Anyone else being forced to change their direct debit due to 'impending debt'?
Apparently OVO don't think my current direct debit level will cover the final amount owing for the year, so they've already sent me two letters from their Collections Department, talking about 'how much debt' they think I will have if I don't rectify my payment. Bear in mind I haven't missed a payment and have been pretty good at giving monthly readings, so I'm not in 'debt', as they so succinctly put it, they just think I will be, despite the 'shortfall' being quite manageable.
OK, so I acquiesce to this veiled threat from Collections and attempt to increase my direct debit payment. But it turns out I can't choose what that level is, they decide based on what they think I'm going to owe.
This would be great, however their projections for what they think my overall useage will be have been found to be wildly inaccurate.
OVO, I'm a grown-ass man, I think I should be allowed to decide whether I think I need to change my direct debit payment and to which level - or, conversely, receive a bill at the end of the year to cover any shortfall - it should be my choice.
Undoubtedly you will come back and regale us with the usual corporate flannel - 'well we do this to protect the customer form big bills', 'we've only got your best interests at heart', 'some people don't like being surprised by a big bill at the end of the year'.
I've got to say, I switched from British Gas for a similar reason (and received a massive payment at the end for their continued incompetence regarding estimated bills), but my experience thus far has not been much better, which is a damning endictment given the corporate ineptitude that British Gas display daily.
As an aside, the app is still rubbish. You've been trying to fix the thing for months now, to no avail. Maybe funnel some resources in to interface management as opposed to haranguing customers for mythical debt.
Why am I being forced to change my Direct Debit?
Best answer by Lucy_OVO
Updated on 10/06/25 by Abby_OVO
How do Direct Debits work?
A Direct Debit is an automatic monthly payment set up with your bank or building society. You can choose which day you want the payment to go out each month, and your bank will sort the rest.
Once your Direct Debit is set up, you don’t need to do anything else to make your payments.
Why paying by Direct Debit is the best way to pay
Direct Debit is usually the simplest and cheapest way to pay for your energy. This is because:
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You don’t have to remember to make payments each month – it’s all done automatically
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You’ll get a cheaper rate if you’re on our variable Simpler Energy tariff
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You’ll pay the same every month for your energy, which can help with budgeting
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A Direct Debit spreads your energy costs evenly over the year, which means you’re less likely to have to pay more in winter
How does OVO work out my monthly Direct Debit?
The aim is to make sure you have credit for 1 month’s payment in your OVO account by the end of March. This is to help cover any change in your home energy use over the course of the year.
For new customers, this only comes into effect once you’ve reached March. When you first join, the aim is to make sure you have no balance left to pay after 1 year.
How do we check you’re paying the right amount?
Your Direct Debit payment amount will be regularly reviewed to make sure it still covers your home’s energy use.
We’ll let you know if your Direct Debit amount needs to change to keep your energy account balance up to date.
Why is my Direct Debit increasing when my balance is in credit?
It’s normal for a credit balance to build up in your energy account over summer, when energy use is usually lower. This credit can help pay for your energy in winter, when most homes use more. It helps you spread your energy costs over time.
Even if your energy account is in credit, sometimes your Direct Debit payments still need to increase.
This could be the case if we’ve worked out that your OVO account is likely to have a debt balance long term – based on how much energy your home is predicted to use.
You can always choose to get a credit refund if you prefer. Request one at any time in your online account, in our app, or over the phone. You just need to leave credit in there for 1 month’s payment. This is in line with our refund policy.
It’s important you have all the info, then you can decide what’s best for you.
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If you request a refund online, sometimes we’ll need to confirm this over the phone. This is to make sure you have the details of how it’ll affect your energy account.
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Getting a refund might mean your Direct Debit payments will need to increase, once your account has less credit in it.
Check out our Direct Debit “check in” process here.
We’ve got lots of handy topics all about Direct Debits so check those out too:
Is there any support available if I’m struggling to pay for my energy?
If you’re worried about your payments changing or you can’t afford them, please speak to our team. We can make sure you get financial support that’s tailored to you and your situation. There are many options available for anyone who needs help. To get in touch with our team:
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Sign up to our online tool at ovoenergy.com/payment-support and we can find the best plan for you.
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Call us on 0800 408 6615. We’re here Monday to Friday, 9am and 5pm, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.
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Talk to us online at ovoenergy.com/help Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.
+9- Super User
You should be able to freeze you dd if you contact the collections team 0800 408 6699.
That might give your usage chance to show how much you’re really using
+5Hi, i don't work for OVO, i am just a customer like you.
I assume you have working smart meters with 30min readings if you have solar panels, but i may be jumping to assumptions. This should help with the OVO calculations for direct debits.
On this page on the website not the app you will see Future Annual Consumption.
https://account.ovoenergy.com/plan
This is what OVO use to calculate your DD. Have a look to see if it looks reasonable.
Hi thanks Jeffus but the link just showed my tariff.
I kind of know my consumption anyway, as its pretty similar every year. In fact less this year as like most people I haven't put the heating on so much.
