I see Octopus have started using the old EON 'tricks to try an install smart meters

[tobyjugg2]

email:

 

Your electricity meter has reached the end of its certification period and needs to be replaced. Book your smart meter install today, and we’ll handle the rest:

Choose your appointment date

[click button]

The install's a breeze and won’t cost you any extra. Our engineer will be with you for about an hour per fuel (and if you have a gas meter, we'll replace it at the same time).

 

Here's everything you need to know in under two minutes:

What is a certification period?

 

Just like food, each electricity meter is given a 'best before' date when it's manufactured. This is called a certification date which is set by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). It's our responsibility to let you know when your meter has reached its certification date and replace it so it stays in working order, and you only pay for the energy you use.

Love and power,

The Octopus Energy Team

 

Note:

They have been repeatedly informed I will not have a smart meter. No electrickery meddling with my brain issues - just dont want remote control of my services by an industry that has FAR to many issues with competence/honesty or even fixing their own errors

what I did find rather amusing is the option to 'unsubscribe' at the bottom ...

 

[AndyOrch]

On 05/04/2024 at 12:10, tobyjugg2 said:

reached the end of its certification period

 Code for we do not have any control of your electricity/gas usage.

 

 

.

[tobyjugg2]

Interestingly my gas meter was replaced a few years ago - NOT smart - where the reps at that time tried to insist that I had to have a smart meter - but I'll bet if I clicked the book button - they would do both. They installed a refurbished and re calibrated (allegedly) none smart gas meter

 

Just a point to the readers - You still do NOT have to have a smart meter installed - I wont have one with remote access at all (even allegedly disabled) -  its pointless having something where agreed terms can just be 'over-ridden remotely and without agreement - or even notification

(oops sorry you caught us doing that - it was an error/wasn't us - but we can't change it as you cant prove it was us)

 

Stu's links from prior thread

 

Smart Meter Act 2018: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/14/contents/enacted

 

Transition to Smart Meters: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/gas/retail-market/metering/transition-smart-meters

 

Smart Meters: A Guide to Your Rights: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/consumer-guide-understanding-energy-meters-ofgem/smart-meters-guide-your-rights

 

Energy Supply Disconnection and Prepayment Meter Rules: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/who-contact-if-its-difficult-paying-energy-bills/energy-supply-disconnection-and-prepayment-meter-rules

 

Consumer Vulnerability Strategy: Debt and Disconnection (until 2025): https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/about-us/how-we-work/working-consumers/protecting-and-empowering-consumers-vulnerable-situations/consumer-vulnerability-strategy/consumer-vulnerability-strategy-debt-and-disconnection

 

Priority Services Register for people in need: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/extra-help-energy-services/priority-services-register-people-need

 

 

Edited April 5 by tobyjugg2

[Bazooka Boo]

It's a monthly occurrence with them, pretty much like attrition, ''let us see if we can wear them down and submit'', I will not be rolling over and getting a 'smart' meter either.

[tobyjugg2]

Although I have been bombarded with 'book your smart meter' at every contact/meter reading etc page from Octopus, this is the first time they have used these despicable misleading con directed attempts

Had been quite satisfied with Octopus until recently - now they are looking more and more like a traditional energy company that thinks it can do whatever suites it

[tobyjugg2]

and interesting, 9 days after emailing them confirming I refuse to have a smart meter, and requesting confirmation that they accept this - no response.

Last issue i had with them took months and a formal complaint running beyond its time to get a meaningful response.

Octopus must have set on some NPower staff. They not quite @NPower level yet, but seem to be heading that way fast in  lack of competence if not utter maliciousness.

[aesmith]

What's the reason for not wanting a smart meter? Personally I'm saving a pile on a tariff only available with one. Today electricity is 17.17p/kWh.

If the meter is truly past its certification date the supplier is obliged to replace it. If you refuse to allow this then eventually they'll get warrant and do so by force. Certified life varies between models and generations, some only 10 or 15 years, some older types as long as 40 years or maybe even more.

Your meter should have its certified start date marked somewhere so if you doubt the supplier you can look up the certified life and cross check.

[tobyjugg2]

On 05/04/2024 at 12:10, tobyjugg2 said:

Note:

They have been repeatedly informed I will not have a smart meter. No electrickery meddling with my brain issues - just dont want remote control of my services by an industry that has FAR to many issues with competence/honesty or even fixing their own errors

 

Edited April 19 by tobyjugg2

[aesmith]

Meter certification periods re given in The Meters (Certification) Regulations 1998, Schedule 4. From there you can check if they are correct about your specific meter ..

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/1566/schedule/4

If they're telling porkies then you have e clear grounds to tell them to take  hike.

If they're correct or if you haven't been able to confirm then you have  few options.

You could just keep fobbing them off. In general Octopus can't keep up with demand for smart meters. It took 9 months to get our. So they may not push too hard.

Or ask if you can install your own choice of meter. The Electricity Act 1989 cover this in Schedule 7 (2) and (2A)

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/29/schedule/7

Or fight the them and their enforcement.

Or go off supply.

Edited April 19 by aesmith

[tobyjugg2]

Npower and Scottish Power and others have always had regulations that require them to treat customers fairly - the threads here and my experiences demonstrate that those regs are little more than useless.

 

Even Octopus recently spent month after month saying they needed to increase my monthly payments despite my credit balance slowly going up

TWICE I had to reset it online back to prior payment as they unilaterally increased it unilaterally.

Raised formal complaint and they than said i was paying too much and reduced the payment, again without my agreement, although that time at least they told me they were doing it.

 

.. and Octopus has been one of the better ones.

 

 

Edited April 19 by tobyjugg2

[tobyjugg2]

Oh - simple fact from Ofgem - albeit wrapped in waffle

 

Do I have to have a smart meter?

