Martin Lewis criticised by big six

[Moxi]

Reportedly on social media the big six are moaning that their sites are struggling under the load of incoming customer meter readings following Martin Lewis advising this on this morning TV.

Well done Mr Lewis for pointing this out to hard pressed families on standard meters I say and surely the big six should have been the ones advising their customers to do this on the 31st not a third party?

Just shows how eager the big six are to take money and how slow they are to give meaningful advice that will cost them PROFIT.

Moxi

[Stinsy]

What is this 1996?

There is no excuse for websites "struggling under load" in 2022. Cloud-based platforms such as AWS can flex up and down bandwidth/server capacity in realtime to give effectively infinite capacity.

[AE-NMidlands]

There is some hysteria going on. https://dpac.uk.net/2022/03/important-m ... arch-2022/ (just 1 example) says

EVERYONE needs to take gas and electricity meter readings on March 31st. Regardless of what type of meter you have, smart or otherwise. Ideally a photo of both meters showing the readings and meter serial number.
Submit the meter reading to your energy supplier right away. If for whatever reason you can’t submit that day. You should have photos as evidence of meter readings and the date they were taken. It’s going to be a very busy day for suppliers, and you might not be able to submit readings that day.

Why does everyone need to do this?
As most people now know, on Friday 1st April 2022, the new OFGEM energy price cap comes into force. This means much higher energy rates for millions of people. It’s incredibly important; therefore, suppliers are not given the opportunity to charge energy units used at the old lower rates before 1st April 2022, at the newer higher price caps rates after 1st April 2022

But I checked and I am sure that my Coop/Octopus fixed-term contract is going to be honoured right up to its expiry date of Oct 2022, including the standing charge. Not surprisingly the Octopus website has just failed me (for the first time, I think) but surely all customers on fixed contracts have no need to act?
A

[John_S]

Presumably all of us with Smart meters don't need to submit readings either.

[Tinbum]

Sorry but I hate the modern world where common sense is not to be used and where everybody expects to be told what to do. And if you don't, for example changing tariff, then someone will protect you. I also hate how everything has to be dumbed down.

A bit general comment and rant, I know, but we should be encouraged to think for ourselves.

[dan_b]

Greg Jackson (Octopus boss) just put this out on Twitter (as multiple Tweets, I've just copied the text out)


To all the conspiracy theorists...

*No* energy companies have taken meter readings offline. Right now, we have 2500 calls waiting. On a normal busy day, it'd be 150.

Yesterday, we increased the number of servers we us by 250% to help with the expected load.

Things are calming down a little - but this is the first time the energy industry has been like ticketmaster.

The team are doing all they can - we've stopped all activities in operations *except* meter readings.

Octopus's price change is actually Saturday - and we can accept meter readings up to 5 days later - so you've still got about a week to get them in.

Additionally, the algorithms are *very good*.

Missing the date by a few days will mean a few days of estimation and it'll likely be within pennies.

SO:
- by all means get a meter reading (tomorrow, btw, is better than today for Octopus customers)
- submit it any time in the next 5 days
- and honestly, calling now is not necessary - you can leave meter readings online, by email or call in a few days

Please feel free to retweet this thread - it'll help everyone to smooth the flow a little."


Link to Tweet

[AE-NMidlands]

There is some hysteria going on...
But I checked and I am sure that my Coop/Octopus fixed-term contract is going to be honoured right up to its expiry date of Oct 2022, including the standing charge. Not surprisingly the Octopus website has just failed me (for the first time, I think) but surely all customers on fixed contracts have no need to act?
A

I have been slow to realise my position: what I had forgotten was that the daily charge on my 1-year fixed tarriff had already gone up last October (to a big 22.38p plus VAT,) but I accepted it because it stops it going any higher now and again in the autumn.
Each bill says "

Good to know.
You’re already on our cheapest tariff for
your electricity usage. We’ll let you know if
this changes.
For your gas (on meter point xxxxxxxx)
Good to know.
You’re already on our cheapest tariff for
your gas usage. We’ll let you know if this
changes.

which I have taken on trust... maybe I should check that!

[nowty]

I suspect many people will be inflating their meter readings a bit too !

[Moxi]

They wouldn’t do that would they ?

Moxi

[nowty]

They wouldn’t do that would they ?

Moxi

And for my FIT generation readings, should I use the reading at the start of today or the end.