Ovo Energy - Massive charges and don't know what to do

Mantisguy

I'm afraid the fun's over, guys! The Ombudsman agreed to let me discuss the matter with Ovo again and we decided to settle. They've waived almost all the charges. There's around £500 left as they think I've been using more than £62 monthly while I've been with them. The jury's out on that one, but I decided to simply deal with it since it's not worth the extra hassle. Maybe I'll pay £20 towards that a month until the debt is cleared and I hope to get a smart meter so I don't have this problem again.

All the same, thanks for your help, but I might as well answer some questions while I'm here. Judging by what you've said it seems I'm not the only one who's had this "transposing" (yes, they confirmed muddling day/night is apparently the reason for this major screw-up) problem so I bloody look forward to a smart meter. Yes, my flat came with a storage heater which of course makes sense with the E7. I think smart meters have economy 7 tariffs so that should be okay. I just wish my heater was "smart" and could turn off after the seven hours.

Regarding the Ombudsman, they didn't reject the proposal. I did as it looked crap, and I realised I acted too hastily and wanted to negotiate with Ovo, so I sent them a message and that was okay. Yes, the meter cycles between two states. Takes about twenty seconds which is my mistake, sorry! (Wish I was more patient in tight spaces.) It's the only meter, just the big dial at the side as well. Haha, I wish I had a garage! I'm trying to rent one for storage. Just a one-bedroom flat.

All the power tips here are very handy, cheers. I just wish there was a way to only use the freezer part of a fridge-freezer since (I know some will hate me for this as there is a stigma) I've been put on a shake diet to lose a lot of weight. The fridge is redundant, but I need ice for my shakes. I know a fridge-freezer uses double the wattage. Oh well.

Regarding Ovo, I think they should be more transparent to the customer. While it is my error that I didn't look at all the statements, they don't (or didn't to me) send letters or e-mails with these statement charges. You can only find them through their website, and with my bank statement which I check regularly always reporting my monthly £62 with Ovo I thought there was nothing wrong. If they gave lazy customers like me a small nudge so they know about these extra debts it could really help them out, unless that's not what they want...

Yeah, I don't think there will be a clean crisp answer. I'm not the only one who reported this transposing problem and while I always own up to my errors I think this is on Ovo.

WatlingA5

I'm a bit late for this party, but I'm also with Ovo, on the All Online. I get an email each month telling me my statement is ready and then download it as a PDF, same as all the other online bills - phone, water, etc.

As for meter readings, I do them on the same date each month, the day before the statement is due. That way Ovo always get my latest readings. So when I saw that there had been a gas reading six days after mine I knew it was not from me, despite it being labelled as "You Gave.." So it seems there are still meter-readers around.

Hope you have a better time now and get your stress levels down

buglawton

Ofgem should enforce a system of email/SMS warnings to people whose readings suddenly become implausible. Something like the runaway roaming charges texts that have been enforced by Ofcom after a very, very long time and fighting the 'comms companies.

After all, weirdly enough, the leccy companies are under some sort of legal obligation to report unusual consumption to other parties!
http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?/topic/238689-uk-cannabis-grower-caught-out-after-electric-company-tip-off/

Put the fact that Ofgem does nothing to help the consumer avoid situations like this down to the general culture of rip-off Britain.

macman

OP, only right at the end have you actually told us how you heat the flat-is there really just one NSH? On E7, running any other heaters will be costing you about 350% more, because they will be on peak rate. And your hot water is heated by an immersion heater? If so, you just need to put this on with a timer for about two hours overnight on cheap rate-say 4am to 6am. A properly lagged tank will stay hot all day.
Don't stress about your light bulbs or fridge either. Up to 80% of your annual usage will be on heating and hot water: these are what matter.
Once you get your billing sorted, check your annual kWh usage on each register: you should be using at least a third on cheap rate to benefit from E7.

House_Martin

That meter in the photo is a standard single rate meter.All eco 7 meters like that one scroll through and have a cursor at the bottom to show which rate is displayed. They scroll r1, r2 and a t for total of the two. The white box to the left looks like an old analogue 24 hr circular timer switch. They are usually miles out of kilter so the cheap 7 hrs can be coming on at any time in the 24 hrs making transposing even more likely if night rate is still on in the afternoon
I agree with Robin in that if you are Eco 7 it could be a check meter which has nt been taken away.
Transposing Eco7 reads are very common and will remain so until smart meters are installed..All my meter reading colleagues are not really concerned in making sure they know which rate is day or night on digital meters as sometimes its not possible to know.. The occupier also should take the time to understand their system and the meters.
.Transposed meter reads can go unnoticed for years especially when it favours the occupier. Suppliers sometimes will just issue a huge catch up bill without explanation because it was their meter readers who have been sending in wrong reads..Night storage users spot it quickly because their bills go up a lot and are on the phone that same day.

molerat

House_Martin wrote: »

That meter in the photo is a standard single rate meter. Multirate Single Phase Watt Hour Meter and Rate clearly printed on the front of the meter
All eco 7 meters like that one scroll through and have a cursor at the bottom to show which rate is displayed. They scroll r1, r2 and a t for total of the two OP says it does scroll through !

........................................................

Rubidium

House_Martin wrote: »

That meter in the photo is a standard single rate meter.All eco 7 meters like that one scroll through and have a cursor at the bottom to show which rate is displayed. They scroll r1, r2 and a t for total of the two
I agree with Robin in that if you are Eco 7 it could be a check meter which has nt been taken away.
Transposing Eco7 reads are very common and will remain so until smart meters are installed..All my meter reading colleagues are not really concerned in making sure they know which rate is day or night on digital meters as sometimes its not possible to know.. The occupier also should take the time to understand their system and the meters.
.Transposed meter reads can go unnoticed for years especially when it favours the occupier. Suppliers sometimes will just issue a huge catch up bill without explanation because it was their meter readers who have been sending in wrong reads..Night storage users spot it quickly because their bills go up a lot and are on the phone that same day.

You are testiculating again old man!

Multirate meters of that type can be used as a single rate meter e.g. here is an example:



but the one shown in the photograph in this thread is obviously wired as a multi rate meter because the fifth timeswitch control wire is clearly visible.



These meters do not all cycle though Rate1, Rate2, Total on the display, some display Rate1, Rate2 followed by a display test where all display segments can be seen working, some simply have an indicator to show when the second rate register is displayed.

I would have expected a meter reader to know this.

MaxineC_2

I have a reading marked 1 and a reading marked 2 plus another number. There is no letter t and readings 1and 2 do not total the other number. What is this other number? It changes as if measuring something. An electrician has said it should be the total so my meter is faulty. I have been sent a bill for £5000 as British Gas says we have been underpaying. However, I know our electric usage should be minimal
Help please @ rubidium

Telegraph_Sam

Is the upshot of this to avoid signing up with OVO despite their widespread 5* rating? I am proposing to switch to them, Tonik or E.On as things currently stand.

victor2

Telegraph_Sam wrote: »

Is the upshot of this to avoid signing up with OVO despite their widespread 5* rating? I am proposing to switch to them, Tonik or E.On as things currently stand.

Not really. You can have problems with any supplier. Of the more recent smaller companies, OVO seem to have done pretty well. In my experience, E.On lead the way with customer service, but you have to consider how often you are likely to need that, for the price you pay.
You will always hear complaints about any supplier. People don't go onto a forum to say they're getting what they expected from their supplier.