Final gas reading wrong! OVO ripping me off!

footyguy

liviboy wrote: »

Hi all,

I switched to the MSE Feb collective switch and those who read that thread will know the fun I had trying to switch from OVO!

I have still not had my final gas bill from OVO despite finally moving over in April!

Today I finally received an email TELLING me what my final reading was and it is substantially higher than the actual reading, taken by me, on the day.

So - actual reading taken by me : 02918
Reading OVO have "received" (from a 3rd party NOT British Gas) - 03083

This means I am:

1) paying for the same gas use twice
2) paying more for the gas used than I should be
3) being called a liar

The cheeky employee at OVO has the audacity to ask for a photo of my meter on the day of the switch! Nobody could tell me WHEN I was switching but as soon as I was informed by BG that I had switched I gave them the reading that day!

What can I do about this! I'm totally hacked off with this nonsense!

I suggest you contact your latest supplier, the one you would have given the 02918 reading to. They would have been responsible for passing the reading to Ovo. Although you could contact either supplier.

No way should you be paying twice for the same energy; the final reading of Ovo must match the start reading of the new supplier.
What reading value the 2 suppliers end up agreeing to use is another matter, but it must be the same one they both end up using.

footyguy

liviboy wrote: »

I actually don't understand this whole 3rd party nonsense.

...

Don't worry about the detail. It actually gets passed through a third party, but just think of it as BG passing the meter reading back to Ovo. You can refer to it as such in any complaint, and the supplier will understand what you mean.

System

Found this on Ovo's website:

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/guide-to-meter-reading-disputes.html

backfoot

The video implies (at least to me) that they (in this case OVO) trigger the third party process . Does that perhaps answer why we seem to be seeing more posts about this concerning OVO ?

Both my father in law (IGT) and myself sufferred the problem with OVO.

In both cases they had regular monthly readings and a final read,then produced a spurious correction.

Perhaps they don't trust anyone and trigger the process too readily.

System

All suppliers use third-party meter reading verification for all switches. There is also an industry meter readings disputes procedure.

In fairness to Ovo, this problem sits firmly with BG. The OP has suggested that BG failed to request a meter reading prior to the transfer of supply if I read the first post correctly. For some reason, BG has billed using the OP's reading rather than waiting for the industry-adjusted reading.

BG now has three options: one, to get Ovo to use the OP's reading; two, to amend its initial bill to use the industry estimate or, three, raise a formal readings dispute.

Edit:

There is a 4th option which is for the two suppliers to agree a reading somewhere between the two.

backfoot

Hengus wrote: »

All suppliers use third-party meter reading verification for all switches.

I presume you are right but do you have a source for the above. The video implies they trigger it when they aren't happy.

I still don't get why normal readings for established customers get 'verified' and changed to something out of line with previous consumption.

liviboy

sacsquacco wrote: »

I ve seen many semi concealed smart gas meters fitted by BG and I ve seen them around for at least the last 5 years .In fact they are virtually the same model as a landys and Gyr or Siemens e6 meter with a smart module built in. There is no reason a smart cannot be fitted below ground level, they are waterproof.

My electric meter was fitted by SSE in 2015. At that time I was told my gas could not be done because it was semi-concealed and therefore liable to water ingress.

When I switched to OVO they wanted to fit their own smart meters (in fact they were quite insistent). Finally when I got to speak to someone a bit more knowledgeable I asked if they were going to switch my gas to SMART and they finally admitted they couldn't due its semi-concealed status. I therefore managed to get them to stop sending me letters as I wasn't going to swap an electric meter for a new electric meter for the sake of it.

When I moved over to BG they have again informed me they would not be looking to switch my gas meter (I asked if this was because I was with an IGT - this was denied they simply co-ordinate installation with GTC Pipelines) because of its semi-concealed state.

So whilst I'm sure some folk have managed to go smart, I have not.

liviboy

footyguy wrote: »

I suggest you contact your latest supplier, the one you would have given the 02918 reading to. They would have been responsible for passing the reading to Ovo. Although you could contact either supplier.

No way should you be paying twice for the same energy; the final reading of Ovo must match the start reading of the new supplier.
What reading value the 2 suppliers end up agreeing to use is another matter, but it must be the same one they both end up using.

British Gas sent them 02918 but it was sent for verification and because I was with an IGT and this can take up-to 14 weeks. When the reading came back, OVO then raised a dispute as they didn't agree with either BG, me or the IGT.

I don't see what BG have to do with anything - they have complied with their duties - they asked for an opening reading, it was given, they sent this reading to OVO.

liviboy

backfoot wrote: »

The video implies (at least to me) that they (in this case OVO) trigger the third party process . Does that perhaps answer why we seem to be seeing more posts about this concerning OVO ?

Both my father in law (IGT) and myself sufferred the problem with OVO.

In both cases they had regular monthly readings and a final read,then produced a spurious correction.

Perhaps they don't trust anyone and trigger the process too readily.

Ovo informed me that they raised a dispute automatically but could not tell me why as the reading "fell in line". I have been told repeatedly they simply await the company coming back to them to confirm but that they couldn't foresee any issues.

I agree with you that they seem to trust no one and trigger the process to readily!

liviboy

Hengus wrote: »

All suppliers use third-party meter reading verification for all switches. There is also an industry meter readings disputes procedure.

In fairness to Ovo, this problem sits firmly with BG. The OP has suggested that BG failed to request a meter reading prior to the transfer of supply if I read the first post correctly. For some reason, BG has billed using the OP's reading rather than waiting for the industry-adjusted reading.

BG now has three options: one, to get Ovo to use the OP's reading; two, to amend its initial bill to use the industry estimate or, three, raise a formal readings dispute.

Edit:

There is a 4th option which is for the two suppliers to agree a reading somewhere between the two.

Hengus - BG did ask for an opening reading but there was confusion with my actual supply start date (If you can see my messages on the main BG thread this would become more apparent - I'm on my mobile so can't search and post at the same time). My supply started on the 12th April (switch initiated 14th February!) and they were given a reading on the 13th April. At most it would be a couple of units difference - not 160-odd. The issue was a manager in the Resolutions department had to take ownership of my account because the switch kept failing. He called me on the morning of the 13th to inform me the switch had occurred the previous day and to take my opening reading.

I was billed by BG on the 7th June so OVO had from the 13th April until the 6th June to raise any issues with BG regarding the reading but this didn't happen, so BG have billed me.

Regardless, it still appears that unless OVO accept 02918 as my closing reading that I will be paying twice for those units of gas...unless BG agree to change their opening reading, etc. However in this event I then lose-out as the unit cost is more with OVO than BG (hence my switch away). Now as said earlier, this will undoubtedly amount to a few pounds at most but that really isn't the point. the point is we are told to switch to save and how switching is as easy as a couple of clicks but it really isn't! This has been a nightmare!

The switch from SSE to OVO was seamless so I definitely think that it's OVO's systems that are the problem here as SSE sent my final bill within a couple of weeks of switching and all figures matched.