I know I'm on to a losing battle anyway as there is no oneat OVO who you can talk to it's all computer says no.
Such a shame because SSE were so easy to deal with.
+9- Super User
Hi thanks Jeffus but the link just showed my tariff.
I kind of know my consumption anyway, as its pretty similar every year. In fact less this year as like most people I haven't put the heating on so much.
I know I'm on to a losing battle anyway as there is no oneat OVO who you can talk to it's all computer says no.
Such a shame because SSE were so easy to deal with.
When I first joined
+5Hi thanks Jeffus but the link just showed my tariff.
I kind of know my consumption anyway, as its pretty similar every year. In fact less this year as like most people I haven't put the heating on so much.
I know I'm on to a losing battle anyway as there is no oneat OVO who you can talk to it's all computer says no.
Such a shame because SSE were so easy to deal with.
Did you look on the website?
It isn't on the app unfortunately which catches a lot of people out.
This number is automatically updated as OVO see how much energy you use in a year. It won't be exactly the same as your energy use over the last year. It is calculated over a longer period.
Be worth seeing how this compares to what you actually use given you have solar.
This is what is used to calculate DDs
I often wonder how well the DD calculator copes with solar pv
https://account.ovoenergy.com/payments/direct-debit/calculator
Does it make a reasonable guess at the split between summer and winter on this page for you?
Hi, I have just got the normal we are increasing your DD email, I online chatted with them and they agreed for it to be reduced (I received an email to confirm) but now have received another email to say as you haven’t been in contact since our last we are now putting it up!
This happened the last time it went up too, so very frustrating! I left it that time but need to get it sorted this time
Anyone actually successfully got it reduced?! Is it worth waiting on the phone in the morning?
Thanks
+8- Super User
Hi,
You can ask the Collections Team to do this via 0800 069 9831.
However, please ONLY do this if you absolutely need to. Locking your DD for three months can cause negative effects later, so I only recommend doing this if you desperately need it to not increase.
+4Hey
Welcome to the OVO Online Community,
It sounds like your direct debit was reduced but your account wasn’t put on a three month direct debit review suspension. You can get this added to your account by calling Collections as advised by community member
You can ask the Collections Team to do this via 0800 069 9831.
However, please ONLY do this if you absolutely need to. Locking your DD for three months can cause negative effects later, so I only recommend doing this if you desperately need it to not increase.
It is worth bearing in mind, the Energy Price Guarantee will be increasing in April, and Energy Bills Support Scheme payments will end this month. For more information about how OVO calculates customer’s direct debits check out this great topics:
Hope this helps.
Support available for customers who may be struggling with their bills:
Customer support package and where to apply.
Thanks, I managed to got through early this morning and they confirmed that although I had contacted them to reduce it back it wasn’t set so she did it again.
Jo
Hi all.
On the 9th or 10th of this month,I was given the choice via the Ovo site(my account) to reduce my monthly payments to £105 for three months,which I did.The payments were £119 per month.
I got the confirmation email on the 11th stating that as of today my payment had been reduced,yet on checking my banking app,and also the Ovo site,I’ve been charged the full £119!
Can anybody please explain why this would happen?Being a pensioner this is not what I need.I’ve been with Ovo for almost two years and am on the Simple energy tariff paying by DD for gas and electric.
How do I sort this overpayment out please?The reduction from £119 to £105(£14)would help with my finances.
Thanks
+9- Super User
The direct debit amount does stabilise a few days before the transfer so it’s possible that the level was set before you changed it
The direct debit amount does stabilise a few days before the transfer so it’s possible that the level was set before you changed it
Ok but why would Ovo send me confirmation of the new amount and the date it started,which was today? And,when is it likely to resolve itself,if at all?
+9- Super User
The direct debit amount does stabilise a few days before the transfer so it’s possible that the level was set before you changed it
Ok but why would Ovo send me confirmation of the new amount and the date it started,which was today? And,when is it likely to resolve itself,if at all?
Can’t answer directly as I’m just another customer but I would guess that the next dd should be at the new amount
Absolutely digusting customer servive from OVO.
Rung them relating to an increased DD, told to hold the line whilst investigated….22 mins later the line went dead.
Rung back, couldn’get through.
Rung back again and customer services rep told me I didn’t understand what she was saying (insinuating I was thick) and to go to the app and type my grievance, said I wanted to talk to someone….not interested...dead phone line again.
Won’t be staying with this company much longer
+5Absolutely digusting customer servive from OVO.
Rung them relating to an increased DD, told to hold the line whilst investigated….22 mins later the line went dead.
Rung back, couldn’get through.
Rung back again and customer services rep told me I didn’t understand what she was saying (insinuating I was thick) and to go to the app and type my grievance, said I wanted to talk to someone….not interested...dead phone line again.
Won’t be staying with this company much longer
Hi
0800 0699 831
They tend to have more flexibility than the normal Support number.
There are some very experienced OVO customers on the forum so one of us may be able to help partly answer any questions. Up to you obviously.
