OVO Energy

RensterUK

Hi All,

Last November, we switched from EDF to OVO energy ("New Energy Tariff") - dual fuel, using ACTUAL USAGE figures from previous supplier when we got a comparison via uSwitch. OVO quoted 96/mth dual fuel fixed. When they wrote to us first, I made a mistake of missing them changing this figure to 133/mth. Sadly, by the time I noticed it was too late. It was all I could do to get them to drop this to 120/mth instead.

Since then, we've not given them ANY meter readings. Suddenly, their ESTIMATED bill shows us £7 in debit (having fallen from 40 credit 4 months ago), and apparently requires them to put this up from 120, to (wait for it!)... 178/mth for the next 3 months. This means we'd be about 170-180 in credit with them in 3 months!

I've just taken meter readings. Electricity usage estimate is nearly bang on. Gas in fairness is too low - and we owe them a about 170 quid there. However, given the cold winter, this isn't overly surprising - and this WOULD then cancel out this 3 month "theft" they are proposing.

What I REALLY have an issue with is, based PURELY on their estimated bills, why they feel 3 months from now we should be that heavily in credit with them? By their own wording, our Winter DD should have been 25% higher than in Summer, NOT 25% lower.

Any suggestions on how best to deal with them? Im thinking phone them, pay the 170 we owe, and insist that they do NOTHING to the monthly payment, on the grounds that gas usage is about to tumble as we finally escape winter. Or can we insist on cancelling the DD and just pay monthly / quarterly?

Can someone advise what rights we have to dictate how they manage our account, and to stop them taking more money than necessary?

ChrisFilter

If you owe them £170, and they're proposing a three month increase of £60, won't that mean you're just back in credit at the end of that three month period? (i.e. 3 x £60 = £180)

Just call them. It's only a recommendation - they've been pretty flexible when I had a similar situation.

amiehall

Give them a reading and get an accurate bill. As far as I remember, OVO give interest on credit balances? But they also require you not to go into debit. So it's not like they're ripping you off...

Wywth

RensterUK wrote: »

Hi All,

Last November, we switched from EDF to OVO energy ("New Energy Tariff") - dual fuel, using ACTUAL USAGE figures from previous supplier when we got a comparison via uSwitch. OVO quoted 96/mth dual fuel fixed. When they wrote to us first, I made a mistake of missing them changing this figure to 133/mth. Sadly, by the time I noticed it was too late. It was all I could do to get them to drop this to 120/mth instead.

Since then, we've not given them ANY meter readings. Suddenly, their ESTIMATED bill shows us £7 in debit (having fallen from 40 credit 4 months ago), and apparently requires them to put this up from 120, to (wait for it!)... 178/mth for the next 3 months. This means we'd be about 170-180 in credit with them in 3 months!

I've just taken meter readings. Electricity usage estimate is nearly bang on. Gas in fairness is too low - and we owe them a about 170 quid there. However, given the cold winter, this isn't overly surprising - and this WOULD then cancel out this 3 month "theft" they are proposing.

What I REALLY have an issue with is, based PURELY on their estimated bills, why they feel 3 months from now we should be that heavily in credit with them? By their own wording, our Winter DD should have been 25% higher than in Summer, NOT 25% lower.

Any suggestions on how best to deal with them? Im thinking phone them, pay the 170 we owe, and insist that they do NOTHING to the monthly payment, on the grounds that gas usage is about to tumble as we finally escape winter. Or can we insist on cancelling the DD and just pay monthly / quarterly?

Can someone advise what rights we have to dictate how they manage our account, and to stop them taking more money than necessary?

Hi RensterUK,

Check out the Ovo website. It explains why you may initially have to pay more if you join Ovo particularly at the beginning of the winter period. Ovo do not like customers accounts to ever be in debit, but they do pay 3% interest on credit balances.

You can provide your own meter readings online.

This MSE article gives advice on how to get the monthly payment correct
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits
(but take into account Ovo's unique approach to how they set the monthly payments)

You have no rights to dictate how the supplier manage your account, other than in accordance to the suppliers terms and conditions which you agreed to. You have the right to switch supplier if you want (an early exit fee may apply)

PurpleGirl

I had a similar thing - having received statements telling me I was in cedit all winter suddenly got an email from them telling me they were putting my DD up for 3 months from £95 pm to £123!! I too hadn't given meter readings as when I first moved to them they mucked them up with my previous supplier - I was too wary to input them online again!!

However I did take readings and called them, the electricity estimate was over and the gas (unsurprisingly) under - they've now amended my DD to £111 for 3 months - so instead of owing them £123 it turned out it was only £48.

So definitely worth calling them with correct readings. But don't whatever you do enter them online!!

Have to say this has been the only good experience I've had - other than the last call I made to them I've had nothing but shockingly bad customer service....

RensterUK

Hi All,

I know this is rather an old thread by now, but I felt I ought to catch up with the final outcome.

As advised, I phoned them with accurate readings. This, and an alleged "computer glitch" dropped the 170 down to 129

I could live with that!

Oh, but I've since left them anyway!

Happy MSEing

daniel80

Ive said it before and I will say it again Worst company ive ever dealt with.

jem16

daniel80 wrote: »

Ive said it before and I will say it again Worst company ive ever dealt with.

Haven't had any issues with them and any queries have been dealt with promptly.

shoppingnoodles

I joined OVO within a few months of it starting up, stayed for a few years and subsequently left around 18 months ago to go to EDF. It is such a shame, as I loved every thing about the OVO ethos, but had the same scenario with direct debit amounts.


After the first year (having joined in early October) I was £550 in credit. OVO refunded me £400. Within a week I had the first of many communications telling me that my DD was being increased, from £98 to a whopping £198. Obviously, I thought this must be an error, so contacted them and explained they had refunded me for overpayment a few days earlier etc. They agreed to reduce it back.


2 days later, it happened again. I phoned them again. Then it happened again a few months later. And again. And again. It didn't seem to matter if I sent them meter readings or not.


In fact they did this 5 times. In the end I got really angry and said I would contact the ombudsman if they didn't let me leave without charge. To give them their due, they let me go (refunding me the overpayments I had made on the £98 DD).


If you can get the DD problem under control with them, they are a nice company, but once they start this nonsense with you, frankly, you might as well leave as it will just keep happening in my experience.