Ovo Energy Reviews: Give your feedback

Rachel_Pierson

It gets worse. I just had a call from ScottishPower (my old supplier) stating that the move to Ovo was still active on their system! It shows as cancelled on Ovo's website. But as demonstrated, you can take what Ovo's website says with a pinch of salt.

I've emailed Ovo and asked them to confirm my cancellation. My previous email had been ignored, and I'd had to call to cancel by phone, which I obviously therefore don't have any proof of if push comes to shove. I'd therefore like something in writing.

Anyway, ScottishPower have been instructed not to comply with the move to Ovo. But to instead expect a move to the supplier I ended up with (Places for People Energy.) It was a frustrating call, that was half a check that the switch was valid and half a sales call. The ScottishPower representative kept saying things like "So, can you confirm then you are happy to stay with ScottishPower?" To which I obviously said "No, I'm not happy to stay with you. I'm still moving from you. Just not to Ovo."

We had several cycles of that question and answer, with ScottishPower saying "Can you answer 'yes' clearly, this call is being recorded, are you happy to stay with us?" And me re-stating what I'd said previously and making it clear I'd already answered the question. Very unsubtle, devious, and frankly annoying. If I'd been old and vulnerable rather than middle-aged, tired and slightly !!!!ed off it might have worked as a sales tactic. And all because Ovo haven't done their job and cancelled the switch when asked.

Bellabella_2

Rachel_Pierson wrote: »

It gets worse. I just had a call from ScottishPower (my old supplier) stating that the move to Ovo was still active on their system! It shows as cancelled on Ovo's website. But as demonstrated, you can take what Ovo's website says with a pinch of salt.

I've emailed Ovo and asked them to confirm my cancellation. My previous email had been ignored, and I'd had to call to cancel by phone, which I obviously therefore don't have any proof of if push comes to shove. I'd therefore like something in writing.

Anyway, ScottishPower have been instructed not to comply with the move to Ovo. But to instead expect a move to the supplier I ended up with (Places for People Energy.) It was a frustrating call, that was half a check that the switch was valid and half a sales call. The ScottishPower representative kept saying things like "So, can you confirm then you are happy to stay with ScottishPower?" To which I obviously said "No, I'm not happy to stay with you. I'm still moving from you. Just not to Ovo."

We had several cycles of that question and answer, with ScottishPower saying "Can you answer 'yes' clearly, this call is being recorded, are you happy to stay with us?" And me re-stating what I'd said previously and making it clear I'd already answered the question. Very unsubtle, devious, and frankly annoying. If I'd been old and vulnerable rather than middle-aged, tired and slightly !!!!ed off it might have worked as a sales tactic. And all because Ovo haven't done their job and cancelled the switch when asked.

Sorry you're having so many problems all round but sort of pleased I'm not the only one struggling with more than one poor energy company. It can't be me then. It must be them.... Good luck!

Martlea

Although having been with OVO for a number of years without problems I found a cheaper supplier and decided to switch supplier. Ovo acknowledged I was leaving and what happens next. My new suppler, AVRO, informed me the switch took place on 26/11/2016.
Ovo however have ignored this, moved me to their variable rate plan and taken a further direct debit payment today so I am now paying two suppliers!
So, no, switching from OVO to another supplier is proving problamatic and they take a long time to refund credit balance as well it seems.

Gizmo247

OVO was great, right up until the switch.

Similar problems on my recent switch to the the BG collective deal. BG where under the impression that they had taken over the supply ages ago and although OVO where aware of the switch, everyone down the line was waiting on them for the meter ids and final reading and they had not issued the final bill.

I had to intervene on the telephone a number of times to get them to move forward and even then they stiffed themselves on the final reading. I had to cancel the DD to stop them from taking more money and had to badger them to do the refund when it failed to come through.

Good customer service should be provided all the way through the process from switching to OVO, supply and switching away, otherwise the customer just gets left with a bad taste in their mouth and will think twice about switching back.

