Paying two suppliers for same dates?

ally18

Has anyone else had this problem?

I switched from SP to ovo on 16th Sept. I provided my readings to SP on 10th due to not being able to do it on the 15th and gave the same readings to ovo on the same day.

Everything fine, the switch went through,last bill comes through and SP actually gave me a refund as I was in credit. But .. now SP are billing me for elect from the 10th to 15th on an estimated reading? SP have decided the dual readings I gave (on the same day) for elect only go to 10th but gas goes to 15th?

So I have to pay both SP and ovo for those 5 days for elect. I've spoken to SP today and they just were not having it. I owe the money and have to pay according to them.

Why did they give ovo the readings I told them then and not the estimated one? I have spoken to ovo as well and they will not change the figure because they have to go by the one SP provided.

So annoyed. Rant over

System

A few issues here. The 'gaining' supplier, under OFGEM rules, is responsible for the switching process. In this case, Ovo will have asked you for meter readings that they will have then passed on to your 'old' supplier via the Metering Authority. It may well be that the readings passed on where not the same as the ones that you gave. Why, for example, because the actual date of the switch may have been delayed.

The 'old' supplier will then either accept the readings or raise a dispute if they think that they are wrong.

The important thing for you to check is that the opening reads on your Ovo account and the closing reads on your final bill are the same. If not, then raise the issue with your 'old' supplier who should raise a final corrected bill. My guess is that by providing meter readings to your 'old' supplier you may have confused the switching process. This type of error is pretty common and usually quickly resolved.

Sorry, I should have added by way of clarification, that some energy companies use to word 'estimated' on final bills meaning that this is an industry estimate given to them by the Metering Authority. Just check the closing and opening reads and you should be fine.

ally18

Hi,

Many thanks for your comment.

As at 16th Sept, both the opening figures for elect and gas with ovo and the ending figures with sp were the same.

However, today I have received a bill from sp dated17th October saying I have a debit balance on electricity and they have quoted my actual reading (as on the last bill) dated 10th Sept through to an estimated reading to 15th Sept.

So they gave my actual reading to ovo but they have added on an estimated amount which I disagree with because this usage will be with ovo. In fact, I have already paid ovo for these units.

I will see what I can do again via ovo. They either change the opening reading to the new estimated one and I pay sp or it stays the way it is and sp cancel their bill. Mind you, they said they would not do this already.:(

Aquamania

ally18 wrote: »

Has anyone else had this problem?

I switched from SP to ovo on 16th Sept. I provided my readings to SP on 10th due to not being able to do it on the 15th and gave the same readings to ovo on the same day.

Everything fine, the switch went through,last bill comes through and SP actually gave me a refund as I was in credit. But .. now SP are billing me for elect from the 10th to 15th on an estimated reading? SP have decided the dual readings I gave (on the same day) for elect only go to 10th but gas goes to 15th?

So I have to pay both SP and ovo for those 5 days for elect. I've spoken to SP today and they just were not having it. I owe the money and have to pay according to them.

Why did they give ovo the readings I told them then and not the estimated one? I have spoken to ovo as well and they will not change the figure because they have to go by the one SP provided.

So annoyed. Rant over

As your switch did not occur until 16th Sept, then your new supplier (Ovo) should not be charging you for consumption before that date; the old supplier (SP) will charge you

Also as no actual reading is available for the switch date, then estimated readings will be used, but the end reading on the final bill from SP should still be the same as the start reading from Ovo.

If they won't agree a common reading, complain to either supplier.
(I would suggest the current supplier, Ovo, as they have more to lose by annoying you)
It probably won't be the readings you gave as they were taken almost a week before the actual switch.

ally18

Hi,

I have managed to speak to both of them again and have put in a read dispute for it to be sorted. It looks like I should just have the standing charge to pay to sp for those 5 days.

I thought I was doing them a favour giving the readings early because as I couldn't do it on the exact date, it would have ended up over a week late otherwise. In fact, if I remember right, ovo asked me for my readings on that date in the first place!

The energy firms do not like losing their pennies do they!