Ovo Energy Switching Problems

Tigerstripe

Attempted a switch to Ovo on 25/3 via CEC. Received the CEC email on the day but nothing since so it's been 15 days. CEC website just says switch in progress but it would be nice to have some acknowledgement from Ovo.

Does anyone know what the current turnaround is? Ovo rep? Not too impressed so far.

rockm87

I agree you dont get much from them. Im currently still switching over. I can log on, should of got an email with your ID?

just shows a switching screen cant get any further at the moment though.

youravinalarrrf

Tigerstripe wrote: »

Attempted a switch to Ovo on 25/3 via CEC. Received the CEC email on the day but nothing since so it's been 15 days. CEC website just says switch in progress but it would be nice to have some acknowledgement from Ovo.

Does anyone know what the current turnaround is? Ovo rep? Not too impressed so far.

I'm in exactly the same position as you (used CEC on same date) and have also received absolutely nothing from Ovo either by email or by post.

The Ovo rep does visit this site but as far as I can see has so far deliberately ignored questions raised earlier in this thread and has PM's blocked so no direct contact can be made.

From what I saw posted on twitter the other day Ovo were quoting a very strange and unacceptable "14 working days" to some customers? By my reckoning, assuming they include Saturday as a working day, we should have something from them tomorrow or allowing the extra day for CEC to pass the info to Ovo by Friday at the latest.

If nothing is forthcoming by this Friday I will be phoning to cancel the switch due to their unacceptable timescales.

What's annoying me most is that customers are being left in limbo like this when a simple automated email from them confirming receipt of the switch application together with a timescale for the transfer would at least keep the customer informed.

I'm beginning to think I may have made a mistake and I'm now wondering why I'm trying to spend money with Ovo when so far they have shown absolutely no interest in wanting me to be one of their customers.

brewerdave

Got my letter from OVO yesterday (9/4) -dated 31st March (7 days after switch commenced) ,but ,as I suspected, the delay was due to the fact that it was addressed to a number, with no road, just the postal town and post code!! Thank you Simply Switch!!!
The letter had the OVO ID -but no password so initially I couldn't log in. Put in a false password then used the forgotten password link which resulted in OVO sending me a weblink to set/update a password. Not sure if that is the way it is supposed to happen!!!
When I eventually logged on, I found that the cooling off period was over and that the switch was underway. Couldn't understand why the rates on my letter where slightly higher than the advertised rates which I checked via USwitch -then I read that they have launched a slightly cheaper tariff yesterday!!
Phone call at 8am sharp tomorrow to ask to be switched onto the cheaper unit rates.
As to Simply Switch -not only did they pass on an incomplete address-but also TopCashback are only showing the cashback for a single utility switch rather than both -claim submitted!

General_Synopsis

I am in the process of switching from nPower to Ovo, via the Cheap Energy Club. I switched on 2 April; had a brief email acknowledgement (from Ovo) the next day, and a welcome letter a few days later (correctly addressed).
However, like Frinky, the rates quoted in my welcome letter did not match those given by CEC - to the tune of about £22 /year. I might easily have failed to spot this as:
a) The CEC emails /website did not record the new tariff details (standing/unit charges) - I had to go back to notes I had scribbled, and confirm via another comparison site and the Ovo site.
b) The Ovo contract agreement gave the rates excluding VAT. I didn't even know what the energy VAT rate was so I had to find that and then calculate the inc vat rates, which were (for unit charges) higher than I had been quoted.
I emailed Ovo about the discrepancy yesterday - 10 April - and had a phone call back this morning. Their explanation was that they had lowered there rates since I had signed up! I emphasised that the lower rates were the ones quoted [by CEC] and they said they have to release new rates a few days early to give the comparison companies time to change their sites! He did agree - as I am still in the cooling off period - to change my rates to the 'new' lower ones, though I am waiting for official written confirmation.
I can't complain so far about the customer response; but the error itself is a little worrying. At best it smacks of incompetence by either Ovo or CEC. At worst, it could be interpreted as deceit!

2013yearofthehouse

General_Synopsis wrote: »

I am in the process of switching from nPower to Ovo, via the Cheap Energy Club. I switched on 2 April; had a brief email acknowledgement (from Ovo) the next day, and a welcome letter a few days later (correctly addressed).
However, like Frinky, the rates quoted in my welcome letter did not match those given by CEC - to the tune of about £22 /year. I might easily have failed to spot this as:
a) The CEC emails /website did not record the new tariff details (standing/unit charges) - I had to go back to notes I had scribbled, and confirm via another comparison site and the Ovo site.
b) The Ovo contract agreement gave the rates excluding VAT. I didn't even know what the energy VAT rate was so I had to find that and then calculate the inc vat rates, which were (for unit charges) higher than I had been quoted.
I emailed Ovo about the discrepancy yesterday - 10 April - and had a phone call back this morning. Their explanation was that they had lowered there rates since I had signed up! I emphasised that the lower rates were the ones quoted [by CEC] and they said they have to release new rates a few days early to give the comparison companies time to change their sites! He did agree - as I am still in the cooling off period - to change my rates to the 'new' lower ones, though I am waiting for official written confirmation.
I can't complain so far about the customer response; but the error itself is a little worrying. At best it smacks of incompetence by either Ovo or CEC. At worst, it could be interpreted as deceit!

