The Fitter
Winger
Today I've just had my mind blown apart.
I switched to Octopus back in August 2019 and an engineer came along to install the new smart meters for gas & electricity, so I left him to it and an hour or so later he said everything is good to go. Obviously bills have gone through the roof over the past year but I couldn't understand why I'm being charged more than twice the electricity compared to the lady next door, especially as I'm on my own. She has 2 teenagers, washing machine on twice a day, tumble dryer, electric shower, old gas oven and old boiler (the one in the cupboard, not her!) Kids using every plug socket, 4 TV's on standby, lights left on everywhere etc.
So after comparing bills yesterday, and paying over £300/month, I decide to check out my Octopus smart meters as something is clearly amiss. My bills state I'm using smart meters, so I decide to check they are working and go to submit a reading... It turns out I don't have any smart meters fitted! The engineer never fitted any in the first place! Only the old Scottish power ones that are turned off/dead. I call Octopus this morning and they confirm for the last 3.5 years they have been estimating my bills, from the closest meter to my house! Yep, the lady next door. They call it cross-metering. I'm now due a refund for the last 3.5 years which will be several thousand pounds. They say it's rare but does happen, so check you have the right smart meter fitted or it's likely you'll be getting fleeced!
I switched to Octopus back in August 2019 and an engineer came along to install the new smart meters for gas & electricity, so I left him to it and an hour or so later he said everything is good to go. Obviously bills have gone through the roof over the past year but I couldn't understand why I'm being charged more than twice the electricity compared to the lady next door, especially as I'm on my own. She has 2 teenagers, washing machine on twice a day, tumble dryer, electric shower, old gas oven and old boiler (the one in the cupboard, not her!) Kids using every plug socket, 4 TV's on standby, lights left on everywhere etc.
So after comparing bills yesterday, and paying over £300/month, I decide to check out my Octopus smart meters as something is clearly amiss. My bills state I'm using smart meters, so I decide to check they are working and go to submit a reading... It turns out I don't have any smart meters fitted! The engineer never fitted any in the first place! Only the old Scottish power ones that are turned off/dead. I call Octopus this morning and they confirm for the last 3.5 years they have been estimating my bills, from the closest meter to my house! Yep, the lady next door. They call it cross-metering. I'm now due a refund for the last 3.5 years which will be several thousand pounds. They say it's rare but does happen, so check you have the right smart meter fitted or it's likely you'll be getting fleeced!