OVO Energy - best avoided

Balmore2011

I transferred my supply to OVO Energy in Autumn of last year. I live in an extremely well-insulated flat, I have Economy 7 (white meter) electricity and I assiduously monitor my electricity usage. I therefore use around £20.00 of electricity a month.

I have had nothing but problems with OVO. Before they even transferred my supply they expected me to pay them £30 by direct debit. In December I submitted meter readings and received a statement saying I was £11 in credit. Then I receive another statement saying I owe them £7,000!! Now, they are refusing to lower my direct debit, even though my account is in credit and I only use around £20.00 a month.

Their customer service is simply appalling – patronising and supercilious to say the least. When I complained about the above four-figure statement, they gave me a woolly response, but no real explanation and certainly no apology.:(

Now they tell me that, unless I am at least £30.00 in credit in my account, they can’t reduce my direct debit payment nor can they refund my credit balance. I am currently awaiting their final response before referring the whole thing to OfGem.:mad:

All in all, OVO may be an inexpensive supplier, but frankly I would rather pay more and use a competent company. Price isn’t everything. OVO have low prices and poor customer service – a cheap supplier in every sense and best avoided.

HappyMJ

All suppliers work like that. They probably won't believe that you will continue to use only £20 a month over winter as the winter is when you will be using the storage heaters. You should be able to get the credit back on the next bill generated after April. I've got to say that £20 is very very low. I'm very tight with the electric but even my bills are not that low. Can I ask what your annual kWh usage is? Does this include hot water and heating? I'm assuming it's electric as you have an E7 supply and have made no mention of gas.

Premier_2

There are lots of very happy customers of OVO on this forum, and I am one of them

On the rare occassions I have had to contact their customers services, they have been polite, professional and efficient.

I suggest you read the OVO terms, in particular those relating to payments and statements
http://www.ovoenergy.com/help-centre/#faq-cat1

andyrpsmith

I have been with OVO for over three years and have had excellent service. Only this Dec (21st) I fixed for a further year with a 60 day price promise. On 6th Jan I noticed the price had fallen and I had no problem in moving to the lower price fixed for the coming year. My typical monthly usage in winter is £180 - £220 with a low of £50 in summer. We have no gas and no cavity walls, 350 year old house. I supply monthly readings on line and keep check on usage via Excel. No problems.

Balmore2011

@HappyMJ

Thanks for your post. Not sure off the top of my head what my annual kWh usage is. I've had problems with suppliers before initially not believing my usage. As I mentioned, my flat is very, very well insulated and the block has recently had thermal overcladding fitted. Even during the winter, I actually rarely need to use my heating. My white goods are all A++ rated appliances. Plus I use timers on energy hungry appliances such as my washing machine. So yes, my usage is very, very low and will stay that way!

OVO are aware of my usage; I don't see why I should lend them money just for them to give it back. I've asked if I can pay them monthly or quarterly for what I actually use but they say no.

@Premier

Yes, I have read the terms and conditions. Have you? They are poorly written as other posters on forums and have commented. E.g., they say they will never sell our personal data - but there's nothing saying they won't give our data away! And are you aware of currently regulation regarding the setting of direct debits and how customer usage must be taken into account? I'm glad OVO has worked for you, but they have not worked for me, far from it. Just because one customer has a bad experience does not make them a bad company; similarly your good experience does not automatically make them infallible.

You reply came across as patronising; maybe you didn't mean that, but saying I am "crying to Ofgem" and asking if I have read the T&Cs does suggest it.

caveat_emptor

My experience with OVO is good but they do set DD so that theyare never owed money so it's up to me to notify them to reduce my DD when my credit is high.

Balmore2011

@Premier:

Thanks for your further post. MSE forum member 'rogerb' has also "spouted" (quoting your post) similar "nonsense" (again quoting your post) regarding OVO's Terms and Conditions and the poor editorial quality and potential ambiguity of same.

Please stop replying to my posts; I'd rather not be patronised anymore. There's no need for such an attitude in a friendly forum.

Balmore

MentalMinnie

Another Happy OVO customer here! Sounds like you need to read the T&C's a bit better!

Rupert_Bear

Balmore2011 wrote: »

I transferred my supply to OVO Energy in Autumn of last year. I live in an extremely well-insulated flat, I have Economy 7 (white meter) electricity and I assiduously monitor my electricity usage. I therefore use around £20.00 of electricity a month.

I have had nothing but problems with OVO. Before they even transferred my supply they expected me to pay them £30 by direct debit. In December I submitted meter readings and received a statement saying I was £11 in credit. Then I receive another statement saying I owe them £7,000!! Now, they are refusing to lower my direct debit, even though my account is in credit and I only use around £20.00 a month.

Their customer service is simply appalling – patronising and supercilious to say the least. When I complained about the above four-figure statement, they gave me a woolly response, but no real explanation and certainly no apology.:(

Now they tell me that, unless I am at least £30.00 in credit in my account, they can’t reduce my direct debit payment nor can they refund my credit balance. I am currently awaiting their final response before referring the whole thing to OfGem.:mad:

All in all, OVO may be an inexpensive supplier, but frankly I would rather pay more and use a competent company. Price isn’t everything. OVO have low prices and poor customer service – a cheap supplier in every sense and best avoided.

Well my contract is just about to expire and for me its like a breath of fresh air. When I originally agreed to sign up with them I was paying £85.00 per month with my former company but OVO thought I should be paying £118.00 with them. I did explain the idea was to save money and then said their system was all over the place and agreed to keep at the original figure.

However once I was fully signed up they decided to increase the dd by £5.00 per month despite I was at that time in credit with them.

Moving on I was £420.00 in credit up till January 12. I requested a refund of £100 and despite many promises it never arrived. In the end I had esculate to a manager to get it refunded.

Also it seems difficult at the moment to advise them of meter readings
as their site is not functioning well.

I was with SP for about 4 years and despite of what people may say I found them brilliant in every way and I only left them because Ovo came out cheaper.

Price is not everything!

t0rt0ise

Don't forget Ovo pay 3% interest on credit they hold for you. A better rate than most savings account so not all bad.

Balmore2011

Rupert_Bear wrote: »

Price is not everything!

Never a truer word! Your experience sounds much like mine. I had a look on this and other forums and customers' experiences with OVO are very mixed to say the least.

B.