Would a change in statement/bill format be more straightforward to calculate for many.
Below a copy of last bill:-
Below an alternative, simple addition/subtraction:-
Below an explanation of above:-
Improve the bill summary format
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Thanks for this idea,@JGANLEY - and for bearing with us whilst we got to it!
This reminds me of similar feedback that was discussed by some of our forum regulars, in a call at the end of 2022. We actually ended up passing this feedback on to the relevant teams.
No issue in using the format or anything similar. I am sure there will be a few ideas thrown into the pot. Just that I feel progressive bill starting at the top and inserting/subtracting in order of date (with actual event dates) alongside the events, leaving an unambiguous amount at the bottom.
Thanks
ps.. and when possible add the calorific value used, onto the bill. That's just my wish.
@Firedog any key differences you’d like to call out, or perhaps you’d consider giving me your permission to add the screenshot you sent me, that I forwarded on? I’d love to get the thoughts of @JGANLEY on it.
He’s already seen it, I think, but I’m not sure where it is, so I’ll post it (or a similar one!) again:
I’m sure there’s a good reason why the bean counters keep the money account (“Your balance”) separate from the energy account, and why the different outgoings and income items - discounts (VAT-liable), rebates (e.g. EBSS, WHD, AFP?) and contributions (VAT-free) - are shown as they are. So I wouldn’t mess with that.
Tim_OVO. Assuming the gas bill will be similar the structure is fine. Only please arrange for the calorific value to be put onto the gas bill ASAP. As I said I would like to see dates against all events of credit/ debit. More ideas will be put forward I assume but@Firedog has got the idea.
Thanks for any interest
Only please arrange for the calorific value to be put onto the gas bill ASAP.
Perhaps@Tim_OVO can find out for us whether the CV is applied daily or not. If it is, then ‘the calorific value’ has no meaning, because it varies from day to day; there would be 31 different CVs for a single bill.
Was it@BPLightlog who suggested that the daily CV might be shown on the infotip on the gas usage histograms? That would be ideal, but I suspect quite complicated to code.
Only please arrange for the calorific value to be put onto the gas bill ASAP.
…
Was it@BPLightlog who suggested that the daily CV might be shown on the infotip on the gas usage histograms? That would be ideal, but I suspect quite complicated to code.
Don’t think that was me@Firedog
Over the last month I have been entering daily into my spreadsheet the charges as shown on my OVO account. I have also been monitoring the National Grid (NG) for any changes to the CV. The NG can vary daily and often does change the CV up to seven days prior, so one look does not suffice. When I enter CV changes into my spreadsheet it aligns with OVO usage, so this leads me to believe are using the averaged CV daily. So to me the the CV must have meaning purely because the usage, ergo charge can vary with any change. Plainly it would be overegging the pie to 31 different CV’s on a bill and this is not suggested. The original questions were, what CV is used to finalize a bill? and why, when once OVO did put the CV on a bill is it no longer shown on the bill?
OVO must have a final CV for a period from daily rolling averages.. The regulations say that the CV used by a company must be an average taken over the period of the bill. From my own experience OVO are doing it daily as necessary and must end up with a figure from their own rolling amendments over a period. I am in no doubt OVO OVO are correct, just wish someone from OVO could explain. There is one thing that may happen after a bill has been issued and that is if the NG back change the CV average then in “theory” OVO may alter the bill. Not sure about this though. Below is an extract from an old OVO bill showing the CV. Yes that’s the one that’s no longer there.;-)
Hi@JGANLEY , the forum feedback about the calorific value is a separate idea that’s currently already live and open for votes:
For this idea of bill improvements, I’ll change this one to ‘open for votes’, and would encourage specific feedback around what bits should be changed and why in the comments.
It is interesting.
We get very little queries on the forum about the bill format, apart from the Energy Bill Support Scheme which is finishing soon.
I can't remember any major ones that keep cropping up.
With finite OVO resources, it doesn't feel like a priority to me right now. I appreciate others may think it is.
There will be more and more "time of use" type tariff in the next few years, more "feed in tariff" options, "type of use" tariff (heat pump, EV etc).
Any redesign of the bills should ideally consider how this information will be incorporated. That would be my main request.
