OVO doubling my direct debit payment when I'm 4 months in credit

ElizaDay58

Hello 
I am with OVO energy on a dual fuel direct debit. I currently pay £141 & OVO want to change it to £299. At the moment I am £690 in credit.
This seems a totally inappropriate amount to increase it by. I have tried to change it on online but can only reduce it by 10% to £270.
May I please ask for some advice as to my way forward.
Thank you

Mark_d

Over the winter months your consumption is due to increase.  OVO will have a view as to how much this will cost you.  £299 a month sounds a lot but I don't know how big and what type of property you have.

I currently pay over £150 per month for a 2-bed flat with two people.  Maybe that'll help you understand whether or not £299 is unreasonable.

Ultimately if you're unhappy with your Supplier then you are free to switch.

MattMattMattUK

ElizaDay58 said:

Hello 
I am with OVO energy on a dual fuel direct debit. I currently pay £141 & OVO want to change it to £299. At the moment I am £690 in credit.
This seems a totally inappropriate amount to increase it by. I have tried to change it on online but can only reduce it by 10% to £270.
May I please ask for some advice as to my way forward.
Thank you

Do you know what your annual consumption is in kWh for both gas and electricity? It should be on your bill. 

TheMilkmansDad

When was your last bill and was it based on estimates or actual reads?

DiamondLil

I switched from OVO three years ago because of them continually increasing my monthly direct debits despite my account always being several hundred pounds in credit. Weekly demands nearly drove me mad. 

pseudodox

Vote with your feet.  I ditched OVO 3 years ago when they tried to set a DD that represented over double my annual energy consumption of a 17 year record with SSE who were moving me to OVO.  Like you I tried to lower the amount online but it only allowed 10% fall.  Next day they put it back up.  I walked.

victor2

If you have a smart meter, OVO can set up a monthly variable direct debit, where you only pay for what you use. Ask them to do that and it will use up your credit with some "free" months.

pseudodox

OVO don't offer variable DD - not unless they have recently changed policy.  Another reason I ditched them.

born_again

Do you not have a option to reduce the amount & set your own?

I'm with octopus with £500 credit. When looking at DD payments they suggest £199. I'm paying £100. Which is covering my monthly bills at the moment. When bills are more I will up the DD amount.

giraffe69

"Do you not have a option to reduce the amount & set your own?"

Perhaps you missed the bit where we were told there was only the option to reduce the DD by 10% and no more.

victor2

pseudodox said:

OVO don't offer variable DD - not unless they have recently changed policy.  Another reason I ditched them.

Apologies. I foolishly believed Google's AI overview that said OVO did. It does appear they do not. Many suppliers do though, so maybe it's time for the OP to switch? That'll get the credit back!