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Rank 1
May 21, 2022
Solved

Why did OVO financial support team contact me despite my recent payment?

  • May 21, 2022
  • 64 replies
  • 5757 views

I’m interested to hear from SSE former customers and if it resonates Ovo Energy customers.

I transferred from SSE mid January 2022. My billing cycle was quarterly and bills came not long after the billing period. My bill was paid by a direct payment.

At transfer Ovo Energy placed me on a monthly cycle running 13th of the month to the 12th of the following.

Upon transfer my bill fell at transfer and I paid SSE. The money was transferred to Ovo, however my previous billing and usage with SSE was and still is not visible.

For the period 13th March to the 12th April, I viewed my bill electronically I have smart meters and paid on the 13/4/22 shown on my bank statement as the 14/4/22. I paid modestly over the due amount and was in credit at the start of the billing period. A week later I received a bill from a Ovo indicating a debt.

This debt was imaginary as their system appeared not to acknowledge my payment, even though my account did. For that period and into the next. I was harassed by txt and email.

I tried to contact via chat, that system was not available, I tried to call excessive wait times. Eventually frustrated with their harassing communications. I left a trust pilot review and received some rather pointless communications through that platform. That my experience will be taken up with the billing team.

As the next billing period approached the most recent I paid Ovo on the date my bill appeared in my account. There was no notification that my bill had been issued. Instead I receive a rather harassing text message from collections for a debt that had been over due for more than a month. This was and is not the case.

It is likely I will formally complain through Ovo’s complaints process. They have eight weeks to address my complaint. After that it is the Energy Ombudsman…..all in from a consumer perspective it appears fruitless and time consuming. As there is a clear issue with Ovo’s billing process and procedure.

The other option is to transfer to British Gas.

Thanks for reading and commenting if you do.

 

Oh! a screenshot of my account is attached, yes I’m in debit by a few pounds, I’m in a billing period. Sorry wouldn’t allow the screenshot.

 

 

Best answer by Tim_OVO

Updated on 1706/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO:
 

What can our payment support team offer if I can’t pay my energy bill?

 

Our payment support team has supported lots of people in similar situations, and are trained to do so. 

Some of the ways they can help are:

  • They can create a payment plan that’s suitable for your financial situation. A payment plan can spread the cost of what’s outstanding, you can find out more about them here.
  • They can discuss what other payment schemes you may be eligible for. They can make sure you’re getting the support that’s available to you, such as benefit entitlement checks. 
  • Our team is also trained to give advice on energy debt, and discuss what help is available. 
  • They can show you where you can find free, independent advice.

For more financial support, call the team on 0800 069 9831. We’re open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-2pm.

 

What’s a payment plan & how does it work?

 

Using the information you give us, we’ll come up with a manageable payment plan. These payments can be made on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis. 

 

Some of the payment will go towards the outstanding balance and some of the payment will go towards your current usage. 
 

 

Thanks for flagging, @Kenyon graham 

 

 

For the period 13th March to the 12th April, I viewed my bill electronically I have smart meters and paid on the 13/4/22 shown on my bank statement as the 14/4/22. I paid modestly over the due amount and was in credit at the start of the billing period. A week later I received a bill from a Ovo indicating a debt.

This debt was imaginary as their system appeared not to acknowledge my payment, even though my account did. For that period and into the next. I was harassed by txt and email.

 

It’s very odd to see that the payment seems to have affected your balance, as shown in your screenshot, but hasn’t stopped collections activity for account debt. It may be worth contacting our Collections team by web chat, and by phone. Start a webchat conversations or or call with our Collections team here. Also you can see our page on payment support here.

 

64 replies

Newcomer
January 10, 2023

Oh my goodness that’s awful. Hope you get that one sorted soon. 

Newcomer
February 22, 2023

I have received an email this morning saying I missed a payment in October. The amount missed was what they were going to charge me before they changed it back after the freeze in increase. However I didn’t miss a payment in October. 
 

I then received a text saying we have set up a payment plan and you missed your last payment. Again I haven’t missed any payments. I’m on a direct debit. I will call them but wondered if anyone else had this issue? 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
February 22, 2023

Hey @Chloe !

In this case I’d suggest giving 0800 069 9831 a call to check things with the Collections Team. If this is a mistake, they can fix things up.

Alternatively, you can go via Support on 0330 303 5063.

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Newcomer
February 22, 2023

Thank you, I’ve just called and spoke to someone on the support number and he confirmed I haven’t missed a payment. I think it may be a scam as the way my account number is shown doesn’t look like all my other ovo emails. 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
February 22, 2023

Please forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk if you think it’s a phishing scam.

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Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
February 22, 2023

As for the text message? Could you forward it to 7726 for me? It’s free to do and helps to prevent future scams

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Newcomer
July 12, 2023

Does anyone else keep getting emails supposedly from OVO saying that there is outstanding money owed on the bill? I Paid ours last week so I know this to be spam. Is there somewhere to report the spam to?

Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
July 12, 2023

@Johnboy412000

Hi, you asked a similar question before. 

Did you report it then given the email provided and did you check with collections if it was from ovo?

Reporting emails 

report@phishing.gov.uk

Collections 0800 0699 831

If you post how you get on I am sure it will help other customers 

Newcomer
July 12, 2023

I Logged on to my Ovo and the balance is only a couple of quid. That’s what tells me it’s spam. I’ve had these messages before and couldn’t remember the email to report it to. Thanks for providing the link. 

Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
July 12, 2023

I Logged on to my Ovo and the balance is only a couple of quid. That’s what tells me it’s spam. I’ve had these messages before and couldn’t remember the email to report it to. Thanks for providing the link. 

Did OVO reply last time when you reported the spam?