“My energy direct debit is increasing by over £300 a month, right?” – Which? News
Do you have a problem to solve? Which? is there to help you solve your consumption problems.
Dear who?,
I have been an Octopus customer for about four years, and we had a very affordable fixed rate for our electricity and gas. Late last year we moved into a new house with no gas supply, so everything is electric.
We have only submitted two meter readings since we moved in and Octopus has reviewed our monthly payments. Raising them from £39.44 to £333.16.
We are only two in the house, it is extraordinary that we could pay so much. I am now really worried about the price caps rising in April and October – it will be impossible to maintain this kind of amount per month.
What can I do?
Alan, Northamptonshire
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Put to rights
Adam French, which one? A consumer rights expert says…
Electricity is more expensive per unit than gas, so I would be prepared for your bills to go up, but the amount you were quoted seems very high.
At the time of writing, none of Octopus’ current flat rates exceed £250 per month, which is for the most in-demand uses.
When we contacted Octopus they told us that due to an unusual meter error they were only charging you for the gas you were using, not the electricity. This meant that, on average, your direct debit was less than half of what it was supposed to be.
The error only appeared when you moved and submitted your final readings.
An Octopus spokesperson said: ‘We made sure we didn’t charge for the electricity he used in his old house but didn’t pay from 2019 to 2021.
“One of our operations managers explained this to him and suggested that he always contact us if he is not paying as much as he expected.
“We are now getting accurate readings of his electricity usage and have given him tips on how to check that his appliances are not wasting energy unnecessarily.
“We are also in the process of installing a smart meter to help him better understand his consumption and keep an eye on his bills in the coming months.
Octopus also credited Alan with a goodwill payment and set up a more manageable monthly payment plan.
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