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What is the best day to give readings to avoid estimates being used on bills?

  • 16 February 2018
  • 39 replies
  • 3339 views
T
Rank
OVO sends me a text on the 7th February telling me it's time to submit our meter readings, and that this is best done on the 13th for accuracy and to avoid estimated readings.
So I hang around until the 13th then, on precisely that date I submit our readings.

Just checked our account today and am dumbfounded to see OVO has added one extra day's estimated reading to those I submitted on the 13th, now telling me that the best day to......etc, is the 14th.

What's THAT all about?? It's a blimmin' joke isn't it. Tells me to do one thing, does something else. All I want is an accurate bill NOT an estimated one. Seems OVO are not technically equipped to carry out this simplest of tasks. Maybe just one of the reasons why they are no longer 'top of the class' in Customer's experiences (see "Which" Review). Or maybe simply building the case for earliest 100% installation of the dreaded SMART METER. I'm hanging out until the last second before I press go on that. I've heard some crazy things about them.

ANY COMMENT FROM OVO PLEASE?
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Best answer by Tim_OVO 14 September 2020, 12:16

Updated on 15/09/20: To make sure you’ve actual readings on your monthly statements, the best time to send a reading is on the date we bill you each month.

 

 

Meter readings, usage and estimates

 

For non-smart-meter members on our new online account with daily charges that look like this:  

 

 

When’s the best date to submit a reading for my monthly summary?


To make sure you’ve actual readings on your monthly statements, the best time to send a reading is on the date we bill you each month. You can see your latest bill online around 5 days after your billing date.

You can also check your up-to-date energy-use charges and account balance on the 'Home' screen by scrolling to 'Money in and out of your balance'.

 

Will an account balance update daily?

The standing charges will be deducted each day. Usage charges will only be deducted once a reading has been provided or when we estimate a reading for you billing date.

 

When we receive a reading how long does it take to update the balance?

Whenever a reading is submitted you will be charged up to date, this normally happens instantly.

 

Will we bill to estimates each month if we do not get a reading?

Yes, this is also the same for smart customers if the meter doesn’t communicate remotely. 

 

Can a customer remove any incorrect readings if added in error?

Yes, just resubmit the reading for the same date, more info and a demonstration on how to do this in the video shown here

 

There’s another topic on this here

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39 replies

stateofit
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Userlevel 3

Updated 17/06/2020

If you're no longer seeing a statement, it's because you've been upgraded to our new online account platform. More info here

It sounds to me like your statement cycle is set to the 15th, so if you really don't want to see the word Estimated on your bills, just add the reads on the 14th of the month, and your statement will be up to and including that read...

If you submit reads on the 13th, OVO will estimate forward 1 day. If you add the reads on the 10th then OVO will estimate forward 4 days...

I'm not sure where that advice of giving reads on the 13th came from, but clearly the 14th is your best "readings day".

Of course, it almost doesn't matter. The next time you Do submit reads it all catches up with itself. But if you want to see Exactly what you've used, with no estimation, submit reads the day before your bill comes out

Or Yes, get smart meters. Had mine fitted a year ago, and they're Ace. No need to do readings, bills always exact, My OVO usage graph shows Where my money's going. Nothing Dreaded about it...

You can't have everything. Where would you put it...?
T
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Thank you for your kind and informative response "stateofit". I'll be taking your advice next month. Appreciated. BTW: regarding the 13th being my best time to provide readings, this came by OVO text. Cheers.
Bumblebee
Rank
Userlevel 5
https://smart.ovoenergy.com/credit

Hi Tomwaitsfan1

Thought the above link might come in handy should you wish to have an easier life and book a smart meter :)

Agree totally with stateofit, they are ace, I've had fun with the neighbours one, can't wait to get mine :)

Wishing both of you above a great weekend :)

Tris 🙂
100% renewable energy and 5 trees planted a year! £5 extra a month :-)
Lucy_OVO
Userlevel 5
Hey @Tomwaitsfan1,

Ideally we’ll need the readings the day the invoice is created so this sounds like it would fall on the 14th and your statement would be created on the 15th.

If we don't have any readings on the say the statement is created, we’ll need to use estimates. However, if readings have been provided a day or so before (or at any point in the bill period) then it's likely the estimates will be pretty accurate.