(Frinky's rates proved to be quoted correctly)

In your case, sounds like CEC's fault they used the wrong rates too early. I used the energy helpline comparison the evening before the new lower tarriff came out and it used the old (current at that time) rates, so they definitely didn't change theirs too early.

youravinalarrrf

youravinalarrrf wrote: »

I'm in exactly the same position as you (used CEC on same date) and have also received absolutely nothing from Ovo either by email or by post.

The Ovo rep does visit this site but as far as I can see has so far deliberately ignored questions raised earlier in this thread and has PM's blocked so no direct contact can be made.

From what I saw posted on twitter the other day Ovo were quoting a very strange and unacceptable "14 working days" to some customers? By my reckoning, assuming they include Saturday as a working day, we should have something from them tomorrow or allowing the extra day for CEC to pass the info to Ovo by Friday at the latest.

If nothing is forthcoming by this Friday I will be phoning to cancel the switch due to their unacceptable timescales.

What's annoying me most is that customers are being left in limbo like this when a simple automated email from them confirming receipt of the switch application together with a timescale for the transfer would at least keep the customer informed.

I'm beginning to think I may have made a mistake and I'm now wondering why I'm trying to spend money with Ovo when so far they have shown absolutely no interest in wanting me to be one of their customers.

UPDATE and a WARNING to others

My apologies for doubting Ovo.

I finally rang Ovo today to find out what the delay was.

Ovo confirmed that they had in fact NEVER RECEIVED the application from the Cheap Energy Club and according to them I’m not the first Cheap Energy Club member they’ve had this problem with.

My advice is that if you used the Cheap Energy Club for the switch and have not had a reply direct from Ovo ring them immediately and check that they have actually received your application.

I've now cancelled my Cheap Energy Club membership and will be using more reliable and trustworthy comparison/switching sites from now on. :mad:

pooch

youravinalarrrf wrote: »

UPDATE and a WARNING to others

My apologies for doubting Ovo.

I finally rang Ovo today to find out what the delay was.

Ovo confirmed that they had in fact NEVER RECEIVED the application from the Cheap Energy Club and according to them I’m not the first Cheap Energy Club member they’ve had this problem with.

My advice is that if you used the Cheap Energy Club for the switch and have not had a reply direct from Ovo ring them immediately and check that they have actually received your application.

I've now cancelled my Cheap Energy Club membership and will be using more reliable and trustworthy comparison/switching sites from now on. :mad:

Just 42 posts in almost 7 years, I think your username is most apt :cool:

From the CEC FAQs

I've called the supplier and it knows nothing about the switch?

This doesn't mean your switch isn't in progress. We're finding more and more that suppliers' call centres don't have up-to-date information about switches (or they say they don't).

So if you've called the new supplier and it doesn't know about the switch, don't worry about it. Wait a few days, and you should receive confirmation of the switch in the post. Don't switch over the phone directly with the supplier - if you do, you'll miss out on any cashback you were eligible for.

https://cheapenergyclub.moneysavingexpert.com/faq

Frinky

Ovo_Energy_company_representative wrote: »

Hi Frinky,

We hope this has been sorted out, would you like us to look into this for you?

All the best - Ovo

Oops, sorry... missed this post.

Thanks, but the unit prices quoted to me by the Cheap Energy Club, and the prices quoted to me in my Ovo welcome letter now tally up. (Thanks again to the person who pointed out I was using 20% VAT instead of 5% ), so no action is necessary.

The only issue I have now is 2 lines are missing from my address. Hopefully I'll be able to get this corrected via email, or within my Ovo account online.

brewerdave

Frinky wrote: »

The only issue I have now is 2 lines are missing from my address. Hopefully I'll be able to get this corrected via email, or within my Ovo account online.

...I phoned up when I noticed that they only had my house number and postal town - no road or area - They took the info. on board and the full address is now showing online under "My billing info" -but not further down the profile page under " About me" -and appears to be the only piece of info, I can't change or edit!
Not sure that it matters now as the account is supposed to be managed online so I'll let it run.:)