OVO (ex Economy Energy customer)

houseowner · 31 March 2019 at 11:13AM

Just received my 1st statement from OVO. Both start readings incorrect, even though I gave them the readings as soon as they took over! Don't know where they got their figures from. Makes a difference of £100 on the bill. Have sent them an email with correct costings, so just have to wait and see what happens. Just a warning to everyone to check bill carefully!

Sterlingtimes · 31 March 2019 at 11:22AM

I have not received a correct statement myself but OVO did provide a thoroughly incorrect "illustrative statement". After some discussion, OVO said that it called for customers to provide readings for 30 January 2019 but then went on to estimate what the reading would have been on 12 January 2019. OVO said that the estimated figures have been agreed with the Economy Energy's receiver.

OVO has ignored smart metre readings.

I have meter readings for 12 January 2019 which would effectively pay Economy Energy less and OVO more, i.e. in my case the method is contrived against the customer.

0765peter · 31 March 2019 at 2:30PM

Where do we stand regarding OVO charging higher costs than EE? I have now switched to Green Network Energy through this site.

I just received the final bill from OVO and I am not happy with the price that they are charging me and I will explain why.

I signed up with Economy Energy until 08/03/2019.
My unit rate was 0.02585 perkWh
My standing charge was 14p per day.

Through no fault of mine the company was taken over by OVO and therefore should be honouring the contract and not charging me more. I never requested that I be taken over by OVO Energy.

Their rates are significantly higher.
Your unit rate is 0.0354 (this is 0.00955 higher)
Your standing charge is 24p a day (this is 10p a day higher)

I used 212 units between 31st Jan - 26th Feb which is 2367kWh.
On my EE rate this works out to £61.18 (2367 kWh x 0.02585)
With a standing charge of £3.78 (14p x 27days)
This is a grand total of:
£64.96

This is £34.89 less than what OVO are trying to charge me. (Their Bill is £99.85)

I am more than happy to pay the tariff I agreed with my previous supplier as per my contract and pay £64.96 (plus any Vat required)....As I mentioned earlier this is a contract that OVO took over through no fault on my part and therefore should be honouring. I never signed anything with their company and because I was unhappy with what happened switched at the correct time so I did not have to pay the £25 (EE) exit fee.

I have emailed OVO and asked it be escalated to a finance manager for a final decision.

If they decide to impose OVO calculations which I assume they will then I will take my complaint to the Energy Ombudsman and will stand my corner as I feel that you are taking advantage of me and no doubt many others. No doubt I have not got a leg to stand on but I will try.

The news reported that OVO has taken over 235000 customers from EE, if each are charged an extra £30+ as I have been then OVO are set to make an extra £7 million pounds.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so was how was it resolved?

Londoner_1 · 31 March 2019 at 2:56PM

Same here, their opening meter readings are wrong.

JJ_Egan · 31 March 2019 at 3:09PM

Taken more like forced to take on .
Personally i would like to see an end to this system .
You should not be taken on under force .
Your company ceased trading you are then a creditor or debtor .(Ovo did not take over your provider )

You should then be free to decide who you go with and your only problem is no supply until your new account is set up .

gt94sss2 · 31 March 2019 at 4:28PM

0765peter wrote: »

Where do we stand regarding OVO charging higher costs than EE? I have now switched to Green Network Energy through this site.

Through no fault of mine the company was taken over by OVO and therefore should be honouring the contract and not charging me more. I never requested that I be taken over by OVO Energy

As I mentioned earlier this is a contract that OVO took over through no fault on my part and therefore should be honouring. I never signed anything with their company and because I was unhappy with what happened switched at the correct time so I did not have to pay the £25 (EE) exit fee.

If they decide to impose OVO calculations which I assume they will then I will take my complaint to the Energy Ombudsman and will stand my corner as I feel that you are taking advantage of me and no doubt many others. No doubt I have not got a leg to stand on but I will try.

As you say, you have no chance of contesting the change in tariff and the Energy Ombudsman will be unable to help you.

You would be right in thinking that Ovo would have continued your existing contract if they had taken EE over - as would happen in any normal takeover - however, this is not what happened.

1. EE went bust and your contract with them effectively ended on the 11 January.
2. The regulator Ofgem appointed Ovo to take over the customers (not their contracts) and agreed to the Ovo tariff (who was the cheapest any supplier was willing to offer via a competitive process)
3. When you switched away to GNE, you were not charged an exit fee as one of the stipulations Ofgem insist on in these cases is that the tariffs customers are switched too (without choice) allow them to move without penalty - it was nothing to do with EE.

Around 10 energy firms have gone bust in the past year and this is the situation/process all their customers have gone through

The best way to be think of it is you have been receiving artificially low energy prices with EE while you were their customer.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/extra-help-energy-services/ofgem-safety-net-if-your-energy-supplier-goes-out-business

Sterlingtimes · 31 March 2019 at 6:29PM

gt94sss2 wrote: »

The best way to be think of it is you have been receiving artificially low energy prices with EE while you were their customer.

The best way of thinking of it is that the customer entered into a contract with Economy Energy. That contract should be honoured by Economy Energy's receiver up to and including 11 January 2019. The meter readings on that date provided that they are known should be used.

If OVO were to contrive consistently to estimate 11/12 January readings lower than the actual readings then it would be increasing its revenue.

OVO has a good reputation and should strive to provide accurate readings.

gt94sss2 · 31 March 2019 at 7:17PM

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

OVO has a good reputation and should strive to provide accurate readings.

I agree with the need for Ovo to use accurate meter readings which is the point the OP raised (we were EE customers as well)

My post was in response to that of 0765peter who was objecting to the tariff change due to the switch to Ovo - rather than being billed at the original EE rates.

gt94sss2 · 31 March 2019 at 7:33PM

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

OVO has ignored smart metre readings.

According to Ovo, they should be using SMART meter readings: https://forum.ovoenergy.com/my-statement-and-charges-80/i-was-an-economy-energy-customer-i-don-t-understand-my-first-bill-from-ovo-6287

Mr.Everready · 1 April 2019 at 9:32AM

I sent OVO an email on 12 March telling them that their reading was wrong. ( I have their confirmation email for when I sent the correct reading ). I am still waiting for a reply !

My OVO account also shows a -£30 balance, that charge for moving away while in contract :huh:

Sterlingtimes · 1 April 2019 at 10:47AM

gt94sss2 wrote: »

I agree with the need for Ovo to use accurate meter readings which is the point the OP raised (we were EE customers as well)

My post was in response to that of 0765peter who was objecting to the tariff change due to the switch to Ovo - rather than being billed at the original EE rates.

I am sorry. I agree with your point.

OVO (ex Economy Energy customer)

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