Ovo Energy App not recording my readings

MizzSunshine69

Hi All,

Today I have realised that the meter readings I have been submitting using the Ovo andriod app, are not being reflected on my account. Can someone please tell me if they have experienced this and if so, how it was resolved?

I have been using the android app for about 5 months as it was easier than using my laptop, but the app doesn't display as detailed a breakdown as the browser website. As we are moving house at the end of the month, I was using my laptop today to sort out admin and decided to submit my meter readings on my computer and advise Ovo at the same time that we will be leaving the property.

When I went into my account from my laptop browser, I saw that all of my previous meter readings since October were estimated and that our account balance was now -£118. I am aware that our direct debit was increased from £44 to £76 in January, which I just thought was to account for the additional energy used throughout winter. But I don't understand how it is possible that we are being charged for estimated readings as I have submitted readings each month through the app. Where have those readings gone? And how has our account ended up over £100 in debit without us being informed?! We received no letters advising of this.

I'm so confused and annoyed. In the summer our readings were about £35 per month, then after we turned the heating on in October, they went up to about £45-£50 which we expected. We have storage heaters, economy 7 and are shift workers so don't use that much electricity during the day. As soon as the estimated readings started (in December) our bills jumped from around £49 per month to £164 the next month!!! On economy 7! There is no way on earth this can even be close to accurate. We couldn't use up that much electricity in a month even if we tried.

I am very unhappy. The main benefit of us having our services from Ovo is the convenience of submitting the readings and paying for what we've used. But now I see that they have been charging me god knows how much without me even realising. I've emailed them asking them what is going on and where my readings have gone, but I don't anticipate a great response based on other experiences I've read about disputes with Ovo.

Any advice on how to tackle this? I'm fully prepared to fight it and take it to the Ombudsman if I have to, but I would rather a speedy resolution.

JJ_Egan

When you submit meter readings you should get an email thanking you for the readings .Reads to me as the app is not sending the readings .

Do you have the actual past meter readings ??

Mine are certainly recorded 100% via the web interface .

macman

If the system receives reads that it believes to be erroneous, it will reject them and substitute estimated readings-my guess is that this is what has happened. You've exacerbated the situation by not checking your monthly bills for 5 months, which would have shown the billing to be estimated. Submit a manual read and get an up to date bill.
Once you have that, you can easily do your own billing calculation and see what you owe. If the billing is accurate, then you have no grounds for a complaint. The Ombudsman will anyway not consider any complaint until you have been through the supplier's own complaints procedure-which you haven't yet begun.

pws52

When I was with Ovo and had any questions I found that by phoning them the issues were very soon addressed. The phone was always answered quickly by someone who knew what they were doing....and if they didn't they soon found someone who did.
It was only because of saving that I switched provider but I think that their customer service was brilliant...well, my experience was.

Give them a ring, or email them and ask them what has been happening.

WinnyWoo

I give monthly readings via the my ovo dashboard interface, and always receive a confirmation email. If you have been overcharged, then an accurate meter reading now will soon put it right. I too have found their customer service excellent.

I also have an economy 7 meter and tariff and my bill for March was over £200, with accurate meter readings, but I am used to this as we have no other form of power.