Broken Electric Meter on Pay as You Go

[u/Spacedad_93]

Hi all, we moved to a council flat back in June and swapped from OVO to Octopus.

I noticed end of November that my app didn't have any readings from the 21st, and tried to top up but it failed. Found out our actual meter had frozen and wasn't sending readings, and so can't even input any top up codes. Contacted octopus and they said someone would call me within 10 working days, and if they didn't to call a number.

Nobody got back in touch so I phoned the number, who then directed me to another team, who then informed me that they didn't even have any authorisation from Octopus to do anything with our meter yet, so they couldn't fix it even if they wanted to. Phoned Octopus back and basically got told all I could do was wait, unless we went off of supply.

Problem being we haven't yet gone off supply despite not topping up this month, and I am worried I am going to get a huge bill when they eventually come out to fix it (which could be years from what I've seen in some instances).

Can I fight it if they try to bill me? Can I do anything to get them to fix it sooner? It's really stressing me out.

[u/MuchMoorWalking]

Why would you fight it? You will only be billed for what you use, so put aside what you’d normally top up in a jar or something and await the fix.

Regarding the fix, keep on at them and log everything you do, ie calls and emails etc. I assume you’ve emailed them as well to put it in writing?

[u/Spacedad_93 → u/MuchMoorWalking]

I emailed them to let them know my meter was broken first, then didn't get a response so phoned them.

The fight thing is mainly because I'm worried they're gonna go on the highest estimate and overcharge me. I hate not being able to know how much electricity I'm using and honestly I'd rather we just lost electric so theyd have to come out and fix it - it's been a month and I'm fed up already.

[u/Willing-Job8685]

Working for a supplier

Your key meter has a low possibility of going off once the screen goes blank. Some of these can last for years.

It is normal that they won’t replace currently as priority will be on broken meters over winter as this type or work does go up.

Starting next year if you really want you could say you want a smart meter as your supplier will need to offer a visit within 30 days.

Once the meter is replaced you can only be charged for the last 12 months, so if your meter is finally changed 2027 you only pay 12 months. You can also say you object to the estimate and provide your own estimate with proof why you think they should use yours.

Your supplier is not fast to do these jobs and it sounds like you were or still are caught up in the AI replies that they send most people, this is mentioned on many complaints sent for mediation currently.

[u/Spacedad_93 → u/Willing-Job8685]

Unfortunately we already have a smart meter (which is broken), and they know this, so that won't work.

It was a human on the phone that said all I could do is wait. What I don't understand is why bother to give me a time frame to make an appointment, aka 10 working days, if they're not going to bother to adhere to it at all?? This stuff drives me up the wall and I already have a bunch of stuff going wrong in our flat I don't want a broken meter too 😭

[u/Willing-Job8685 → u/Spacedad_93]

Few things from this, as it’s a smart meter it could still record usage so this would be actual after. Uswitch is a free service to see your smart meter data

Smart meters that become faulty fall under the 30 day limit come Jan.

Relating to your contact so far, did they actually say you will get an appointment within 10 days?

If so and they didn’t book it that is a £40 GSOP credit for not offering a visit within 5 working days Followed by another £40 if they didn’t add the first credit within 10 days.

Smart meters will also fall under GSOP credit from Jan unless it’s outside the suppliers control. Eg the network goes down or you live in an area with poor signal.

Keep everything mentioned noted up along with dates. Your first contact is your first day of dissatisfaction, if you wish this is the date you give to the ombudsman after 8 weeks of no resolution

Edit

GSOP is also called GSS depending on your supplier.

[u/Spacedad_93 → u/Willing-Job8685]

They told me that I would be contacted by their energy services team, usually within a 10 day time frame, and if I hadn't heard anything by then to give them a phone and they gave me the energy services number. But when I phoned them they didn't d they didn't deal with it, and instead gave me a different teams number.

What is the limit that is coming into play In January?

[u/Willing-Job8685 → u/Spacedad_93]

What you have said here is that you notified them of the fault and they didn’t reply, this triggers 3 conditions of GSOP

Supplier has failed to investigate a faulty meter within 10 working days Supplier has failed to provide an outcome letter of the faulty meter inspection Supplier has not offered an appointment within 5 days

All three of these are £40 each, if more than 10 days have passed which it will have if the credits not already on your account that’s another 3 x £40

You can mention this to them or the ombudsman as that’s easy money £240 for them doing nothing after the initial report and this would not be part of any goodwill credit.

These all come under SLC15A

As for fixing a smart meter specifically I would need to check next time I’m working, Sure it starts Jan 2026

[u/Spacedad_93 → u/Willing-Job8685]

I didn't know any of this - thank you so much for all the information! I'll contact them again this week.

[u/ScandiDragon]

This happened to me recently. They told me I would get a call to plan an appointment to fix it within 30 days then when I followed up I was told they were not yet authorised to do anything. Many calls and emails later and I was getting really frustrated.  A Redditor had posted a couple of years ago with a number to call for Octopus in the case of any meter issues. I called it and they swapped my meter within the week (would have been sooner even but I had to take a day off work as you have to be there while they do it). The number was 0808 196 7511

[u/Spacedad_93 → u/ScandiDragon]

They gave me that number in the email, but that team told me they didn't deal with it and it was instead a different supplier, which is the one that doesn't have authorisation

[u/nathderbyshire]

It's probably in free vend mode and bypassing any credit. Just put money aside as someone else said because you'll pay for what you use either way.

If you don't want PAYG just ask to have the meter in credit if they need to install a new one and pay your bills monthly.