New Gas & Electric Co. "OVO Energy"

JoeMoomin

I think I've decided on the OVO tariff over EDF. Who is giving the most cashback at the moment?

Plushchris

JoeMoomin wrote: »

I think I've decided on the OVO tariff over EDF. Who is giving the most cashback at the moment?

Dont think you'll find Ovo on any cashback sites (quidco etc) but havent looked for a while.

JoeMoomin

Plushchris wrote: »

Dont think you'll find Ovo on any cashback sites (quidco etc) but havent looked for a while.

Looks like it's only EnergyHelpline etc. Simply Switch doesn't allow it though!

BorgCymru

Just been on the phone to OVO

Simply switch offer a £40 cash-back for swapping both supplies

I'm with SWalec at the moment who have just sent a letter telling me its all going up but its all gibberish to me. They won't offer me any discount because I'm on I.B. either. Income Support only

OVO don't offer any deals for Incapacity Benefits either but look cheaper. I asked the to asses my direct debit based on the last years usage, they came to £62 a month but then said they will charge an extra 20% as its coming up to winter and offered a DD of £75.00 saying they will/can review it after a few moths.

Swalec tariff is

'Energy-plus Argos General Domestic NSC'
I have no idea if thats the best, and I couldn't register the Argos card they sent me. I hardly use Argos anyway.

But in the drop down menu for tariffs on Simply Switch theres about 8 with this tariff, not sure if there all the same.

OVO comes out with a saving of £16 a year 2%.

OVO also said that if the prices drop in the first 60 days of my contract with them they will lower my charges.

All seems very good, OK the savings may not be brilliant but this doesn't take in the next rip off price rise.

So really its down to the customer service.

BorgCymru

One other thing, if they say 'FIXED PRICE' for 12 months can they then change this price up ?

Grumpysally

Just starting on my one and only New Year resolution, to sort out my utility bills.
On the three comparison site I have used OVO comes out cheapest in all of them.
I've read the different comments in this thread and wondered if the positive opinions are still positive and if perhaps the negative ones have improved or got worse. I notice that the last posting was in the summer.
Thanks,
Alison

pigeonpie

I've just switched to them as was annoyed with EDF for persistent overcharging. I am £150 in credit on their DD according to their latest statement and I am out of contract now.
However I signed up, then rang OVO who tell me my first DDs are going to be £30 more than EDF currently charge me, although they promise to adjust it in April.
Plus the 3% on overpayment is credited against your bill, not paid into your bank account, so it looks to me as if the problem will just re-occur.

I'm having second thoughts. I save only £25 and get £15 cashback by switching and their phone lines seem just as congested and are open fewer hours than EDF...wonder if I should ring EDF, say I've switched and why and see if they will lower my DD?
I hate paying by DD and only do it as it's cheaper but it's a system open to such abuse. I do not see why tarifs are cheaper on DD if you switch to paperless billing and you pay on time.

PrinceGaz

I'm happy with OVO so far despite them upping my DD from £30 to £45 from next month, as their estimate of what I'll use is pretty much in line with my own estimate for the next couple of months, though it will then need to be revised back down to stay on track with my usage-- but by then I'll be nearing the end of the one-year fixed price contract and will be free to move elsewhere without any penalty.

I would never have expected the 3% interest on over-payment to be paid into my bank account anyway; crediting it against your OVO account is near enough as good as at the end of the day as it will reduce future DD amounts and therefore help avoid excessive future overpayment. You can always phone them if you're unhappy with any planned DD changes, though as I haven't needed to do this, I don't know how easy they are to contact.

Paperless billing is essentially free, but "paying on time" probably incurs charges for them which they do not have with a monthly direct debit. Your paying on time doesn't mean there won't be some other transaction cost to them involved with the payment method you use, whereas a monthly DD means they know in advance what they'll receive, when they'll receive it, and costs them the minimal amount.

Fairzo

I've just switched back to Ovo after two months with the Co-op and realising what I was missing.

PrinceGaz - I found Ovo pretty easy / quick to contact although the "office hours" can be inconvenient. Refunds of excess credit balances went through smoothly and quickly.

pigeonpie - the "promise" to reduce DDs in April didn't happen in my experience and although a reduction was agreed when I contacted them it was less than I considered to be justified based on potential consumption. As mentioned above though it was never a problem getting credit balances refunded.

pigeonpie

well all my dithering has made OVO more attractive as EDF have pulled their fix 2013 £50 cashback offer in the last few days, although it's still showing in the small print on the bottom of their Important Information link. Drat. As OVO are only £5 cheaper than EDF's 2013 fix now....missed the boat yet again by dithering
OVO said to ring them not email, as they are getting a high volume of email. I want them to lower my DD and put it in writing! I'm starting to wonder if they've suddenly got too many customers to cope.