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MHarley
Rank 2
March 27, 2024
Solved

I've been charged £13,000 for 29 days electricity and gas! Is this due to an out of line reading?

  • March 27, 2024
  • 43 replies
  • 1361 views

My 3 bedroom house was empty for 29 days in October 2023 as there was a change of tenant.  The house is 3 bedroom semi detached.  My estate agent supplied details to OVO for meter readings.  

Electricity use for the period was approximately £50

Gas use for the period was approx £12,800 - that is a bill of around £480/day

OVO were alerted to this by my estate agent in December.

Since then i have spoken on phone and on chat with customer care, sent emails in, sent complaint emails in and had no response.

I have had one debt agency contact me and when i spoke to them about the debt they said “we are sending this back to OVO, its clearly a massive mistake, that bill is ridiculous.’ 

My estate agent said after speaking with OVO that they would stop with the debt collection and investigate.  Then yesterday, 26th March, i was contacted by ANOTHER debt agency chasing me for a £13,000 unpaid bill - for 29 days of gas and electricity.

Why am i getting absolutely nowhere speaking with OVO on the phone and via email?  I am being harassed by debt collectors for a bill that is clearly a screw up - and no-one at OVO seems to want to do anything about it.

I am now looking at Ombudsmen complaint and arranging legal representation because no-one will tell me who i should speak to.  Clearly the £13,000 bill needs erasing and an estimated bill put its in place for the period (29 days).

Can anyone help point me in the right direction?

 

 

 

Best answer by Abby_OVO

Updated on 23/06 by Ben_OVO:

If you have a sudden large bill, this is likely due to an out of line meter reading, the first thing to do would be to check the meter reading history via your online account or app. If you’re still living in the property please contact the support team with an up to date meter reading. It’s always a good idea to send in a clear picture of the front of the meter, displaying the reading and meter serial number.

Out of line meter readings could be submitted incorrectly by an out-going, in-going tenant or owner or letting agency. But can usually be corrected quite easily by the billing team. 

These similar topics may be helpful: 


 

 

Hey @MHarley 

 

Sorry to hear about the trouble you’ve been having.

 

Looks like Blastoise186 has left some helpful advice in contacting the Support Team, the team are available to you today if you’ve got time, but you can always take care of things tomorrow.

 

You can contact the team now via social media, send us a message on Facebook or X from 7.30am - 8pm monday to thursday, 7.30am - 6pm fridays and 8am - 5pm saturday and sunday.

 

 

Let us know how you’re getting on with this, the Support Team will be able to help get this sorted with you.

43 replies

Show previous replies
Newcomer
Skeck
Newcomer
January 9, 2025

What's your normal billing usually  ?

Have said all along  when working for SSE and then SSE/OVO that if a bill is produced  way out the normal it should be stopped and looked into before getting sent to the customer 

Dealt with loads of inaccurate billing and have been out to customers that are in distress or terrified by them 

    Pandora6
    Rank 1
    Pandora6
    Rank 1
    January 9, 2025

    ​@Skeck   exactly the stress must be terrible especially if this is an older person or even a pensioner who has already had their winter fuel payment stopped by the government😕 

    Every step you take I’ll be watching you 👀
      Newcomer
      Account1
      Newcomer
      January 9, 2025

      Thankyou for the replies yes I nearly had a heart attack but got another billion for £8.99 (we are no longer with ovo since March 2024) so I choose to believe that one! 

      No idea why this figure was sent to us. 

        Newcomer
        Skeck
        Newcomer
        January 9, 2025

        ​@Skeck   exactly the stress must be terrible especially if this is an older person or even a pensioner who has already had their winter fuel payment stopped by the government😕 

         

        I've actually been to customers in the middle of winter where they have panicked and switched everything off fue to high inaccurate bills…

        Sitting with layers on and their outdoor coats trying to keep warm…

        Saw the coldness in your breath inside the house 

        Immediately turned everything on for them 

        Looked at the Meter and the reading on the bill and it was mokes out 

        On the phone and hot it sorted 

        Horrible feeling seeing them like that 

          Emmanuelle_OVO
          Retired Moderator
          Emmanuelle_OVO
          Retired Moderator
          January 9, 2025

          Hey ​@Account1 

          I’m sorry for the issues you’re having. That’s a stressful communication to recieve.

           

          My advice would be to reach out to the support team. It may be a typo or it could be due to an out of line meter reading. The topics below might be helpful to you:
           


          Please keep us posted with how you get on.

          Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
            Newcomer
            Account1
            Newcomer
            January 9, 2025

            Thankyou for your replies: I have received a second email pertaining to a period we were with ovo in spring 2024 with the following: a bill for £8.99

            No idea why they're sending me this stuff now, clearly some kind of glitch, but I'll take it over the previous one!

            Pandora6
            Rank 1
            Pandora6
            Rank 1
            January 9, 2025

            Pathetic!  I am so glad I am leaving OVO!

            Every step you take I’ll be watching you 👀
              Blastoise186
              Super User
              Blastoise186Super User
              Super User
              January 9, 2025

              ​@Account1 Personal Information was detected in your comments. A takedown has been requested. 

              Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
              Newcomer
              Account1
              Newcomer
              January 9, 2025

              Ah OK yes take it down. I'm not sure how to do so my end the edit button is no longer available. 

                Blastoise186
                Super User
                Blastoise186Super User
                Super User
                January 9, 2025

                Thread cleaned. Please allow some time for the CDN to totally purge those images - they’re usually completely obliterated within 24 hours max.

                Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
                  Show more replies
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                  OVO Energy Ltd, Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ, (Company no. 06890795) registered in England and Wales.

                  OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ.

                  OVO (S) Gas Limited is part of OVO Group Ltd