Ovo and debt collectors

johnjames1981

Hi all,

We were a customer of ovo energy last year 2019/20. We got a letter on the 22nd October 2022 from a debt collection agency saying we owed £32. We had had no letter or email from ovo asking for this.we’ve obviously paid immediately but worried this will now effect our credit. Anyone had this issue? When I called ovo they made the presumption of why I was calling before I had even explained and said all they could do was apologise. I have raised a complaint but am yet to hear back…

Le_Kirk

Did you move away from Ovo and, if so, did you give them a final reading?  Does this tie up with your new supplier?  What do your monthly bills and readings say?  Did you actually owe this money as a final payment before transferring?

anngran

My daughter is also having problems with OVO selling a supposed debt onto a financial company. She always pays her debts She was really upset by the tone of the letter from the finance company. It said that after repeated attempts to recover the debt that her debt had been passed on to Lowell. But she didn't even know she had a debt and OVO had NEVER contacted her about any money owing. She has always paid by direct debit but has changed banks since the supposed debt occurred - at the time of the 'debt' 2019 she had transferred from Lumos (OVOs sister company) and had assumed that the transfer had gone smoothly as she heard absolutely nothing to the contrary. Now in late 2021 a debt company is demanding money and like you she has phoned - but Lowell say it is OVOs fault and OVO say she must only deal with the finance company

I have read another complaint on this forum of recent problems that have occurred because of OVO selling on non existent debt to a financial company. A lot of people will not have complained so far. OVOs response is appalling. I don't believe they did notify people that any money was owing - if indeed it was.

Also if you go on TrustPilot and look up OVO recent bad reports show that others are reporting that OVO is doing this and there are so many that it cannot be just a one off error. 

I have also looked at the Energy Ombudman's site for OVO and apparently it was the most complained about energy company this year

What i would like to know is - when a switch is made is - the company that someone is being switched from responsible for letting customers know that they owe money?

If they do not tell customers surely they must have some responsibility. it is difficult after 2 years to go back to your financial records and check. And how would you know - if they did not ever pass that information on? Let alone make significant efforts to recover anything - if the debt even exists

anngran

Le_Kirk Could i ask who you raised your complaint with

Le_Kirk

anngran said:

Le_Kirk Could i ask who you raised your complaint with

What complaint?

born_again

anngran said:

If they do not tell customers surely they must have some responsibility. it is difficult after 2 years to go back to your financial records and check. And how would you know - if they did not ever pass that information on? Let alone make significant efforts to recover anything - if the debt even exists

When you switch companies. YOU supply a final meter reading. You then get a final bill from your old company. Then start paying the new company from scratch.
Unless you were in debt to the old company and it was then transferred over to the new company.
But all should be clear from the old companies final bill..

anngran

Le_Kirk said:

anngran said:

Le_Kirk Could i ask who you raised your complaint with

What complaint?

Sorry meant for johnjames obv

anngran

born_again said:

anngran said:

If they do not tell customers surely they must have some responsibility. it is difficult after 2 years to go back to your financial records and check. And how would you know - if they did not ever pass that information on? Let alone make significant efforts to recover anything - if the debt even exists

When you switch companies. YOU supply a final meter reading. You then get a final bill from your old company. Then start paying the new company from scratch.
Unless you were in debt to the old company and it was then transferred over to the new company.
But all should be clear from the old companies final bill..

Of course she sent a final meter reading - having switched companies a few times I think we all know to send final meter readings. My point was that OVO should then have taken any money owing - or let customers know that money is owing. As you say 'You then get a final bill from your old company' This is what I was saying no final bill was ever presented to them,
The recent debt letter that she got stated that OVO had made multiple attempts to notify her, to inform her of the supposed debt but, in truth, they had NOT