I’ve advise double checking what date is on your statements to show when they were created and then providing your readings the day before.

Lucy
You guys know what’s watt
T
Rank
Thanks for taking the trouble to respond Lucy. Just to clarify my issue : Why did OVO send me a text telling me my best date for submitting readings was the 13th Feb, when really it should have been the 14th. I now see my statement date was 15th? It's the misleading text that's my issue.
Dennis
A
It sounds like a systems error to me @Tomwaitsfan1

I'll make sure this is passed on to the team - I'm sorry for any confusion caused!

Have you considered getting smart meters fitted? That way, your meters would send the readings remotely, meaning you'd never be billed to estimates.

Check out our topic on smart meters for more info: https://forum.ovoenergy.com/smart-meters-smart-products-33/why-you-should-get-a-smart-meter-asap-542

Thanks,
Emily
T
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Thanks Emily. That's good of you. I'll see how things go next time around and comment accordingly.
Cheers.
Dennis
J
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e mail received from OVO on 26 Jan states:-

"Hello John,

We need your meter readings by 02/02/18 . That way we can make your next statement as accurate as possible. If we don't get them, we'll use estimated readings".

Each month I get an e mail like the one pasted above from OVO reminding me to provide meter readings with a link inviting me to "send them now" or by a stipulated date. Each month I provide the readings before the final date. I just viewed my latest statement and once again it shows the customer readings I gave on 1 March but disregards them and instead uses an estimated reading on 2nd March. If you want customer readings on the 2nd of the month why ask for them to be submitted at any time prior to that?
Tim_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

Hi @John A

To use your example, that reading on the 1st March won't be disregarded. We will count up from that reading for 1 day to create an estimate on the 2nd. Having said that, usually getting the reading in the day before is the perfect date, and would avoid any estimate being used. For us to check why an estimate is being created even with a reading the day before, send over a message via Facebook, Twitter  or our Help centre has online chat!


Tim

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there!
M
Rank
Userlevel 2
Customers are encouraged to submit a monthly reading just before the statement date. Despite submitting a reading and it appearing on my monthly statement alongside the estimated reading, the estimated reading is used for the calcualtion.

Why, and what's the point of submitting a meter reading, that is clearly in good time as it appears on the statement, if the estimated reading is going to be used? The estimated reading is higher so I am paying unecessarily.

When I signed up for OVO the estimated monthly direct debit was substantially higher than I was paying before and now I find I am over £400 in credit.

How do I get a refund of the credit and adjust my monthly payment?

Thank you.
M
Rank
Userlevel 2
Customers are encouraged to submit a monthly reading just before the statement date. Despite submitting a reading and it appearing on my monthly statement alongside the estimated reading, the estimated reading is used for the calcualtion.

Why, and what's the point of submitting a meter reading, that is clearly in good time as it appears on the statement, if the estimated reading is going to be used? The estimated reading is higher so I am paying unecessarily.

When I signed up for OVO the estimated monthly direct debit was substantially higher than I was paying before and now I find I am over £400 in credit.

How do I get a refund of the credit and adjust my monthly payment?

Thank you.

I've found what to do regarding refund of credit, but I am still confused as to meter readings.

I submitted meter readings in time and they appear on my statement, yet estimated readings were used for the statement calculation.

Why?
A
Hey @Markee - please check out the 'best answer' at the top of this page for more information. ^Emily
G
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Still a bit disjointed.

OVO email to me said very clearly "It's best if you give meter readings on 13/07/2018 (or just before)"

So - sent the meter reading "just before" on the 12/07 ... [Had an acknowledgement back from OVO]

Guess what ? OVO estimated the reading.

What does OVO think "just before" actually means ?

So much for "Tim's" clear comment above :-
"Having said that, usually getting the reading in the day before is the perfect date, and would avoid any estimate being used."

"Usually/would avoid" ???

Does the OVO left hand actually know what the right hand is doing ?
Tim_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7
@greendoubter it sounds like your billing date is the 14th of the month, so as the email advised, get that reading submitted on the 13th to avoid that 1 day's estimate.
Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there!
G
Rank
BUT as I said in my first post - the email from OVO said clearly "It's best if you give meter readings on 13/07/2018 (or just before)"

It DID NOT READ 'as the email advised, get that reading submitted on the 13th ...'

