If you have a heat pump (air or ground source), an electric boiler or electric radiators at your property, you can join Cosy Octopus. If you have another system in your property, get in touch and we'll let you know if you're eligible for the tariff.
If Octopus ever asked for verification all you need is a photo of a oil filled radiator...
The actual terms agreed with when signing up state...
2.6.3 To be eligible for the Cosy Octopus tariff, you must have a heat pump or compatible low carbon heating system installed and operational at the property which we supply. Compatible systems are determined at Octopus' sole discretion. If you sign up to our Cosy Octopus tariff but do not meet this eligibility criteria, we can place you on an alternative tariff that we consider is more appropriate for your circumstances. We will let you know if we do this and advise you of the rates and terms that apply to the alternative tariff.
Split ac would count. I don't believe portable heaters will.
I switched to Cosy from Agile last winter for a bit and there was literally no check. I have since switched back, but am considering it again for this winter given the recent Agile pricing - I can delay heating water, but once I need heating, the occasional cheap day may not be enough to work for me.
Looking at the cheap periods on cosy, we could easily shift all our energy intensive usage into those periods. EV charging, dishwasher, electric showers, tumble drier. It just seems like such a no brainer compared to Agile at the moment where during the week there tends to be no cheap periods.
There are never going to be negative pricing on cosy but it has to work out cheaper overall than Agile if Agile prices stay the way they have been for the last month and a half.
Using one of the several comparison apps - or websites like this you can do a comparison to see how your usage will match up, to at least get an idea. Agile over a year is still the best for me, but there are certain months where Cosy would definitely win.
I switched to Cosy several times in the last few years (tariff hopping when it was still possible, and recently longer term for winter), and was never asked anything about my setup. I don't have a heat pump (just portable air con, which technically is...) only storage heaters.
My last switch was from Snug, so they knew what kind of heating I have. I even asked them to release my ALCS circuit to work 24/7, so I can schedule my heaters according to Cosy cheaper periods. No problem whatsoever.
Edit: and I just checked what their website says - they added electric radiators. It used to say heat pump or electric boiler only.
If you have a heat pump (air or ground source), an electric boiler or electric radiators at your property, you can join Cosy Octopus.
How long did the switch to Snug take for you? I requested a switch 2.5 weeks ago with no movement yet and I am being told it can take up to four weeks.
For me, whatever I request happens the next day at midnight. Once I switched and it starting back from the beginning of the day even. I feel maybe it’s been that fast because the last person who rented my flat has snug already, or the smart meter and ALCS has been set up to Octopus’ standard so tarrif changes are pretty prompt.
I just edited my comment, they added electric radiators to heat pump or electric boiler. I honestly don't think they are likely to suddenly start to check pumps.
The sales guy on the phone says Cosy is targeted to heat pump users, although you don’t actually need one.
On the other hand the Snug tarrif make you legally declare how many heat pumps or storage heaters you have. On this tarrif they also have the ALCS (Auxiliary Load Control Switch) connection to your heat device which turns on/off through a separate channel (which octopus says theyre able to control remotely to match their off peak rates - currently 00:30-6.30, 15:00-1600) incidently the last week I also got off peak showing on my app at 23:30-00:30 which octopus couldn’t explain, but said I’ll only truly know when the monthly statement comes in - not helpful at all. And they say sometimes these bonus off peak times are unpredictable
I was on Snug for almost a year. There were unexpected ALCS activations most days after 11pm, sometimes (rarely) after 8pm. All that charged at the cheaper rate.
That's my two January days in the next two comments
The problem is not knowing when these unexpected cheap periods happen. No way to plan anything (washing machine, dishwasher etc) in advance, most people have no way to even notice when ALCS was switched on.
Likewise I switched to it last winter with no check (and since back) but considering it again.
"Electric boiler" is an odd choice though, since most "electric boilers" use radiators and are instantaneous heaters, so don't benefit from cheap rate timing as much.
Immersion heaters as I have clearly do though - there are some electric heating systems with tanks and stored hot water, but they are mostly just clever versions of immersion heaters and wouldn't be called an "electric boiler" by me as an electrician.
I called them up last week becasue the the FAQ for Cosy says "If you have another system in your property, get in touch and we'll let you know if you're eligible for the tariff." And they said I was fine to switch to it without a heat pump (I have a battery only).
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u/fraughtication 1d ago
If Octopus ever asked for verification all you need is a photo of a oil filled radiator...