Has OVO ever considered offering Variable Direct Debit as an option for customers?

Forum|Forum|9 months ago
October 30, 2025
15 replies
794 views

Variable Direct Debit is when, at the end of each billing cycle, the actual full amount of your bill is taken from your bank account by Direct Debit This means that you never build up any credit with OVO, but keep the benefits of paying lower standing and unit charges when compared with Pay on Demand customers. It, of course, means that, for most people, bills will be higher in winter than in summer months. MANY energy companies offer this as an option. Personally, I would not choose this way to pay my bills because, being a pensioner, I am on a fixed income so prefer a similar amount leaving my bank account each month that covers my yearly energy bill. However, I wonder how many who choose the “Pay on Demand” option (Standard Credit) would prefer to pay in this way if it meant lower standing and unit charges?

Best answer by Blastoise186

Hi @Bendog ,

This used to be supported by OVO in the early days, but was terminated around 2018-ish and there’s no plans to bring it back.

Variable DD appears to be fading away in the energy market and newer suppliers (like the smaller players) don’t seem to offer them. I can’t make any promises that this option will continue into the future, so I’d say it’s better to consider only Fixed Direct Debit to be around in the future rather than Variable Direct Debit. It’s better for your money management anyway because it smooths things over!

Pay On-Demand will likely always be more expensive due to higher default risks.

Show previous replies

thereturn

Rank 2

@costeek

Yeah, theyre conmen.

"Make sure youre all a month in credit in time for our tax bill come April"

thereturn

Rank 2

not coming at you Nuke lol, this is OVOs policy below.

“It is an attempt to try and ensure that customers comply with the OVO T&C’s which do clearly state that your account should always be in credit.
Always in this case being interpreted as every single days balance, which is what Live Billing can now show, rather than just the balance on your billing/statement date.”

A penny would be in credit.

Doesn't have to be an estimated £181 when your average is around £60….

“

Explain the current policy as what it is, an attempt to get DD customers to comply with the T&C’s of their contracts to always be in credit, every single day.
Most people will understand that.

Of course we may still not like the heavy-handed way that it is being done, but that’s a different grumble.”

Sums it up perfectly!

thereturn

Rank 2

This month the billing period is 32 days.

BendogAuthor

Rank 12

This month the billing period is 32 days.

Not really as with my billing period which is 4th November to 3rd December. The reading taken around midnight on 4th November is the one used to generate the closing reading of 3rd November as OVO only bills for COMPLETED DAYS. It is also used as the opening reading (i,e, before any further energy is used) for 4th November. Then 30 readings will be made ending up with the reading taken on 4th December. This reading will be used for the end of my current billing cycle and for the start of the next one.