OVO Reviews - should I switch?

lizr1

I am looking to change to a fixed/capped tariff as my current supplier has hiked their prices.
Ovo is coming out as the best deal, but I'm in two minds about switching to them as I've read some bad reviews.
Could anyone tell me of their recent experiences with them - good or bad!

Many thanks! :money:

t0rt0ise

I was with Ovo until I moved house in August. They wouldn't change the prepayment meters to ordinary meters here for me so I had to leave them. But I was quite happy with them. No doubt as they get bigger they will become less efficient!!

Plushchris

Been with them since 1st June and had no problems at all, I like the clear billing and lack of complicated discounts..

Would definately recommend them (and I have, my mum and sister are now with Ovo too)

Sterling

I signed up for duel fuel with OVO in April 2010 at unbelievably low fixed prices for twelve months, beginning on 15th June when the supply commenced. I was very glad I had done this because soon after I signed up the prices on offer began to increase, as did those of other suppliers.

I don’t pretend to be any kind of expert, but it seems to me that prices generally come down in the spring and rise during the winter. If you are looking for prices that are fixed for a year, it may pay in the long run to stay put for now, get on the best variable tariff with your present supplier(s), and have a look at fixed prices (including OVO’s) around next April. Why fix at high winter rates if you can get a better fixed deal in the spring?

I have been very pleased with OVO so far. The bills and tariffs are designed to be as simple as possible, and there no silly complications like waiting a year before you get a discount etc.

Plushchris

Sterling wrote: »

I don’t pretend to be any kind of expert, but it seems to me that prices generally come down in the spring and rise during the winter. If you are looking for prices that are fixed for a year, it may pay in the long run to stay put for now, get on the best variable tariff with your present supplier(s), and have a look at fixed prices (including OVO’s) around next April. Why fix at high winter rates if you can get a better fixed deal in the spring?

Not good advice IMO

Prices are about to go up (SSE and BG have put theirs up) if the OP fixes now they will not be fixing at "high winter rates"

If the OP waits until spring they will have paid high winter rates all winter while their usage is high too. If the prices do come down in the spring its unlikely they will come down by more than they went up so fixing now is probably the best option if you want to fix..

Also, signing up to a suppliers cheapest tariff now will more than likely leave the OP with a cancelation fee in April..

Sterling

Plushchris wrote: »

Not good advice IMO

Prices are about to go up (SSE and BG have put theirs up) if the OP fixes now they will not be fixing at "high winter rates"

If the OP waits until spring they will have paid high winter rates all winter while their usage is high too. If the prices do come down in the spring its unlikely they will come down by more than they went up so fixing now is probably the best option if you want to fix..

Also, signing up to a suppliers cheapest tariff now will more than likely leave the OP with a cancelation fee in April..

Your points are well taken. However, I was referring to the OP’s position in the long run.

You will perhaps agree with me that in general prices tend to come down to some extent in the spring and rise again by, or during, the winter, sometimes more than once. In terms of a year’s fixed price contract, a person joining in the spring, and renewing at that time each year, may well find he is paying less in most years than a person who joins and renews later in the year.

Certainly, you and I are paying significantly less to OVO than if we joined today. So I am merely suggesting that if the OP could (without too much loss) defer until the spring, then he may find that over several years he has saved quite a bit.

The OP stated that his supplier had already hiked its prices, which has prompted his desire to switch. The points you mention do of course mean that the OP would be worse off to some extent over this winter, but I’m not so sure it would be quite so bad as you indicate. If the OP switches now to a supplier at the cheapest available rates, as an interim step to joining OVO in the spring, he can minimise the loss. True, there may be cancellation fees, but perhaps these can be offset by using one of the switching sites that pays out cash.

It’s all a question of balancing a short term loss against a long term gain. My hunch is that the potential long term gain in joining OVO when its prices are at their lowest in the yearly cycle, out ways the advantage of joining now, but I did prefix that comment by saying that “I don’t pretend to be any kind of expert.” But I do know that I am very glad I joined OVO when I did.