Octopus and Export payments

JimD

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Washington UK
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MG5 SE LR
Since we got our solar panels and battery and set up export payment, I've had a few occasions where Octopus failed to credit our account for electricity export (i.e. not just on one bill, but just stopped including them for several months until I noticed & pulled them up about it).

Each time, they insisted I provide a photograph of the meter showing the export reading (despite the fact that they clearly have the data, since it's shown in my usage stats on the 'consumption' pages of their website).

They've just done the same again - stopped paying from January and now that I've asked them to pay up, they want a photo of the meter before they'll do so, even though they admit they already have the readings (!!). I've already queried the need and they've come back insisting they need one (but without giving a plausible explanation why).

Has anyone else had this?
 
Since we got our solar panels and battery and set up export payment, I've had a few occasions where Octopus failed to credit our account for electricity export (i.e. not just on one bill, but just stopped including them for several months until I noticed & pulled them up about it).

Each time, they insisted I provide a photograph of the meter showing the export reading (despite the fact that they clearly have the data, since it's shown in my usage stats on the 'consumption' pages of their website).

They've just done the same again - stopped paying from January and now that I've asked them to pay up, they want a photo of the meter before they'll do so, even though they admit they already have the readings (!!). I've already queried the need and they've come back insisting they need one (but without giving a plausible explanation why).

Has anyone else had this?
No - always been automatic and no problem.

Do you perhaps a smart meter that was installed by a different company? Ours was installed by Octopus.
 
Works fine for me and I’m in the middle of nowhere. Ask the smart meter installer to fit a high gain antenna if your coverage is low.
 
Just to be clear - the smart meter is working fine as far as I'm aware. Octopus are saying they have the readings. To quote them:

"While we do have the export data shown in your account, we still require a photo of the meter as it allows us to ensure that the meter readings your export credits are calculated to are correct. This helps us to avoid any potential billing errors."

There's never been any suggestion that the readings for my usage are wrong - it's only seems to be when the money is flowing the other way they suddenly have a problem with them.
 
Are you using a smart tariff with 30min readings? I also get the emails asking for meter readings occasionally but smart@ tells me to just ignore them.
 
Just to be clear - the smart meter is working fine as far as I'm aware. Octopus are saying they have the readings. To quote them:

"While we do have the export data shown in your account, we still require a photo of the meter as it allows us to ensure that the meter readings your export credits are calculated to are correct. This helps us to avoid any potential billing errors."

There's never been any suggestion that the readings for my usage are wrong - it's only seems to be when the money is flowing the other way they suddenly have a problem with them.
Another wild theory: is there a general smart meter but also a separate export meter? They don't trust their smart meter readings and can't get the data from the export meter?
 
Another wild theory: is there a general smart meter but also a separate export meter? They don't trust their smart meter readings and can't get the data from the export meter?
No, it's all the same meter. It's pretty new - it was just installed in 2022.

Are you using a smart tariff with 30min readings? I also get the emails asking for meter readings occasionally but smart@ tells me to just ignore them.

No, standard fixed tariff.
 
I am about three key-presses away from signing up to Octopus, please tell me this is an unusual situation.

I've had no problems with export from Octopus, setup was quick and easy, and it gets shown every month as a credit on my bill. I can only use the ordinary "GO" tariff, as I have an old dumb Chargemaster wall box, and the MGZS LR, neither of which is compatible with Intelligent Octopus GO.
I do have solar and a Powerwall 2 with gateway however, so 4 hours overnight charge, plus solar during the day, means I never use peak electricity.
 
Yes, it seems like it's a rare occurrence. Very annoying though.

My last reply was a little more 'assertive' ;) and I've managed to get the attention of someone who's a bit less robotic in their responses; he's promised to check for smart meter issues and fix it if there are any, so that's positive at least.
 
Yes, it seems like it's a rare occurrence. Very annoying though.

My last reply was a little more 'assertive' ;) and I've managed to get the attention of someone who's a bit less robotic in their responses; he's promised to check for smart meter issues and fix it if there are any, so that's positive at least.
In my experience Octopus Energy's advertised industry leading support has major issues when it comes to money coming our way. I've not had your specific problem but getting excess credit back is like getting blood from the proverbial. In my recent case it took 3 weeks to get the money back and the promised £15 compensation which I was told I'd have within 24 hours! Really had to work hard and eventually threatened them with contacting BBC Money Box.
 
Since we got our solar panels and battery and set up export payment, I've had a few occasions where Octopus failed to credit our account for electricity export (i.e. not just on one bill, but just stopped including them for several months until I noticed & pulled them up about it).

Each time, they insisted I provide a photograph of the meter showing the export reading (despite the fact that they clearly have the data, since it's shown in my usage stats on the 'consumption' pages of their website).

They've just done the same again - stopped paying from January and now that I've asked them to pay up, they want a photo of the meter before they'll do so, even though they admit they already have the readings (!!). I've already queried the need and they've come back insisting they need one (but without giving a plausible explanation why).

Has anyone else had this?
I was once asked by Octopus to provide a photo of a meter. I pointed out that they had the ability to read my smart meter and they dropped the request.

My impression is that Octopus do not provide the same level of service for energy exporters. More complicated? Not enough expertise? My main complaint is that I have to request from Octopus payments for export. I pay my energy bills in full when export doesn't cover it. Why a one way street with automatic payments from me to Octopus?
 
What happens if you don't claim it? Can you leave the money in your account as credit for what you'll use in winter?
Yes, I was very happy to leave the credit from last summer on my account to get me through the winter. It worked out to be almost exactly the required amount!

I believe payments from energy companies for solar export count as income. It should be declared as such for tax purposes (obviously not where the money paid is a refund from earlier overpaid bills).

Where you aren't handing any money over the build up of credit doesn't seem like a problem to me. It isn't like you've paid in (i.e. been overcharged) and not received something.
 
What happens if you don't claim it? Can you leave the money in your account as credit for what you'll use in winter?
If people want to use funds from exported electricty for winter bills, they have every right to do that. Personally, I would rather bank what is mine and get some interest on it rather than letting Octopus get the benefit.

In the summer months, after deductions for gas, electricity and standing charges, the amount owed to me is over £100 pcm thanks to a peak generation capacity of 16 kW and Octopus paying a premium to drain my household battery between 4 and 7pm and recharging it off-peak.
 
If people want to use funds from exported electricty for winter bills, they have every right to do that. Personally, I would rather bank what is mine and get some interest on it rather than letting Octopus get the benefit.

In the summer months, after deductions for gas, electricity and standing charges, the amount owed to me is over £100 pcm thanks to a peak generation capacity of 16 kW and Octopus paying a premium to drain my household battery between 4 and 7pm and recharging it off-peak.

Oh, absolutely. I was just trying to get the ground rules straight.
 
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