[stevelup]

Has anyone recently got any sense out of Octopus about exactly when they are restarting meter installs?

Big banner on their website saying they have restarted, so I started my switch and registered for interest.

Time passes without even an acknowledgement of my registering for interest, so I e-mail them just to check they received my register of interest and to ask for a rough idea about the meter install. I get a copy-pasted answer back saying they are only doing emergency work due to COVID-19.

I reply challenging that and point out that is not what it says on the website, and get another reply back still not answering either of the original questions but this time saying they are slowly starting work but that these are not normal times, safety of employees number one priortiy etc.

So we can go to the pub and gym, get a hair cut and even a massage, but it's not safe for someone to fit a meter -outside- your house?!

It's the inconsistent and/or patronising messaging that I'm frustrated about more than anything.

Thought Octopus were supposed to be the kings of customer service!

 

[dk6780]

Can't answer your question - sorry. But two things:

1. Email Phil @ Octopus and you get a more thought through response
   
   
2. Why not get your existing provider to fit the Smart meter first before leaving? Octopus can work with all SMETS2 so it may speed up the process.

 

[SueH]

I wouldn't be too optimistic. My SMETS2 ceased passing them half-hour readings on 26th May and I still don't have resolution in spite of various communications from myself and even a visit from a meter reader to check the number on the meter... I haven't raised a formal complaint but may do so if I haven't heard anything by the end of the week. I'd be a lot unhappier if I were trying to charge an EV and my 4kWp on the roof wasn't talking the main load with summer production.

I think Covid, expansion of their company and having to deal with a disfunctional central system for smart meters are all militating against rapid resolution. The idea of Agile is great but a long way to go before it can be expanded at scale.

 

[phproxy]

Or email smart at octopus.energy

In the interim, ask to move to the tracker tariffs until the smart meters are fitted.

Introducing Octopus Tracker: Britain's fairest energy tariff

Octopus Tracker is Britain’s first tariff to truly follow the wholesale price of energy, with prices updated daily based on market rates

octopus.energy

 

[dk6780]

As previously, the whole Smart Meter system is an unmitigated disaster and unfit for purpose - a typical Civil Service "World Class solution". They would have comprehensively missed all of their targets (again) and must be the only people other than CrossRail to be welcoming the disruption from Covid-19.

The first SMETS2 smart meters finally arrive but doubts over the programme remain - Watt-Logic

National Audit Office report highly critical of smart meters programme - Watt-Logic

Or to paraphrase @Rei, Tory waste and jobs for their mates.

 

[stevelup]

Why not get your existing provider to fit the Smart meter first before leaving? Octopus can work with all SMETS2 so it may speed up the process.

My existing supplier doesn't do smart metering.

Thanks everyone else - it certainly looks a mess.

 

[EricM]

I had my Octopus smart meter fitted on 1st June. Initial response was the usual BS about 'government guidelines' preventing them but after a high level complaint quoting actual government guidelines recommending normal working where social distancing allows and an explanation of why their technician wouldn't need to enter house they were very cooperative.

 

[stevelup]

Yes, the stock responses from customer services felt like a fobbing off rather than a practical answer...

 

[andyswarbs]

I've had polite responses from Daphne at Octopus repeating same as above. So no improvement...

That said this morning I got an email that made me laugh until I was blue in the face. As I have posted before I used to be with Ecotricity. They have restarted installing smart meters via their fitting company Fulcrum. Well I have had several emails from fulcrum offering to install my smart meter. And even another one this morning offering 3 dates for installation. This is despite me telling them on the phone and email that I am now with octopus.

So I thought, what the heck, if they're that keen then I will accept a date. I mean surely one smart meter 2 can't be that different from another, can it?

So I replied that the 27th August would be great. Boom, they finally checked their files and found out I am no longer a customer - again.

Come on Octopus, time to sort your act out! I think time to go on twitter about it.

 

[endoman]

I got this on 9 July, I registered interest in Smart meter back in early June when I switched,

Thank you for getting in touch. I can see that on 19/06 you signed up to Octopus Go. We will be contacting all customers for meter installations as soon as the capacity becomes available. In terms of a timescale, I would suggest around 1 - 2 months for the meter exchange to take place, as unfortunately there were a lot of delays caused by Covid.

 

[mad_rich]

I think it varies by where you are as much as anything else. Different installers, suppliers (of the meters), communications networks, and how much demand there is in your area.

I signed up in February. Had an email a couple of weeks ago that they were restarting in my area, and booked an appointment within a week. (The meter wouldn't commission, so they're back again tomorrow, but that's another story)

 

[stevelup]

Indeed. Which is why I asked what I thought was a straightforward question. "What's happening in my area?" but got fobbed off with two copy-paste replies.