It also had "(or just before)"

Sorry Tim - you are wrong. What do you think " ... give meter readings on 13/07/2018 (or just before) ... " actually means ?

"Just before" (in my book) covers the 12th.

I did exactly what OVO requested in their email. :?
M
Rank
Userlevel 2
I’ve been told my statement date is 15th of the month (yep, statement arrived today).

I’ve also been told it’s best to submit meter readings the day before the statement date (yep, readings submitted yesterday).

Yet, my statement stated estimated readings!

What is the point of submitting monthly readings if you are only going to use estimated readings?

Had this issue for a while (and I don’t think I’m alone), need this sorted guys, otherwise I’ll be looking to change supplier (which I don’t expect to incur any penalties for).

Very frustrating!

Thank you.
Nancy_OVO
Userlevel 6
Hmmm, that doesn't sound right @Markee. Sounds like the reading could be listed incorrectly on your bill, or there's been a mix up with the dates. Either way, I'm confused too!

Drop the team on Facebook or Twitter a message with your account number, full name and DoB so we can check everything over.
Your guiding light(bulb)
G
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Markee.

OVO still have not got their act together on this one.
I've had yet another confusing email.
Tim_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7
@greendoubter @Markee the thought process (as I understand it) goes something like this:

It's better to have a flexible deadline cut off point to ask a customer to submit their readings, then a target date. If the customer can't do it on the target date, they might not think to submit it at all. Whereas if they submit their reading a few days earlier then needed, the estimate will be practically the same. In fact there's a high chance that it will be identical to the actual reading at the time of the bill, or a difference of under £1 or so.

That all said I've made a suggestion to the powers that be to make this clearer in the email! 😳
Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there!
K
Rank
After years of OVO exhorting customers to submit readings on the due date to avoid the gouging algorithm that "estimates" usage it has suddenly changed tack.

Now the stricture is that the reading is best submitted the day before!

In the ever changing OVO land of the reformat, (it's difficult to hit a moving target?) there is no explanation why this should be required other than to bring into play the bizzare stream of intra-industry history, estimates and general obfuscating flummery that pretends to be a an accurate estimate.
I can see the inevitable response. Install a Smart Meter?
Why? The industry has failed to produce a fully portable and reliable alternative to the useless kit that's presently offered?
R
Rank
I give both my Electric and Gas readings each month promptly on the day they are required.
My Electric readings have never been used all of my invoices are estimated and some of my Gas have been used but not all of them.
I read and send them both via the app on the same day of the month at the same time so why are the electric completely ignored and some of the gas used but not consistantly?
Is this just a ploy to try and make me switch to so called but not actually smart meters?
C
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Reboot247hi. I can't actually answer yr question, sorry. I just wanted 2.say,... NOTHING MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL MORE THAN ESTIMATED BILLS WHEN U HAVE SUBMITTED A METER READING. I'm in the unenviable position of transitioning from Economy Energy to Ovo. Not my choice but thought I'd give them a chance. I can see an absolute nightmare ahead. If it gets unbearable, I'm heading for the hills with a tent. Dont care that the nearest big ones are the Cairngorms!!!😯
D
Rank
Userlevel 1
I am not on smart meters and therefore give monthly meter readings. I am interested to know what happens if I a unable to provide readings on the due date due to being away from home.
Tim_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7
@reboot247 @Cazzy kay @DK1083 see above for when to avoid estimated readings being used.

It's no big deal if you don't submit readings on any given month, just make sure to submit them the next month and your charges will be accurate!

Have you considered getting one of our smart meters? More info (and a link to the booking platform) here!
Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there!
P
Rank
Hello everyone this is my first post so hope it gets some replies.
Why do I have to send my meter readings on the exact date they're due, otherwise an estimated reading is used? Surely a day or two beforehand shouldn't matter.
Also, all other suppliers I've been with only needed readings every 3 months so why do Ovo need them monthly? It's a nuisance!
Finally, I recently dropped my DD payment to the recommended amount and now Ovo want me to increase it again, why?

Many thanks
Phil

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