Hi
0800 0699 831
They tend to have more flexibility than the normal Support number.
There are some very experienced OVO customers on the forum so one of us may be able to help partly answer any questions. Up to you obviously.
Will give it a go, Thanks
Hi, got in touch with Collection Dept, very helpful lady.
Still paying more, but she knocked almost 50% off the DD increase.
Thanks for your help.
+5Hi, got in touch with Collection Dept, very helpful lady.
Still paying more, but she knocked almost 50% off the DD increase.
Thanks for your help.
Always happy to help.
Keep an eye on the DD, it is usually frozen for 3 months, but on the very odd occasion reverts back more quickly.
After 3 months you can request another freeze but do keep an eye on your overall credit/debit.
Hi, I just received an email saying my Direct Debit is increasing from £60 to £146, but I’ve only been with OVO since August. I’m the only person living in a small studio flat and use average energy. Why should I get charged that much?
These are my three bills from August 4th - 3rd November. What have your bills been for that same time? This may give a clue as to why your Direct Debit has been increased (or it may not!).
Hi
Ovo keeps putting up my direct debit even though i am on a fixed tariff and my average bill does not change. I do use charge anytime to charge my EV. I get a credit back at the end of every month so maybe they are looking at daily uses. With the new direct debit i will be paying more than £60 a month more than my usage. Has any one else have this issue.
+4- Super User
Yes, your DD will be being set to cover your total energy use.
The fact that part of that use is for EV charging and you get a credit back is unknown to the DD calculator - it just goes by your total comsumption and your full tariff rate.
So everybody who uses Charge Anytime then gets a ‘Recommended’ DD amount that is too high.
There are many posts/complaints here about the DD calculator being too ‘simple’ to cope with things like CA, or empty properties, or anything else other than full use at full rate.
There appears to be no willingness at OVO to improve it.
There are some things you can do to reduce what you are paying.
Firstly you should be able to quickly drop it yourself by 10% in your online account.
Go to ‘Adjust Your direct debit’, click ‘Continue’ and scroll down until you see this:
If you want more than a 10% reduction then contact support and argue your case.
Hi
Thought that would be the reason. Have sent an email to OVO lets see what happens. I suppose it is a good way to save money :) I can just keep asking for a refund of my credit.
Thanks for confirming the issue.
+7- Super User
That doesn’t sound right, and it’s a good idea to question it. At the outset, I’d remark that while OVO’s DD calculator works quite well for most customers, there are several classes of users for whom it’s not so clever. It sounds as if you are in one of these - customers who have been with OVO for less than a year, or whose meter was installed less than a year ago.
If there is no usage history for the DD calculator to work with, the account will start from an estimate of annual usage. New customers can allegedly supply their own, based on e.g. what happened elsewhere, but those with new meters start from scratch. This means whatever consumption the national database thinks this meter will register in a year. This often fanciful figure will gradually approach reality as meter readings are submitted, but it can take months.
The online Direct Debit Calculator will show the effect of changing the DD amount, so play around with it. Clicking Continue will open a new page; be very careful not to click on the Change amount button. You can Check your monthly minimum payment calculation - if you’d like to know where the numbers there came from, we’d need some information* from you. In the meantime, this article may help: Getting to grips with the Direct Debit Calculator on your online account | The OVO Forum
* If you’d like us to check, we’d need these details to be able to see why OVO are demanding such a large increase in your Direct Debit. Sign in to your OVO account in a browser and find them.
- Navigate to the Plan page and note these numbers for each fuel (electricity and gas, if you have it):
■ Future annual consumption;
■ Standing charge;
■ Unit rate(s) - (All, with their names, if there’s more than one). - On the Home page, the current balance;
- On the Payments page, the date the DD is taken each month.
- On the Meter readings page, the latest readings, and under Reading history, readings on the day you moved in.
None if this information is at all sensitive.
+4Hey
Welcome to the community, i’ve added an EV badge to your profile 🚗
I actually disagree with Nukecad's advice and recommend that you don’t use the 10% reduction tool mentioned above, as it can lead to complications in the future. This tool is intended for people who are struggling to pay their bills and offers a temporary reduction in payments as a short-term solution. In your situation this could lead to your Direct Debit increasing at the end of the 3 months to a much higher value than it might be right now.
While it is true that your Direct Debit is affected by your Charge Anytime usage, this is because Charge Anytime was designed as an add-on. You are charged for all your usage first, and then the add-on refunds you for any Charge Anytime promotions you qualify for. If your Charge Anytime usage is causing your Direct Debit amount to increase significantly, I suggest contacting our Support Team. Explain your situation and let them know that you feel your Direct Debit is too high relative to your overall usage. They will be able to review your account and consider a reduction for you. Additionally, if you start accumulating a higher credit balance on your account, we can also look into refunding that. You can find all the options to contact our Support Team in the article below.
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OVO Energy Ltd, registered office 1 Rivergate Temple Quay Bristol, BS1 6ED, company no. 06890795 registered in England and Wales.
OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at 1 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6ED.
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