Bloody OVO, to hell with them!

Alex32

This is a bit long but bare with me. So last March I signed up to OVO Energy for their Simpler Energy (that electricity only) £59 per month plan after filling in their online form 4 times to make sure I got it right as £59pm seemed way too cheap & calling them to confirm.

After 6 months they started talking a lot more than £59pm, the DD shot up to couple of hundred per month and was happening for a few months. I only notice when because my debit card didn't work while shopping and so, checked my account only to find they had taken more money then the DD agreement stated.

Called OVO, they apologized & will be refunding the money (over £600) soon as I get my bank involved and as I only a few months left by this point, the monthly DD was changed from £59 to £137pm. And as my contact is now over & I will be switching, just wanted to ask would it be better to pay them the £270 debt first & then switch or switch first,then pay OVOV off later on.

Cardew

Any losing supplier - OVO in your case - can prevent you switching supplier if you have a sizeable debt; so you would be better paying off your debt.

You use the term 'DD Agreement'. Along with all other suppliers, what you sign is a variable DD mandate. This means that OVO can vary the DD amount as they see fit; and do not need your agreement.

HOWEVER they must inform you in advance of any change in the DD amount. This can be by email/letter or on a bill.

As OVO are apologising, are they admitting they didn't inform you of the increase in your DD?

Alex32

Cardew wrote: »

Any losing supplier - OVO in your case - can prevent you switching supplier if you have a sizeable debt; so you would be better paying off your debt.

You use the term 'DD Agreement'. Along with all other suppliers, what you sign is a variable DD mandate. This means that OVO can vary the DD amount as they see fit; and do not need your agreement.

HOWEVER they must inform you in advance of any change in the DD amount. This can be by email/letter or on a bill.

As OVO are apologising, are they admitting they didn't inform you of the increase in your DD?

Yeah pretty much, they didn't inform me & are willing to refund the money.

brewerdave

I'm confused! How can you have a credit of £600 that "they are willing to refund"yet owe OVO £270??

Alex32

brewerdave wrote: »

I'm confused! How can you have a credit of £600 that "they are willing to refund"yet owe OVO £270??

The £600 is for overcharging me from previous months & I owe them £270 as I haven't paid them yet (well do soon tho) Hope that clear things up.

System

Alex32 wrote: »

This is a bit long but bare with me. So last March I signed up to OVO Energy for their Simpler Energy (that electricity only) £59 per month plan after filling in their online form 4 times to make sure I got it right as £59pm seemed way too cheap & calling them to confirm.

After 6 months they started talking a lot more than £59pm, the DD shot up to couple of hundred per month and was happening for a few months. I only notice when because my debit card didn't work while shopping and so, checked my account only to find they had taken more money then the DD agreement stated.

Called OVO, they apologized & will be refunding the money (over £600) soon as I get my bank involved and as I only a few months left by this point, the monthly DD was changed from £59 to £137pm. And as my contact is now over & I will be switching, just wanted to ask would it be better to pay them the £270 debt first & then switch or switch first,then pay OVOV off later on.

I am struggling to understand your various posts. If they owe you £600 and you owe them £270, then the credit balance on the account should be £330. You have asked on two forums whether you should stay and pay off the debt or switch? If you do not switch then you will be transferred to OVO's standard variable tariff once your contract ends.

AS you have £600 in your Bank, then why not just settle the Final Bill with Ovo and move on?

martinlewisjunior

Just wondering as there's no mention of it, I assume you submitted your meter readings on a monthly basis? / checked them, I understand they quoted you £59 a month, however you have to remember that was potentially an estimate (again please confirm), if you were debt for a few months then submitted a meter reading then they might have increased your direct debit but not reduced the direct debit. Also my next question is your apartment/house electric only and have no access to gas? if so your bills might have gone up because of using more during the cold periods?

Alex32

Hengus wrote: »

I am struggling to understand your various posts. If they owe you £600 and you owe them £270, then the credit balance on the account should be £330. You have asked on two forums whether you should stay and pay off the debt or switch? If you do not switch then you will be transferred to OVO's standard variable tariff once your contract ends.

AS you have £600 in your Bank, then why not just settle the Final Bill with Ovo and move on?

OVO would like to treat it the money they owe me as a separate matter, anyway I got the advice I needed and that's to pay the final bill, get the refund due & move.

Alex32

martinlewisjunior wrote: »

Just wondering as there's no mention of it, I assume you submitted your meter readings on a monthly basis? / checked them, I understand they quoted you £59 a month, however you have to remember that was potentially an estimate (again please confirm), if you were debt for a few months then submitted a meter reading then they might have increased your direct debit but not reduced the direct debit. Also my next question is your apartment/house electric only and have no access to gas? if so your bills might have gone up because of using more during the cold periods?

Yes but only 4-6 months after joining them did they start asking for monthly meter readings.
The £59 a month was confirmed by OVO themselves, I even called them up.
Paid every month on time as payment was taken via direct debit, so there no debt build up.
And the house is electric only.

martinlewisjunior

It's always recommended to submit meter readings on a monthly basis, it's impossible to get the correct usage for a property without submitting your meter readings. Also doesn't matter if it's confirmed and no debt built up, all that matters is your actual usage.What's likely to have happened is as much as you've been paying £59 a month , when you submitted your actual meter reading this was way above what they estimated so you had to catch up as you had been underpaying your electricity. Again doesn't matter if they don't inform you to do it, you're meant to do it otherwise a scenario like above happens.

In terms of your direct debit going up to £137 , they did this to catch up your electricity usage, but by the sounds of it they didn't drop it back down. I found some suppliers you have to ask to them to drop it manually otherwise you end up putting a big balance on the account. Now you mention you have debt they won't refund you £600 if you have debt on the account. So make sure you submit a correct meter reading and then they will refund what is left on the account. e.g £600 - £270 (refund of £330)

For future reference I would look into monitoring your bills more.
Apps like these let you know when your bill goes rocketing up without you realising
www wonderbill com
www onedox com

For managing your bank account
Emma Finance
Money Dashboard
Yolt

:money:

Alex32

martinlewisjunior wrote: »

It's always recommended to submit meter readings on a monthly basis, it's impossible to get the correct usage for a property without submitting your meter readings. Also doesn't matter if it's confirmed and no debt built up, all that matters is your actual usage.What's likely to have happened is as much as you've been paying £59 a month , when you submitted your actual meter reading this was way above what they estimated so you had to catch up as you had been underpaying your electricity. Again doesn't matter if they don't inform you to do it, you're meant to do it otherwise a scenario like above happens.

In terms of your direct debit going up to £137 , they did this to catch up your electricity usage, but by the sounds of it they didn't drop it back down. I found some suppliers you have to ask to them to drop it manually otherwise you end up putting a big balance on the account. Now you mention you have debt they won't refund you £600 if you have debt on the account. So make sure you submit a correct meter reading and then they will refund what is left on the account. e.g £600 - £270 (refund of £330)

For future reference I would look into monitoring your bills more.
Apps like these let you know when your bill goes rocketing up without you realising
www wonderbill com
www onedox com

For managing your bank account
Emma Finance
Money Dashboard
Yolt

:money:

Thanks for the advice, it well be very useful not just to myself but to anyone who may read this thread. :beer: Will check out the sites