Something not right with OCTOPUS Energy bill?

[lawrenceofarabia]

So I am currently trying to work out why my monthly bill with OCTOPUS Energy is so high. Bearing in mind we have not used the heating at all for at least the last 2 months. I have tried to cost each and every appliance:
Fridge freezer, washing machine (don't use tumble drier) shower, kettle, tv on standby, hair dryer, hair straightener, lamp and lightbulbs, air fryer, gas ring, security camera, Alexa.
I have worked out roughly how long each appliance is used per day and the daily cost. I have been generous in some instances in my workings and I still only get to HALF the cost of the bill. This includes adding on Octopus standing charge.
I have sent meter readings and I just don't understand how the meter readings are so much more than my daily/monthly use?
For context I live in a small 2 bed terraced house with my lodger (who goes to bed early each night and is very economical with w machine and d washer etc - we share usage and only use 2-3 times per week between us) I have a gas boiler which has recently been serviced.
Anyone else struggling to work out what is going on with their energy bills/usage?
Are the meter readings giving a false reading!

Correct they were installed about 4 years ago and had no issues before when I was with Bulb. However Octopus regularly say they "can't take a reading" so when I checked I discovered the overcharge of £190 as mentioned in my earlier post. However I submitted my own readings so they are using those for latest bill. I will double check the MPAN number on my bill too.

That's really useful. A friend gave me a box of those Tapo plugs because he said they were useful to use when away as timers etc.
I didn't think to use them for this - thanks

@lawrenceofarabia right, so have you still got your last few bills from Bulb where the meter readings were correct? Which if you do backs up your case for Octopus. Also check that MPAN on those bills and compare to your new bill from Octopus. It could be that when the transfer from Bulb to Octopus took place something has gone wrong on the exchange of information.

Oooh I used to love solving these types of things.

We have lounge and hall lamps on Tapo timers, so much easier to change in the app than dragging out the table and manually changing those dials as summer hits.

Thanks - I need to dig out my old bills - think they’re still online 👍

Is the MPAN number the same as “ supply number” - electric and “Meter Point Reference” - Gas?

Yes it should be

Meter Point Administration Number or supply details, basically identifies a meter

My Tapo plugs are set to turn the lights on 45 minutes before sunset and off at 10.30pm which means even less faffing about with settings.

I use Meross plugs instead and either control them via the app on my mobile or more usually tell Alexa when I want them on and off. Same with all my ceiling lights etc. Zero faff.

Another refugee from Bulb here who has had the misfortune to be transferred to Octopus. They are a complete shambles and their Customer Service is awful. We have a direct debit and we give our own readings as their estimates are way off beam but still pay a huge monthly amount despite there being less use in Summer. We too will be looking for a new provider.

I have had no issue at all with Octopus and you can see your balance as soon as you submit readings. You build up credit in summer to offset high winter bills. Or you can opt to pay for what you use on a monthly basis so would pay less in summer and more in winter.

Same. I'm really happy with Octopus. Their customer service has been consistently great. My meter wasn't registered at all and it's been a complete nightmare but Octopus got it resolved for me and very were proactive with updates and super-responsive.

Yes, I hate how much my electric bill is but that's not their fault.

I've just swapped to Octopus from British Gas and the move has been efficient and the customer service has been prompt. We had smart meters fitted too, and that's all been done with no problems.

Prices are exceedingly high at the moment regardless of supplier, the monthly direct debits will be higher than the actual usage in the summer in order to build up credit for the higher winter payments. This would be the same for any energy supplier.

It can’t be extortion - as @RoseslnTheHospital , to all extents and purposes everyone is basically paying the same for their energy right now (unless very lucky to be on a very old fixed rate). So if your bill is higher than an neighbour’s either you are using more or the bills are wrong. Either way you will only ever be billed for what you actually use.

I moved from Bulb and have had no issues with Octopus. I m on a smart meter which I check monthly and calculate how much I'm likely to owe on a spreadsheet... it's always fairly close.

Remember that prices were rising all last year so you can't compare this may with last may and we had governent support until
March.

Perhaps compare your usage from your previous bulb invoices for the same month

Another ex Bulb customer who isn’t happy with Octopus and will look to leave. We ran a credit over the whole winter and now have huge credit as even though the octopus predictor shows expected useage they won’t let the dd be changed to match.
Gutted about Bulb still. Thought they were excellent.

You can change the direct debit yourself on the app or ask for some of the credit balance to be refunded to your bank account

The biggest electric suckers in my recent observations: electric hobs, ovens, electric showers, immersion heaters, 60 degree wash cycles.

Octopus are really good on email (albeit slow). They will sort it out for you (in the end).

Ask for a smart meter and in home monitor so you can watch the rate daily.

It may take a few months (they had a shortage) but they will get there.

Same here. And we've just received an email from them saying that the tariff is reducing...but they will continue to take the same amount DD from us. I didn't think they were allowed to accumulate money and make interest on it, which is what I guess is happening.

You can change so they only bill you for what you've used (that's what I do). But lots of people prefer to have a fixed DD so they effectively overpay in the summer to cover the higher electric usage in winter so they spread their payments evenly over the year (which it sounds like what you're on). If you want to change to a variable DD just contact Octopus. It isn't some huge conspiracy 😂

Another who has moved from Bulb to Octopus and is massively unimpressed. I started the winter being £1000 in credit with Bulb and dipped into this gradually each month, being around £700 in credit in March. I pay £360 each month. We moved over to Octopus and I told them I wanted to withdraw some of my credit balance and took out £500, and ever since then I’ve been in debit…? Some months up to £300?? I need to look into it properly but I cannot understand how this can be the case. I’ve also had the email saying costs are going down but they aren’t lowering my bill

The costs are going down by about 17% so hardly going down at all. If you withdrew a credit of £500 then you must have been practically at £0 in credit. I'd look at your usage rather than blaming Octopus for you being in debit.

I was almost £700 in credit at the time though, and Octopus told me how much they were happy for me to withdraw to leave me in good stead…

What does your balance history look like on the app? How much are you using compared to how much you are paying? Can you reduce what you are using so you can bring your costs down?

I reduced the amount of time my hot water was on and turned my thermostat right down and changed the amount of time the heating was on. Our biggest spend is on electricity though which I find harder to reduce.