Of course Jeffus you are right, any redesign should consider how any information is presented on a bill and I agree in the scope of things there are much more important things to deal with, especially those who are/have undergone anxiety and stress on this forum. There are also a number of posts where understanding the bill is a problem. I myself do not consider it a matter of urgency and it was firstly posed as a query not a complaint or a must do now issue. I was surprised that interest was shown.
An option is to leave the design now, wait for OVO to launch a few more tariff, and then look again to see if it makes sense to discuss and consider any changes.
Just leave the Idea and revisit at the end of the year?
Personally I will leave it for OVO to decide when. This next year? Next year? Sometime? etc. :-))
This just to show what can happen when viewing account online. The below are all the changes that happened on one day 17th Feb. All calcs are correct. PLEASE NOTE £67 REFUND 21ST FEB??? ON SHEET 5. ????
I do fully understand the end result but how OVO got there is amusing.
Apologies for the copy/paste results.
BEFORE READINGS 17/02/2023 09:00hours
Today's balance 17 Feb £209.12 in credit
Charges in detail
Electricity
Standing charge 15 days at 41.20p per day
£6.18
Energy use charge 95.00 kWh at 31.74p
£30.15
Electricity meter readings
Gas
Standing charge 15 days at 27.12p per day
£4.07
Energy use charge 240.46 kWh at 9.83p
£23.64
Gas meter readings
Credits, discounts and VAT
VAT 5% of £64.04
£3.20
Total Charges
£67.24 out
-----------------------------------------------------------
At 10:00hours AFTER ABOVE READING 17/2/2023 ---£67 EBBS ADDED
Today's balance now 17 Feb £275.40 in credit
Charges in detail
Electricity
Standing charge 16 days at 41.20p per day
£6.59
Energy use charge 95.00 kWh at 31.74p
£30.15
Electricity meter readings
Gas
Standing charge 16 days at 27.12p per day
£4.34
Energy use charge 240.46 kWh at 9.83p
£23.64
Gas meter readings
Credits, discounts and VAT
VAT 5% of £64.72
£3.24
Energy Bill Support Scheme
-£67.00
Total Charges
£0.96 out
--------------------------------------------------------------
3. THIRD VIEW READINGS ENTERED 11:00 hours
READINGS NOW ENTERED AFTER THE ABOVE AM 17/2/2023 (£67 ADDED PAGE ABOVE)
Today's balance 17 Feb after usage deducted £271.38 in credit
Charges in detail
Electricity
Standing charge 16 days at 41.20p per day
£6.59
Energy use charge 100.00 kWh at 31.74p
£31.74
Electricity meter readings
Gas
Standing charge 16 days at 27.12p per day
£4.34
Energy use charge 263.24 kWh at 9.83p
£25.88
Gas meter readings
Credits, discounts and VAT
VAT 5% of £68.55
£3.43
Energy Bill Support Scheme
-£67.00
Total Charges
£4.98 out
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. FOURTH VIEW 16:30 hours ONLINE ACCOUNT CHANGE AFTER £67 REMOVED
PM READINGS 17/2/2023 AFTER THE £67 ADDED SHEET ABOVE---NOW TAKEN OFF BELOW
Today's balance 17 Feb BACK TO £204.38 in credit—CORRECT
Charges in detail
Electricity
Standing charge 16 days at 41.20p per day
£6.59
Energy use charge 100.00 kWh at 31.74p
£31.74
Electricity meter readings
Gas
Standing charge 16 days at 27.12p per day
£4.34
Energy use charge 263.24 kWh at 9.83p
£25.88
Gas meter readings
Credits, discounts and VAT
VAT 5% of £68.55
£3.43
Energy Bill Support Scheme
-£67.00
Total Charges
£4.98 out
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. FIFTH FINAL ONLINE VIEW 17:30 hours CHANGED AGAIN, NOW SHOWS :-
£67 showing up twice on same day -£67 and refund £67 out
Total charges £4.98 out
Refunds 21 Feb £67.00 out
Today's balance 17 Feb £204.38 in credit
Charges in detail
Electricity
Gas
Standing charge 16 days at 27.12p per day
£4.34
Energy use charge 263.24 kWh at 9.83p
£25.88
Gas meter readings
Credits, discounts and VAT
VAT 5% of £68.55
£3.43
Energy Bill Support Scheme
-£67.00
Total Charges
£4.98 out