Ovo energy question

Surfer

Over the past year I have been with Ovo Energy. They sent me an invite to renew and after checking the prices I agreed to renew. This was done Online.
I received the confirmation email and then noticed that they had not included VAT which is why their prices looked cheaper. Why would they advertise rates excluding VAT to domestic customers as it is highly unlikely that domestic customers can reclaim VAT?
I feel that this is misleading advertising although it can be said I am also partly to blame for not reading the contract thoroughly. However if you use any comparison site, VAT is always included in the price displayed for domestic premises.
I emailed them immediately to cancel so I could shop around, but they state that as I renewed, there was no cooling off period. My argument is that as the rates have changed it is a new contract and subject to a cooling off period.
As it was done Online, surely Distance Selling Regulations in addition to SOGA should apply?

jamesperrett

As I said in another thread, they're the Hotel California of energy companies. My issues are still rumbling on, weeks after I was supposed to have moved away.

Surfer

I have decided that if they continue to refuse to cancel, we will request a deadlock letter to send to the Ombudsman which will cost them approximately £500.
In addition, we will cancel the DD and do payment by BACs on presentation of a bill. As we will be supplying meter reads every month prior to the bill being issued, the bill should be exact. At the moment we are in credit by nearly £100!
Really annoyed with them. If they had agreed to the cancellation and I found that other suppliers were not much cheaper, I would have stayed with them, but now I am determined to switch even if I only save £1 annually!

Biscuit_Tin

Don't tell me you are switching over a difference of less than 5%

If you are that hard up, you should have switched anyway and got some cashback which would probably be more than the amount you are now quibbling over.

Didn't you consult a comparison site before agreeing to remain with Ovo? Unit prices and standing charges alone tell you nothing.

Btw, when I was with Ovo, it was very clear in the letter they wrote that the costs they were quoting were exclusive of VAT, which they advise are 5% for domestic use.

macman

5% on a typical dual fuel annual bill is a £67.50 saving. Why would that not be worth switching for, since it's 10 minutes work?

Surfer

Biscuit_Tin wrote: »

Don't tell me you are switching over a difference of less than 5%

If you are that hard up, you should have switched anyway and got some cashback which would probably be more than the amount you are now quibbling over.

Didn't you consult a comparison site before agreeing to remain with Ovo? Unit prices and standing charges alone tell you nothing.

Btw, when I was with Ovo, it was very clear in the letter they wrote that the costs they were quoting were exclusive of VAT, which they advise are 5% for domestic use.

If you have nothing better to do that deride my post, take a hike. Sorry I just remembered why I stopped posting on MSE. Thanks for reminding me. Pity you cannot be helpful like the majority of posters on MSE. It is my money and 1% in my pocket is better than 1% in theirs whih is what Money Savings is all about!

Biscuit_Tin

Sorry I didn't know you just came here for a whinge about a supplier.

Carry on... :cool: