for us, but I've been waiting nearly a year to be told this and had to find it out from SMS, the company that manages smart meters for the north.

Bummer.

OMG. You've let the cat out of the bag.
All the Russians need to do to jam RAF Fylingdales' early warning phased array radar is a few quids worth of SMART meters.

 

[Chrisgillett]

Positive experience so far. I was (am?) on Bulb. I have a SMETS2 smart meter installed earlier this year. Online form done today (ref code used) and moving over at the end of the month. Once I'm across, it should be another email to switch to the Go tariff. I'm in the south, and fortunate to already have the smart meter, probably made life easier.

 

[Medved_77]

OMG. You've let the cat out of the bag.
All the Russians need to do to jam RAF Fylingdales' early warning phased array radar is a few quids worth of SMART meters.

Have to disagree.

Living on the East Coast of Scotland the Ruskies are constantly poking their nose into our airspace. I think they're after our Irn Bru and gourmet fried treats however I cannot be sure. What I can be sure of is that both myself AND my neighbour have a smart meter and that hasn't stopped the Typhoons nor the Tu-142's from playing big boys hide and seek off my shoreline.

Fife-based RAF jets scrambled to supersonic bombers

 

[LongRanger]

My switch to Octopus happened on Sunday and just got an email today confirming SMETS2 half-hourly readings and inviting me to accept the Go tariff terms, Go starts midnight tonight for me.

Definitely the easiest energy switch I’ve ever done, made so much easier by complaining to SSE about smart meter availability and getting them to sort that before leaving them.

 

[tomorrowman]

Switch to Octopus Go just completed.

Transition from 'interim' octopus tracking tariff to Go, including old Scottish Power SMERTS1 smart meter replacement and subsequent commissioning, took about 7 weeks.

Still struggling to get my head around the approx. £4 for full charge on a M3LR.

Next conundrum - Agile or Go.

P.S. Don't forget to keep an eye on Octopus tariffs for gas. Recently switched to Nov v1 12M fixed as 2.8p per kwh and 17.85p daily standing charge but have just seen Nov v2 drop it to 2.72p per kwh

 

[ACarneiro]

Zog were the cheapest for me
Currently doing a SC of 17.85p/day and 2.5519p/kWh
They don't claim "green" credentials, though.

 

[twlr]

P.S. Don't forget to keep an eye on Octopus tariffs for gas. Recently switched to Nov v1 12M fixed as 2.8p per kwh and 17.85p daily standing charge but have just seen Nov v2 drop it to 2.72p per kwh

I'd love to move to Octopus for gas but Utility Point are giving me too much of a good deal; 13.65p per day and 2.38p per kWh. Again, doesn't appear to be green but just noticed referrals get £100 each. Message me if anyone's interested!