Anyone heard from OVO? Should I quit?

thebman

Hi all,

I signed up to a silly-high fixed rate energy plan with Ovo, just before the price guarantee came in.

I read they are supposed to reach out to people who even after the discount will still be paying more than the guarantee. I'm worried we fall into that category (although am not sure).

Has anyone else in this situation been contacted about the situation, and advised they can leave without exit fee?
(at the moment my app still says I'm on the silly-high rate with exit fees)

And secondly, do your smart meters display the adjusted guarantee amount? Or are they on the original amounts with the final bill only adjusted? Mine are soo much higher than last month and I haven't gone near the heating yet.

Thanks!

Electric_Twit

I am with Ovo on a Fix circa 7% higher that the new ceiling. If you go on the Ovo forums you will read that many customers, including me, are increasingly frustrated that first, many have not heard a peep out of Ovo except some rather contradictory and obscure messaging on the website and second, that they have not published the new tariffs. Most other suppliers have at least put up the simple table of rates by region and method of payment. Frankly I do not know how Ovo are being allowed to get away without at least publishing the new tariffs, but I am only a customer so why should I matter!

Birdman2015

Same here. I signed up for a fixed rate 2 months before the EPG was announced. Not heard a peep from SSE. Just completed the move to OVO yesterday but rates are still the old level.

Rather annoyingly received the final bill from SSE yesterday and the electricity element was estimated and £200 over actual usage. Getting through to them is an endurance task in itself.

ariarnia

this is the email we got from ovo this week. slightly different as we are on a below cap fix but i would expect the situation to be the same.

 Due to rising energy prices, the government has announced a new Energy Price Guarantee starting from 1 October which will limit the energy bill for a typical household to £2,500. It applies to everyone - whether you’re on a fixed or variable plan. This is in addition to the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme, a £400 discount paid to all customers in instalments between October 2022 and March 2023. You do not need to apply for either of these schemes.

 If your fixed rate plan has recently come to an end, you will have already rolled onto our variable Simpler Energy plan and can disregard this email. A communication with your new rates will have been sent to you and will have information about your new plan.

 You don’t need to do anything: you’re already on the cheapest possible plan. As you're currently on a fixed plan that's priced below the Energy Price Guarantee your rates will not change, and you don’t need to do anything. This is because the price you pay for your energy is already lower than the government's Energy Price Guarantee. But remember, the Energy Price Guarantee is a limit on the unit rate you pay for your energy - meaning a typical household’s usage would result in a bill no more than £2,500 per year. If you use more than a typical household, your bill will be more.

 What happens next? You don’t need to do anything. If you’re close to the end of your current plan, you'll automatically move to our variable Simpler Energy plan when this finishes. Please note, if you still want to switch to our variable Simpler Energy plan, we won’t charge you any exit fees to do so.

Before making a decision about switching your energy plan, we need to let you know about some changes to how we offer renewable electricity. From 1 October, any customers that aren’t on a fixed rate plan only get 100% renewable electricity with a smart meter. As you’re on a fixed plan, this will only come into effect when your current plan ends, or if you chose to switch to our variable Simpler Energy plan.

Swalts

I got this email from OVO  too, I signed up for a 2 year fixed in June 2022, from what I can see, they have given the plan details within the email, they've increased my fixed plan standing charges and matched the cap usage charges, how are they allowed to alter fixed plan charges???? The "new" fixed plan charges equate to only £16.57 per annum more than the variable rate they're offering me but I'm miffed they appear to have messed with the fixed deal I signed up for in June. I'm inclined to stick with my fixed deal which covers beyond the April 2023 cap review but maybe the variable will do better as apparently 85% of households are on that. Anyone have similar situation? Any opinions welcome 🤔

Swalts

*** Update, the "increase" was not as suspected, its the 5% VAT they just didn't say thats what it was in their communications and looking at my plan in the app doesn't show it either. As you were! 🙄