New Gas & Electric Co. "OVO Energy"

george1939

andyrpsmith wrote: »

I switched to OVO on 20 Dec after a process which started end Oct. The problems I had were not with OVO but the meter database and Southern Electric updating a meter on the database.

For me a high electric only user of a listed building with no double glazing the switch was a no brainer. Southern electric tariff 12.1p normal meter for 27500 units per yr + 8.45p off peak (storage heaters only) 18,000 units per yr to OVO at 8.61p for everything. I have had the off peak meter disabled and use oil filled radiators on a timer instead (much more controllable). Savings will be about £1200 per year. Recent calculation from same period last year shows cost as £13.60 per day down to £9.09 per day.

[Well done] Anyone who follows you at ovo's 8.61 pence rate does not even have to go to expence of oil filled radiators [if money is tight] [any ordinary electric bar/or convector fire/or fan type coupled with a simple time switch and thermastat] will have the same effect. All produce 1kw of heat at 8.61 pence each hour. You have hit the jackpot at this rate

jamesperrett

jamesperrett wrote: »

I was supposed to be switched on January 1st. ... My old suppliers took their direct debits on the 1st and so did Ovo but, as I was paying off a deficit, I wasn't surprised that they both took money.

Update - the transfer actually went as smoothly as expected although Southern Electric took a few weeks to send me my final bill. However, they didn't wait long after that to debit what I owed them but I guess that's the downside of switching supplier in the middle of winter. Ovo have sent me two bills so far and it looks like the direct debits have been set at about the right level.

Now I'm waiting for the cashback from the switching website.

Cheers

James.

TonyHoyle

I'm just leaving after 4 months with them (would be longer except they fluffed the changeover, leaving me paying the wrong supplier for a couple of months.. got a nice refund&credit for that)*.

I was quoted 8.79p inc. vat. I'm being charged 9.62p *excluding* VAT (10.1p inc.) which makes them at the higher end of the pricing (plus standing charge, which I pay twice because there is a second (dead/disconnected) meter in the house and they insisted that means double standing charge).

The company appears to be one or two people - info@ovoenergy goes to stephen fitzpatrick, the director. He also handles customer service.. any complaints and you'll get a reply from him. (I got lots of those).

They don't do meter readings at all themselves. Even when supplied with readings they only ever send estimated bills (which to be fair aren't *too* far out, except my gas bill is overestimated at the moment.. need to make sure I get a refund on that as well).

Personally I wouldn't recommend them. Stephen is polite enough and handles complaints properly, but I shouldn't *need* to be regularly complaining simply to get correct bills (which even when corrected work out 50%-100% more than the standard tariff on my previous supplier for some reason.. and winter doesn't begin to explain it..).


* Yes it's £60 to leave. For me it's worth it - the lost time at work chasing them has probably cost more than that already..

macca160670

TonyHoyle wrote: »

I signed up with these as they worked out as the cheapest tarifs (and wanted a smaller company as EDF had managed to F.. up migration to them 3 times in succession, so I gave up on them).

Now they tell me they're going to take out £234 a month from my direct debit! That's an *insane* amount. And they won't review the amount until next april. I queried it and they told me that was correct :eek::eek::eek:

Given that on the 'standard' tariff I'm on Eon I'm only paying £70 a month (and that covers winter too) it means they're trying to build up credit of over £1000 before they even considering reviewing it (more like £1500 once the lower tariffs are taken into account).

Just a warning. If you're going with them *check your emails*.

I've told them I'll cancel unless they set it to something more reasonable.. luckily they aren't my provider yet and I caught it early enough. I can't think of a legitimate reason why a company would want to take that much money off their customers upfront.

Having same problem, switched online as they were cheaper than EDF, now they want £20 a month more than EDF. sent several e-mails telling they I want to cancel, no reply!!!

lemonslap

I have been with them for 3 months and have nothing but praise for them, after bad experiences with other suppliers, my emails are replied to quickly (maybe I'm lucky?)and I have found their prices to be very good (I'm on E7). I also like the online meter reading and billing. just my 2p worth

Andy_WSM

Huw_Sharpe wrote: »

I have been with several utility providers over the last few years, and am currently with OVO Energy. Without a doubt they are the cheapest provider i have had and so far have experienced no problems with their service.

What unit price are you currently paying?

Do they apply discounts to their bills like other providers (Eon for example) making the overall bill 20%+ cheaper than just the unit price.

Do you have electric only or dual fuel?

DUTR

Huw_Sharpe wrote: »

8p per kWh electric
2.34p per kWH gas

standing charge per utility per day 16.44p.

no discounts, just the cost plain and simple.

Well according to the figures shown above my monthly bill from OVO should be £64 per month, however when I called them , the monthly they wanted was over £110 and certainly more than what I am currently paying, so although they were claiming to be cheaper in practice that was not the illustration I recieved

Andy_WSM

Huw_Sharpe wrote: »

8p per kWh electric
2.34p per kWH gas

standing charge per utility per day 16.44p.

no discounts, just the cost plain and simple.

Thanks Huw. Appreciate you taking the time to respond

gt94sss2

I see:

a) Ovo have introduced a new online portal for its customers at https://my.ovoenergy.com/ - has anyone used this and what is it like?

b) that they now pay 3% interest on credit balances

c) that they are one of the 10 winners of the Barclays "Take One Small Step" competition and get £50,000. Their press release states that Ovo now over 50 staff and 30,000 customers (in 9 months trading)

Regards
Sunil

t0rt0ise

I've been with Ovo since January. They wanted to take more than I was paying my old supplier per month but I told them no and they reduced it to what I wanted. They then reduced it again after the winter months. So I'm paying less than I have ever done. Unfortunately I'm about to move house and I just found out the new house has prepayment meters which I hate. Ovo want £300 to change them. Otherwise I can cancel with them for no charge. So I'm trying to find someone who will change the meters for free.. hoho.

But anyway if you aren't happy with the DD amount they suggest tell them so.