 

[Paul Hopwood]

I'm still waiting for Northern Powergrid to update my cut-out switch before the smart meter can be installed, I suspect this whole journey may be a long one (joined Octopus on 1 Jan)

 

[stevelup]

Why do you need a cutout switch?

 

[Jimlad]

The engineer is installing ours as we speak! I tweeted them last week asking about it and they sent me a link to book my appointment straight away!

 

[Paul Hopwood]

Why do you need a cutout switch?

Because the existing one is very old, so when SMS came to fit my meter in March the guy said the cut-out had to be replaced/updated before he could install the meter. The cut-out is where the DNO's responsibility ends (Northern Powergrid in my case) so they were then booked in for 6 April, which didn't happen for obvs reasons. I wouldn't worry about it unless you have a house where the consumer unit and/or other peripherals haven't been updated since probably well before the 70's or it wouldn't even surprise me if my cut-out is 50's or earlier.

 

[stevelup]

Ah, you mean the cutout. When you said cutout switch, so I thought you were having an isolator fitted.

Hmm. Weird.

Your cutout is either OK, or it's dangerous. If it's OK, well, then, it's OK. If it's dangerous, then your DNO should treat it with more urgency.

It's funny how different areas are bad and good at this stuff. My fuse carrier didn't have anything printed on it so there was no way of knowing what size fuse was in the cutout. I e-mailed SSE, and they were out three days later, checked the fuse, did a few other safety checks and labelled everything up.

 

[Paul Hopwood]

Oh in that case I dunno, maybe it contains bits made from asbestos or something and they have a policy of replacing. I probably just assumed it was due to it's antiquity as it does look ancient.

 

[mad_rich]

Indeed. Which is why I asked what I thought was a straightforward question. "What's happening in my area?" but got fobbed off with two copy-paste replies.

I guess the real answer is likely to be 'well we have a few people in your area who are waiting, but it depends on whether that contract with the installers in North Yorkshire is signed off and Dave who was supposed to be doing installs in Cumbria is quarantining after going on holiday to Spain, so if 5 more people in Cheshire book appointments next week, we might reallocate the meters that were going to Cumbria to there, as long as the network provider can cope with the new connections, and only if that new software fix we were rolling out can be sent over the air, otherwise we might as well make Cheshire wait and start contacting people in Leicester again but only if...'

So it's easier to say 'We can't give you a date right now, sorry. We'll be in touch'

 

[Billythetipdog]

Has anyone recently got any sense out of Octopus about exactly when they are restarting meter installs?

Big banner on their website saying they have restarted, so I started my switch and registered for interest.

Time passes without even an acknowledgement of my registering for interest, so I e-mail them just to check they received my register of interest and to ask for a rough idea about the meter install. I get a copy-pasted answer back saying they are only doing emergency work due to COVID-19.

I reply challenging that and point out that is not what it says on the website, and get another reply back still not answering either of the original questions but this time saying they are slowly starting work but that these are not normal times, safety of employees number one priortiy etc.

So we can go to the pub and gym, get a hair cut and even a massage, but it's not safe for someone to fit a meter -outside- your house?!

It's the inconsistent and/or patronising messaging that I'm frustrated about more than anything.

Thought Octopus were supposed to be the kings of customer service!

Hmm, It took Octopus near on a year to fit smart gas and electric that worked, and in the end I had to take Octopus to the Energy Ombudsman to get this and my Octopus Outgoing payments credited. The EO found in my favour on 2 counts of Octopus poor customer service, what 8 weeks ago and at the start of July they arranged to swap (reluctantly)

My account still isnt showing the feed in credits and they seem to be dragging their feet crediting me manually for the feed in payments and reimbursing me credit thats built up over past year.

Thing is I came to Octopus from British Gas so I understand how bad poor service can be, and at first everything at Octopus seemed ok, but I think they launched their Outgoing tarriff far too early and well before their systems could handle it. As for the meter insatll, they mucked my install up through sheer 'left arm not knowing what right arm was doing' imcompetance

Given normal circumstances I'd be off to another providor like a shot, but as I have solar and Powerwall setup, Octopus seemed so ideal, and I so wanted to be an Octopus fanboy, especially as their fixed rate (5.5kwh) Outgoing export tarrif is quite decent and I'm not that impressed with competitiors offers.

I'll see how the next few months go before I go back to candles and oil lamps...

Hope you get the meter thing sorted but by all means give the Energy Ombudsman a go if you get the meter install runaround