Stop chasing customers on Fuel Direct Payment Plans within 24 hours

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There seems to be some sort of disconnect between Collections and the rest of OVO. Debt collection sounds like a juggernaut that needs taming - one for the Vulnerability team to sort out, perhaps.

Yep, and how did the Warm Home Discount not get sorted out by OVO for this migrating SSE customer?

Surely OVO should have reviewed all the support this customer could get to help them as well as putting in place the Fuel plan which is meant to be one of the last resorts.

Hi @Jeffus and thanks for posting this idea. 

I went away and checked what the current instructions and training is around Fuel Direct agreements and debt collection activity. Currently when a Fuel Direct agreement is made, we hold any debt collection activity on the account for 4 weeks to allow the application process to go through and get accepted (or not).

I’ve been advised that if this has not happened here with @benbrownboy, it will be an isolated case/error, which I’m very sorry about. Ben can you let us know the latest? 

Hello all.

With regard to the Warm Home Discount, OVO said the responsibilty lies with the DWP, as they make the company aware of all customers eligible for the discount. I suppose this would have been the case every year, but as we were informed last year that the process is now “automatic” (i.e. no application need be made by the customer), I was not aware of the need to contact the DWP to see if they had passed on eligibilty; in my mind this would have defeated the automation element. By the time I found out that the DWP had not done this, OVO suggest that I call them on their dedicated number.

This number had to be contacted by the end of February 2023

So, with no way of knowing prior that I had not been referred for the discount, by the time I had found out, it was too late by then. 

It’s pillar to post, and I’m having to probably accept that I will not get the discount for this year.

In regards to the collection activities, I’ve been informed by OVO that they have asked that all collection activiy for my account cease.

Obviously, there may be an overlap of a week or two, but I shall let you know if OVO keep to their word.

That is annoying you didn't get a letter from DWP confirming you were eligible. 

The eligibility criteria did change this year for example if someone only qualified due to a PIP the previous year, they didn't get the Warm Home Discount this year.

There have been a few cases that OVO helped sort out for customers transferred from SSE to OVO where the Warm Home Discount was still registered with SSE. This may be another reason you didn't get it. 

Very hard to tell now I suspect. 

Anything you can suggest @Tim_OVO

You could put in a complaint to ovo as you are definitely not the only one to be told by ovo you didn't need to do anything. Hindsight is easy, but that was definitely poor advice that a few customers have posted about.

https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback

@benbrownboy

@Tim_OVO 

Can the hardship fund help? 

Emmanuelle_OVO wrote:

We can query DWP if a customer still has a letter, we have a query sheet we can send across to DWP asking for instructions. If you don't have the letter then we've can put you forward for the OVO Financial Assistance Winter Hardship Fund

A complaint was entered the day I wrote the original post, and I’ve made an application for what I beleive is the Hardship Fund, I filled out a form regarding benefits received, any vulnerabilities, money owed and I am expecting a call back from OVO regarding this.

Thanks for everybodies input in this, contrary to the earlier reply that it would probaly sink into nothing and not be seen 👍🏾