Meter showing 'vend mode' off supply on bank holiday!

It’s actually pretty common for suppliers to be closed on bank holidays. They’re all back open in the morning. However, OVO’s Social Media is being monitored and they might be able to get this fixed.

I get that.  But they do advertise that Skeleton staff will answer emergancy queries and can arange an engineer on their socials over the weekend.   I have messaged both twitter and Facebook on Saturday and no response at all.   3 days without any gas supply is not very professional and certainly not good customer service. 

You need to mention it’s an emergency.

I have , but I will send out another to each. So fingers crossed 🤞 

“ It’s actually pretty common for suppliers to be closed on bank holidays. “ What!!!!!!!!!!!!

I said it before and I will say it again, how on Earth did OVO pull the wool over Ofgem’s eyes and get a licence to operate. Just too bad if there is gas leak then. Now you will say that in an emergency people should contact the network company, who ever they are. Isn’t it reasonable for a consumer to expect some sort of service from ther supplier. Contacting OVO does seem to be a big problem even 9 to 5 on a week day. The worst company I have dealt with and considering how bad NPower and British Gas are that is saying something.

That’s just how it works. Npower is definitely closed on Bank Holidays mind you… Especially given the fact it no longer exists… So definitely very much closed on Bank Holidays…

If there’s a gas leak, the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 will always respond 24/7/365. It doesn’t matter where you are or who your supplier is - this line will redirect you appropriately to someone who can advise.

And to be honest… 98% of the country shuts down on Bank Holidays anyway...

Your right , most off the country is closed but still not had any response from their emergancy team.   I'm currently sitting in my dining room working as skeleton staff for my company answering emergancy call outs.....with my heated blanket 😆.   Just glad it's not mid winter or electric that's out.  

i have a pay as you go meter. my area had a power cut about 3 weeks ago. after the power cut the display on the meter does not worki i phoned ovo when it happened and they said someone would come out today 13/3/2026. they never come out. i got on to chat and they said the woman did not book an appointment. the woman on chat is trying to make me have a smart meter, i dont want one. can they not reset my pay as you go meter it was installed 4 years ago how long do you be on vend mode before they turn the power off.

Hi ​@plen ,

I’m afraid the only resolution path for Free Vend Mode these days is a SMEX (Smart Meter Exchange) as the option to reset the existing meter is no longer available - and hasn’t been for a few years now across all suppliers. The cost of repeatedly sending out engineers to reset Traditional Prepayment Meters outweighs the benefit of keeping customers on a dying platform.

You can be on Free Vend Mode for an unlimited period and use unlimited energy without being cut off, hence the Free Vend Mode term. However, OVO will eventually start nudging you to investigate why you’re not topping up and you will rack up meter debt in the meantime which must be paid back later.

Why do you not want a Smart Meter despite this being the only solution?

blastoise186 i have read about people having trouble with them.

But even more people have problems with Traditional Meters like yours these days. Just because you read something in the media doesn’t mean it’s gospel - you should judge for yourself instead.

One of the most common faults with traditional meters like yours is the fault that you are experiencing now - the blank screen and the meter defaulting to Free Vend Mode. This seems to happen most often after a power cut. The meter will still be recording your usage and you will have to pay for this and every daily standing charge. The longer you let your meter supply you in Free Vend Mode, the bigger your, eventual, debt will be. 

You are right that SOME people have problems with Smart Meters. The vast majority of people with Smart Meters have no problems. However, very few people broadcast this to newspapers, TV and online, so we, generally, only ever see people with problems through the media. 

Often the problem is not with the meter itself, but with the In Home Display which sloppy reporting in both newspapers and on television have led people to believe is their actual Smart Meter.

The most common problem with Smart Meters is that, in some areas, and in some circumstances, the meter cannot send readings which are then passed on to your energy company. This just means that the Smart Meter is behaving like a non-Smart meter and can be treated in the same way as a traditional meter. 

However, one of the greatest advantages of Smart Meters for PAYG customers is the ability to top-up your meter directly from home. No matter what the weather is doing or the time of day, you would be able to make sure that your energy supply is not going to be interrupted. (You will also receive a card that acts much like the key in a traditional PAYG meter if you prefer to top up your meter that way). 

The other BIG factor to consider is that the legacy infrastructure to support Traditional Prepayment Meters is an absolute dinosaur at this point - it’s over 30 years old and basically being held together with strings and duck tape. My understanding is that the industry wants to completely kill it off so your current meter is basically living on borrowed time anyway.

It’s better to get this sorted out before you have even more trouble further down the line.

Hey ​@plen,

Welcome to the community. 

I just wanted to share my experience of switching from traditional meters to a smart meter about six months ago. Honestly, it’s been so much easier! Gone are the days of trudging to the nearest shop with my key just to top up, only to find out that PayPoint is down, or hopping from one place to another in search of a working terminal. 

Plus, I've discovered so many more tariff options with different discounts for my bill. What I really value is that my billing is way more accurate now, my account gets readings every 30 minutes instead of just once a month, so I’m much more confident that my bill is spot on.

I totally understand if you’ve come across some negative stories online. These days, it feels like there’s mixed feedback about everything. But from what I’ve seen, most members here on the Forum have smart meters and are pretty happy with them. The ones who do have concerns are usually looking for help and support, so we can all get them back on the right track together!

I’ve included a few helpful articles below with more info. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!