Octopus Energy - £4k elec bill for 11 months?

Go straight to the energy ombudsman!

My complaint has just been resolved - it started in April 2024!!! I have no kind words to say about Octopus - I think they are pretty disgraceful tbh.

I was sent a £1500 approx bill out of nowhere. The bills were beyond confusing, nobody would explain anything, nobody would look into anything. It was an absolute farce! I complained - they wouldn’t put a thing in writing but offered to reduce the bill by £300 despite not admitting any fault or explaining what had happened. Wouldn’t reply to emails, wouldn’t call when they said they would. I knew something was wrong so went to the Ombudsman.

Octopus had managed to merge 2 accounts of mine, one from a previous address and one for current address, an absolute mess to be frank and something they aren’t allowed to do. It took months of unpicking and delays from Octopus but I am finally there. You aren’t required to pay the disputed bill until you have a resolution with the Ombudsman in my experience so it is worth him doing this anyway.

The first thing he needs to establish was there an opening read taken when he moved into the property. It might be a week or so out but that'll be close enough.

Yes same here, my energy company replaced my meter for this same reason.

I would get the energy ombudsman involved and that will shut them up for a couple of weeks at least. Octopus are quite good at emailing back but they should be investigating this properly.

Meters have a certification life, and must be replaced when it expires. There is also a type of meter (radio teleswitch), which rely on a radio signal which has now been discontinued, so these are all being replaced. Plus, as we all know, the government is very keen on upgrading every property to a smart meter. So, no, a supplier is unlikely to be doing anything nefarious here.

This only applies to gas meters. Electricity meters have always measured and displayed kWh.

I have been arguing with Octopus for 2 years about them insisting our bill is 4K too.
Average sized new build, no one home all day. When we come over in the evenings we are careful what we use.
They change our direct debit payments with no warning so they randomly take £400 or £500 out of my account leaving me with less money for the month. I have complained so many times and they never reply to complaints.

I’ve asked him to check that the MPAN on his meter matches the MPAN on his bill.

That's an excellent plan. Someone I know was charged a ridiculous amount and it turned out that the energy co were using readings from the wrong meter.

This was in an enormous Victorian house that had been converted into 13 flats. Around half of them were being charged for the wrong meter, and many of them had changed supplier several times.

That was 13 years ago, I wouldn't be surprised if they were still trying to unravel it now! Friend moved out a few months after it came to light and never heard any more about it.

That's nearly what where I work pays! They do have solar panels, but we're talking about several large rooms (up to 200 people size), used 7 days a week.

He needs to check the readings on all his previous bills. Were they actual readings, or estimates?

If they had been overestimated, and then an actual reading was made which was significantly lower than a much earlier estimates it can sometime happens that instead of crediting an account with the difference, the system charges for electricity that it should be crediting the account with.

It's called "round the clock" billing and companies are supposed to have debugged the software to prevent it, but sometimes it still happens.

This is why I hate utility companies . No one stops to think sensibly about how unlikely it is for a small flat to use that amount of electric in 11 months. It’s just a complete lazy cop out to say he used it he pays it .

They didn’t as they were due a refund not a big bill to pay. But they did question it (it was thousands) and octopus could never really explain why they were due such a big refund, just paid it out - same sort of relatively vague explanation as your brother has had.

the meter exchange will most likely been to do with the smart meter programme - suppliers are under pressure from govt to change old meters for smart meters. However, about 1/5 properties can’t have one because the meter won’t commission due to location, thick walls, too many storeys up in the air etc. Meters in basements of blocks of flats often won’t commission.

Your brother’s next avenue is to formally complain and that then gives him a route to the Energy Ombudsman. You might find he does owe the money but you’ll probably get a better explanation because octopus will have to look into it thoroughly.

if the move in date octopus have is incorrect that’s easily rectified by providing his tenancy agreement. That will knock a year’s usage off.

someone I worked with recently got a huge refund from octopus in similar circumstances, they couldn’t really explain it - same situation but a credit rather than a debit.

Does the latest meter reading match with the latest statement?

If you refer it to the energy ombudsman, they'll start investigating it and they'll also call off the dogs. Meaning, the energy company will stop chasing for a while.Because the ombudsman is involved. He won't be on the receiving ends of any demands while it's being investigated

The agency will have a record of the meter reading I would have thought on file.

he absolutely shouldn’t pay as there’s no way it would be that much for 11 months definitely seek help

Is he able to find the documents he was given when he first moved in? He can then do 2 things. 1.)Take a picture and email it over to Octopus showing the date that his tenancy agreement started. 2.)See if there's an opening meter reading on any of the documents.

Ideally, he needs to call Octopus to get them to check the MPAN on the National Database, which Octopus employees have access to. Check that the MPAN on his account matches his exact address and the MPAN on his meter box.

Did they give a reason as to why they can't install a smart meter? Generally, tenants need permission from the landlord to install a smart meter for their property. If this isn't the reason that they won't install one (that he hasn't asked for permission), then he needs to ask for the exact reason for the refusal.

Also, you can email the CEO of Octopus (though I believe he doesn't read his own emails. People who work with him do) and don't be afraid to lodge a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman.

Open an email thread, too. I always recommend having a paper trail where possible.

I'd refer it to the energy omsbudsman. If the readings are wrong, they'll sort it out and they'll find out.

how long does the 4k span over.

There’s something about it charging back over 12 months.

He needs to do a reading and then submit another possibly each week to get a base line on what the meter is reading/what he’s using.