Building up large credit amount due to charge anytime credit not being included into direct debit

I’m currently just under 3 months in credit, but seeing as our plan will be ending soon with the new price it looks to be just over 2 months based on our consumption excluding charge anytime..

on average have £70+ of credit, its quite annoying seeing how much is built up.

I prefer the older system which you could auto refund online as long as you have 1 months credit. 

Kind of wish you could have a feature to average out your anytime credit over say 12 months, then add on an extra £10 to £15 to cover unusual addons so we build up some credit but not have a grand routinely sitting in credit.

Its also a pain trying to compare prices as no switch site i’ve found accounts for charging credits

I’m getting so very frustrated with Ovo after so many years!

Every three months or so I receive an email telling me my DD is increasing to an unaffordable amount (I’m a pensioner only on a state pension). I cannot afford a direct debit of £284!!!!!

60% of my usage is charging my car!

The direct debit calculations don’t take into account my car charging rebate each month.

Each time I actually manage to speak to someone my direct debit is put back down to an affordable amount again. I’m always in credit, check my account every day and, if it’s low, I top it up.

I’ve written complaining but no-one has got back to me.

There is not enough detail in your post for me to answer  with precision but I take it that you have not set up Charge Anytime which should give you a rebate, in arrears monthly, equivalent to 7p per kWh for your car charging. If, as you say, 60% of your electricity bill is car charging the rebate will be substantial.

if your car is one of those on OVOs supported list then by following a simple online procedure you may set up your car for charging via the Charge Anytime app to achieve this.

However by far the most preferable route in my opinion is to charge by reference to a recommended charger such as the Anderson or the Indra in which case any EV will benefit from the cheap rate.

I mean no discourtesy but you should read this forum and seek out the helpful practical guides to determine how to reap the benefit of Charge Anytime as an OVO customer.

For what it’s worth I am also a pensioner and having read the available guidance on this forum my set up has worked consistently since installation last September.

Yes, of course I have!
I have an Indra charger and use the app and use the Charge Anytime app too - I charge every night. I have had my EV for over four years and I’m a volunteer driver seven days a week!

I used to be able to see how much I’d saved every month on the Ovo website page but that’s gone now.

Thank you. It was not immediately obvious to me that you had an Indra charger and a history of successful low cost charging.

Are the costings listed in your post from some time in the past? When? You do not make it clear.

’I used to be able to see how much I’d saved every month on the Ovo website page but that’s gone now.’…..

Have you looked at the ‘Savings’ tab on the Charge Anytime app? Do you have the latest version of the app and have you tried re-registering if all else fails? Are you using the new Indra App - it’s been available since May and ‘hand shakes with Charge Anytime? 
These are some of initial steps I would take as well as making sure that your internet connection from the Indra is working.

Yes, yes and yes, to all of the above. The costings were from last month.

I’ve been with Ovo for 14 years and had my car and charger 4.5 years (when it was 5p/kWh to charge!)

I’m sure you know that we used to be able to see our savings on the website. Yes, one can see the ‘savings’ on the Ovo Charging app but one has to look at the Indra app to see how much it’s cost in a month - I keep a record each month (eg Car mileage 75,992-73,870 (2,122 May) [Ovo £41.50]).

The point of my post was to complain that they want to put my DD up from £100 a month to £284 when I’m always in credit and check my account every morning. I’m only on a state pension and I cannot afford it.

This is not really an issue for this forum but this is what Chat GPT says about your predicament…

”If you’re an OVO customer and believe your direct debit is too high because it’s not accounting for the Charge Anytime rebate, here’s what you can do:

✅

1. Check Your Charge Anytime Rebates

Make sure your rebates are actually being applied to your account:

• Log in to your OVO account (via app or website)
• Go to “Account” → “Charges and payments”
• Look for monthly credits labelled something like:
  • “Charge Anytime credit”
  • “Smart Charging rebate”
•  
• These rebates are usually applied as monthly credits, separate from the Direct Debit calculation.

✅

2. Check How OVO Calculates Your Direct Debit

• OVO sets your Direct Debit based on your estimated annual usage, not your exact month-to-month usage.
• It may not yet include Charge Anytime rebates when forecasting your annual cost (which is a known issue for some customers).
• If OVO isn’t factoring this rebate into your forecast, they may be overestimating how much you need to pay.

✍️

3. Contact OVO to Request a Review

Ask them to manually review and adjust your Direct Debit. You can:

• Use OVO Live Chat via their website
• Call customer service on 0330 303 5063
• Message via the OVO app

👉 Here’s what to say:

“I’m receiving regular Charge Anytime rebates, but they don’t seem to be included in the forecast used to calculate my Direct Debit. Can you review my account and adjust the payment to reflect the actual net cost including these rebates?”

They should be able to:

• Update your forecast
• Lower your Direct Debit
• Or offer a credit refund if your balance is in credit

🧾

4. Track Your Account Balance

Keep an eye on whether your account is building up credit. If so, this may be a sign your payments are too high, and you can ask for a refund or adjustment.

❗Final Tip:

Keep screenshots or downloads of your Charge Anytime credits in case you need to support your request. If OVO refuses to adjust, you can raise a complaint through their process, or escalate to the Energy Ombudsman if needed.’

Does this help?

Hey ​@Gingernut49, 

I apologise for the recent frustration you've experienced. The direct debit review calculation considers all energy usage, as Charge Anytime is an "add-on" to your existing plan. The charging usage is calculated, added to your bill, and then discounted using the Charge Anytime credit. Due to regulations, Charge Anytime, being a separate product, cannot be included in the standard direct debit calculations. I’ve included a couple of articles below that might be useful on how your Direct Debit is calculated:

If you feel like you’re struggling with your Direct Debit then please reach out to our Support Team as they’ll be able to look at your account and offer advice and support to help.  

I hope this helps and if you’ve any more questions, we’ll be happy to help answer.

I’m only on a state pension. You try living on less than £10k a year and tell me if you want to pay £284 a month for your electricity!

I have repeatedly asked someone to call me - which they have failed to do.