Ovo - unauthorised account

Cheryl2010

I had an account with Ovo for a number of years but on 19th May 2023 I gave final meter readings etc as we were moving out of rented accommodation and in with family.  Ovo confirmed account closure and final bill etc was all settled.

We have now moved into our first purchased property and have been sent a letter from Ovo to my husband at our old address - luckily had set up a Royal Mail redirection so letter went to my mums house.

This letter was informing my husband of his new account etc and have tariff information etc, I called Ovo and it looks like they have tracked my husbands details and used his name to set up an account to cover energy charges from our move out date. The owners of our old property are actually renovating the house before moving in themselves so the property is currently unoccupied. The ovo agent said I needed to get a letter from the landlords confirming our.leaving date etc which we have done and have emailed this through to the ovo complaint line.

Today however,  we have received another letter (again redirected) informing my husband of a bill around £260 for charges - I have emailed ovo against stating we are not liable for these charges due to not being in the property, but are the landlords liable even if the property has been empty.since we left?

Any advice would be gratefully received,  we are both very worried that this account will be added to credit files and any unpaid bills will be against my husbands name!

MikeJXE

If you have agreed the leaving date and the meter readings with your landlord you are only responsible for costs up to that date.

The property being empty or not is the landlord responsible until he has a new client moving in.

Not your problem 

katejo

Cheryl2010 said:

I had an account with Ovo for a number of years but on 19th May 2023 I gave final meter readings etc as we were moving out of rented accommodation and in with family.  Ovo confirmed account closure and final bill etc was all settled.

We have now moved into our first purchased property and have been sent a letter from Ovo to my husband at our old address - luckily had set up a Royal Mail redirection so letter went to my mums house.

This letter was informing my husband of his new account etc and have tariff information etc, I called Ovo and it looks like they have tracked my husbands details and used his name to set up an account to cover energy charges from our move out date. The owners of our old property are actually renovating the house before moving in themselves so the property is currently unoccupied. The ovo agent said I needed to get a letter from the landlords confirming our.leaving date etc which we have done and have emailed this through to the ovo complaint line.

Today however,  we have received another letter (again redirected) informing my husband of a bill around £260 for charges - I have emailed ovo against stating we are not liable for these charges due to not being in the property, but are the landlords liable even if the property has been empty.since we left?

Any advice would be gratefully received,  we are both very worried that this account will be added to credit files and any unpaid bills will be against my husbands name!

Email Ovo again attaching a scanned copy of the letter from your landlord. Does that letter include his address so they can send the bill to him? State in your email that Ovo asked for proof from your landlord so you are supplying it. State also when you paid your final bill. Perhaps say also that you will seek legal advice if they continue to harass you. 

Cheryl2010

So called Ovo again today after getting no response to the email I sent. They said the letter I attached wasn't really proof as it wasn't 'offical'. They did however agree that we shouldn't be liable for the money since we did move out but since the landlord hasn't taken any action to pay, someone had to and they have tracked my husbands name as still loving there via credit reference agencies. 

I asked how can they not get in touch with the landlords since their names and address is on the letter I attached,  but she said they can't use that information. 

The account is now showing on my husbands credit file with a balance owed - we don't have the spare £250ish to pay off someone else's bill!

Gerry1

Don't phone.  Submit a formal written document headed COMPLAINT and make sure you get a reference number.  Also send it to Ovo's CEO whose details can be found at the ceoemail site which is a dot com.

Go to the ombudsman upon receipt of a deadlock letter, or after eight weeks if they don't send one.

Add a note to the files of the three main credit reference agencies.

Jonboy_1984

The Royal Mail redirection confirmation and any correspondence from your Council tax ending at the property will be useful evidence to support your complaint.

Cheryl2010

So after countless phone calls, promises that didn't happen and absolutely shocking customer service - we have finally resolved the complaint.

This is been resolved much quicker than others I have seen online, but was still a lot of stress involved that was completely Ovos fault.

Someone from the complaints team called me today and has wiped the balance on the account they opened incorrectly and have also arranged to sent us a £50 goodwill cheque.

Just glad to have the issue resolved and hopefully won't hear anything else from Ovo

QrizB

Congratulations on your successful resolution, and thank you for coming back to let us know that your problem was sorted out!