Consumerist

Martlea wrote: »

. . . Ovo acknowledged I was leaving and what happens next. My new suppler, AVRO, informed me the switch took place on 26/11/2016.
Ovo however have ignored this, moved me to their variable rate plan and taken a further direct debit payment today so I am now paying two suppliers! . . .

If this is the case, Ovo are in breach of their Licence conditions so you can report this directly to Ofgem. In the meantime you might consider starting their complaints procedure. If they are aware that you are switching, they are required to keep you on your current tariff until your switch completes "within a reasonable period"

If you're unsure about how to complain, you might want to use <MSE Resolver> to help you lodge the complaint

Edit
If you have definitely switched then you can cancel your Ovo DD right away. Your bank might even help you get back the last DD under the Direct Debit Guarantee.

Rachel_Pierson

I'm still getting emails from these idiots, notifying me of "a price increase on my variable rate" in January. This despite the fact I originally argeed to a fixed rate, and cancelled as soon as I realised they were playing bait and switch with the offer.

Seriously, save yourself the trouble. Avoid these con men like the plague. It's the same old mis-selling scam, with optimistic inertia thrown into the mix. It would seem they think if they play dumb hard enough, I'll just forget that I cancelled as soon as it became apparent they couldn't supply what they'd advertised.

One more email from them and I'm making a complaint to Ofgem. This industry appears rotten to the core.

Consumerist

Rachel_Pierson wrote: »

. . . One more email from them and I'm making a complaint to Ofgem. This industry appears rotten to the core.

You have my sympathy.

[STRIKE]Ofgem[/STRIKE] The Ombudsman won't accept a complaint unless you have exhausted the supplier's complaints procedure first. If you are no longer with them and are not paying them any money then it might be easier to just direct their emails to your junk/spam folder.

Edit
Ofgem will only accept reports about a supplier where the supplier is in breach of their Licence Conditions.

System

Rachel_Pierson wrote: »

I'm still getting emails from these idiots, notifying me of "a price increase on my variable rate" in January. This despite the fact I originally argeed to a fixed rate, and cancelled as soon as I realised they were playing bait and switch with the offer.

Seriously, save yourself the trouble. Avoid these con men like the plague. It's the same old mis-selling scam, with optimistic inertia thrown into the mix. It would seem they think if they play dumb hard enough, I'll just forget that I cancelled as soon as it became apparent they couldn't supply what they'd advertised.

One more email from them and I'm making a complaint to Ofgem. This industry appears rotten to the core.

I am sorry but I don't understand. If you cancelled a fixed tariff, then you would normally have defaulted to the supplier's standard variable tariff. Remember, a change of tariff is not a switch: it is termed a mutually agreed variation of contract for which there is no cooling off period. SLC 25, I think, requires the variation to implemented with 5 days.

It follows that if you were on Fixed Tariff A and agreed Fixed Tariff B, and then cancelled, Ovo would have moved you on to its SVR. I may have got this wrong but, if I were you, I would check my online account.

footyguy

Rachel_Pierson wrote: »

I'm still getting emails from these idiots, notifying me of "a price increase on my variable rate" in January. This despite the fact I originally argeed to a fixed rate, and cancelled as soon as I realised they were playing bait and switch with the offer.

Seriously, save yourself the trouble. Avoid these con men like the plague. It's the same old mis-selling scam, with optimistic inertia thrown into the mix. It would seem they think if they play dumb hard enough, I'll just forget that I cancelled as soon as it became apparent they couldn't supply what they'd advertised.

One more email from them and I'm making a complaint to Ofgem. This industry appears rotten to the core.

If you’re still receiving marketing emails or spam after unsubscribing or asking the sender to stop emailing you, you should complain to the ICO, which has responsibility for enforcement in this area.

System

footyguy wrote: »

If you’re still receiving marketing emails or spam after unsubscribing or asking the sender to stop emailing you, you should complain to the ICO, which has responsibility for enforcement in this area.

I am not sure that a mandatory requirement to inform customers of an increase in the SVR can be classed as marketing. This is the area of confusion that the poster needs to investigate.