Unless there is a good reason not to, suppliers must install a smart meter if they are:

• replacing a meter
• installing a meter for the first time, such as in a new property. 

You can choose not to accept an offer to have a smart meter fitted.

You can also request to have one at a later date without being charged.

Edited April 19 by tobyjugg2

[aesmith]

1 hour ago, tobyjugg2 said:

Even Octopus recently spent month after month saying they needed to increase my monthly payments despite my credit balance slowly going up

Octopus allows you to pay by variable Direct Debit, so you pay only for what you use but still benefit from DD pricing. That's what I've done ever we were SOLRed over to them in July 2022.

[tobyjugg2]

Huh?

This is nothing about paying just for what I use - I currently prefer the averaged monthly payment - else i wouldn't be in credit month after month - which I am comfortable with - else I wold simply request a part refund - which I  would have done if they hadn't reduced my monthly dd after the complaint I raised (handled slowly and rather badly) highlighted the errors in their systems (one of which they do seem to have fixed)

Are you not aware DD is always potentially variable? ah well, look it up - but my deal is a supposed to average the payments over a year, and i dont expect them to change payments (up or down) without my informed agreement ESPECIALLY when I'm in credit over winter.

 

You are happy with your smart meter - jolly for you

I dont want one, dont have to have one  - so wont

 

I have a box that tells me my electricity usage - was free donkeys years ago and shows me everything I need to know just like a smart meter but doesnt need a smart meter,  and i can manually set my charges - so as a side effect - would show me if the charges from the supplier were mismatched.

Doesn't tell me if the meters actually calibrated correctly - but neither does your smart meter. That all relies on a label and the competence of the testers - and the competence of any remote fiddling with the settings. You seem happy with that - thats fine. I'm not.

 

 

[aesmith]

Well naturally if you want to maintain your outrage, and retain something to bitch about, then arguing about the level of your fixed monthly DD is the way to go. You are of course perfectly free to ignore the easy solution.

Edited April 19 by aesmith

[tobyjugg2]

ROFL - dont get upset just because someone (quite a lot of someones) dont want smart meters - well unless you get paid for it .. in which case ...

 

I assume you haven't been with Octopus long enough to be on one of the very long fixed price tariffs they offered before the prices went bonkers

.. and that you dont use your electricity in the evening/lunch time if you think the 'agile type tariffs are good value .. let alone worth installing a smart meter for - high price a good disincentive for an evening cuppa eh? Let alone all your computer/tv etc time in the peak price evening or lunch time.

- and boy do those peak prices instantly hammer your bill when those Russian and middle eastern issues kick off.

 

I would only have considered a smart meter if solar panels had been an option for me - but roof is oriented completely the wrong way.

Oh - and My opinion hasn't changed since the smart meter trials 40 years ago, because neither have the issues (well not enough)

but I'm happy for you. Be happy for me.

Edited April 19 by tobyjugg2

[aesmith]

On 19/04/2024 at 20:54, tobyjugg2 said:

.. and that you dont use your electricity in the evening/lunch time if you think the 'agile type tariffs are good value .. let alone worth installing a smart meter for - high price a good disincentive for an evening cuppa eh? Let alone all your computer/tv etc time in the peak price evening or lunch time.

Our price is the same all day, but varies day to day. Yes there's a risk of high prices but it has never gone above SVR any time since I signed up. Last 30 days average 17.67p/kWh, max 20.67 and lowest was 11.83.  It saved just under £300 during 2023.

 

[tobyjugg2]

That may be your personal claimed experience

I said i didn't want smart meters - you jumped in to recommend smart meters

I quite clearly indicated I was happy with being in credit to maintain constant payments - you suggest paying what I owe every month

I quite clearly indicated I was happy with being in credit to maintain constant payments - you suggest a variable tariff - even if its one that only varies on a daily basis rather than half/hourly - with prices higher in winter when you need it and lowest in summer when you need it least

 

politeness ends with:

- I'm NOT interested in any smart tariff I see,

You are pushing your smart meter + variable tariffs in the wrong place - try pushing them somewhere 'nearer to home'

 

[tobyjugg2]

Back to octopus from the smart meter/tariff salesperson.

Octopus have now said just ignore the letter - I dont have to have one despite there letter implying (at least) it was required, but that i will HAVE to have a smart meter if current meters stop working as 'their suppliers dont supply non smart meters any more'.

They also say they do not/will not disable any smart functionality when they fit a smart meter

I am of course going to challenge that. Thats their choice of meter fitter/supplier problem not mine

Edited April 25 by tobyjugg2

[aesmith]

Post #9 suggested some options to avoid or put off having a smart meter.

Post #12 a simple solution to your complaint about the ay they handle fixed monthly DD.

It's not really clear why you posted if you're going get irate when members "jump in" with suggestions.

You can see what I'm referring to on "gasracker.uk" to allay your suspicion that I was lying in Post #16 which was made to correct ther misinformation shown in your Post #15

[tobyjugg2]

Currently - "the maximum daily price at 100p / kWh for electricity and 30p / kWh for gas

– keep in mind that's a lot higher than the Ofgem Energy Price Cap, so if you can't afford prices to increase further, you're probably better off sticking with a protected tariff such as Flexible Octopus."

Octopus Tracker is a product of our labs, available now to customers through our beta programme.

Octopus Tracker is a beta product. Some things may not work the first time, and installations and processes may take longer than we'd like. Third party tech like In-home Displays won't always work, and on occasion data issues with smart meters can take significant time to fix or prevent things from working at all.

 

Copied straight from octopus

 

Feel free to shove push it somewhere else

 

 

Edited April 25 by tobyjugg2