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Rank 1
reannasmith
Rank 1
September 21, 2023
Solved

Historic bills keep changing and random huge Balance Adjustment has appeared with no explanation

  • September 21, 2023
  • 71 replies
  • 9686 views

Can anyone help answer why my bills keep changing and why I have a huge balance adjustment on my account suddenly?

 

I’ve been paying £75 direct debit for my two bed flat but received an email recently telling me it was going up to £452 a month. 

 

Shocked, I logged into my account to find all my bills from February were £300+ even though I could swear it was only recently I was in credit. 

 

I’ve checked back on my emails and as recently as May I was £95.62 in credit. 

 

I logged on to check my bills again today and now they’ve all changed again, dropping to around £150 a month but I’m still in a similar amount of debt because there’s a new Balance Adjustment for £975.58. 

 

There’s no details about what this balance adjustment is or a breakdown at all and no explanation for why all my bills are now different again. 

 

I phoned the support team who said it’s something to do with SSE but they couldn’t give a breakdown either and simply offered to reduce my direct debit by 15% which is still extortionate. 

 

I explained when the property moved to OVO I worked out with the support team then what we owed and already paid it in full. 

 

Just very confused and stresses as there doesn’t seem to be a way to resolve this, can anyone advise?

Best answer by BPLightlog

Updated on 03/08/26 by Chris_OVO

If you’ve noticed a big balance change on your online account or app then your previous billing may have been adjusted due to a billing error on our side, or because you’ve submitted a meter reading that’s out of line with previous estimates. 

 

Hi @reannasmith , that sounds quite a shock. The adjustment of bills is something I’ve been suggesting that is signposted better as online, you can’t tell what or when things were adjusted. 
 


On the switch from SSE, it may be a bad transfer caused either by bad readings or not taking any final payment into account. 


You may need to look at challenging the transfer readings unless you know these were not affected. 


Hope you get it sorted. 

 

To discuss a balance adjustment please contact our Support Team:

 

71 replies

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M
Rank 2
Maureen D
Rank 2
October 5, 2023

What’s the point of this forum if you take down the comments of it’s users. You try to hide the incompetence of OVO and seemingly the incompetence of it’s employees. Because my comments talk about the Ombudsman and the bad experience compensation that has been given to so many, you remove my words? Whoever, removed the comment really needs to consider if they are in the right job.

Totally agree.  I transferred with a healthy credit balance which was totally wiped out and placed in debt by a concocted bill with meter readings that are way higher than they are at the moment!  Another email yesterday to say it could take 6 weeks to amend the bill then another 6 weeks to adjust my account.  So a 3 month wait to get my money back!  
 

If I didn’t have a THTC two meter set up, I would be off to another supplier but looks like I’m stuck with OVO.

Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
October 5, 2023

Hey @Maureen D,

 

The timeframe is frustrating, but I’m glad  to hear this is being resolved for you. 

 

The industry timeframe for a read dispute is 12-18 weeks. This is because it has to be agreed by your previous supplier and a third party in the industry.

 

It’s a necessary process to ensure your final bill and opening statement are correct. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
S
Newcomer
sta4d
Newcomer
October 5, 2023

What’s the point of this forum if you take down the comments of it’s users. You try to hide the incompetence of OVO and seemingly the incompetence of it’s employees. Because my comments talk about the Ombudsman and the bad experience compensation that has been given to so many, you remove my words? Whoever, removed the comment really needs to consider if they are in the right job.

Totally agree.  I transferred with a healthy credit balance which was totally wiped out and placed in debt by a concocted bill with meter readings that are way higher than they are at the moment!  Another email yesterday to say it could take 6 weeks to amend the bill then another 6 weeks to adjust my account.  So a 3 month wait to get my money back!  
 

If I didn’t have a THTC two meter set up, I would be off to another supplier but looks like I’m stuck with OVO.

Put a formal complaint in now - they then have 50’ish days to resolve it. (they won’t) Then report it to The energy Ombudsman as Bad Experience and Incompetence.  You’ll likely get a bad experience compensation decision and they will be put on notice to resolve. Also advise OVO that you are applying a daily interest rate on the monies they owe you. Do not accept any goodwill payment before they have fully resolved the issue as they would regard that as matter over and close the complaint. Good luck

    Emmanuelle_OVO
    Retired Moderator
    Emmanuelle_OVO
    Retired Moderator
    October 6, 2023

    Hey @sta4d,

     

    I’m sorry to hear of your bad experience,

     

    You’ve done the right thing in raising a complaint and I hope this gets resolved for you as soon as possible. 

    Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
    M
    Newcomer
    Marctbates
    Newcomer
    February 11, 2024

    OVO messed my bill now I am minus 800 pounds. Now my bill just goes up every month just want to get away. However I can't as they offered me a deal for 12 months at a great price then this happens. 

    Abby_OVO
    Community Manager
    Abby_OVO
    Community Manager
    February 12, 2024

    Hi @Marctbates 

     

    Sorry to hear about this.

     

    Do you know if the meter readings are all correct, or are there any that are estimated and stand out from the rest? It could be that a meter reading has caused an error, or if we’ve not had a meter reading for some time it may have been that it’s updated.

     

    This topic below may be of use to you:

     

     

    If you do think there’s an issue with the meter readings you can contact the Support Team to discuss this and they can investigate the matter.

    Currently Playing: She's Electric
    M
    Rank 2
    MayF
    Rank 2
    April 17, 2024

    I’m deaf but don’t use sign language OVO not responding to my emails what else can I do? My bills are astronomical and risin by hundreds every month 😪😪

    Firedog
    Super User
    FiredogSuper User
    Super User
    April 17, 2024

    My bills are astronomical and risin by hundreds every month
     

    That sounds like a bit of an exaggeration, but we’ve seen some pretty strange things with big bills recently. When you say ‘bills’, are you referring to:

    • the statement you get each month by email?
    • the balance shown on your account online?
    • the amount you’re paying by Direct Debit each month?

    If you give a few details of the situation, we may be able to make some helpful suggestions. In the meantime, you could try contacting Support via their chat option. Email is sadly not to be relied on.

    Your disability may render you eligible to be on the Priority Services Register, which may make things a bit easier for you, e.g. when you contact Support.

     

    Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
    J
    Rank 2
    Jon.bushby
    April 17, 2024

    I regularly check my OVO app to see the balance. Up until about 2 weeks or so ago I was in credit by about £400. I checked yesterday and it’s over £900 in debit. I’m looking through my historical bills and they’ve been modified to show my account in debit when I know for a fact my account was in credit. Changing my historical bills is just plain naughty. I’ve just opened a complaint but I wondered if anyone else has been having this problem?

    Firedog
    Super User
    FiredogSuper User
    Super User
    April 17, 2024

    We’ve heard of similar cases. If you go back through your bills to find the first that was changed, you’ll probably be able to find out why - check the meter readings it was based on and compare with the ones it’s based on today. It’s likely that there was an estimate that has been revised.

    If one bill changes, all the subsequent ones will change as well because the opening balance will be different. You should be able to download bills as they are today from the website: there’s a link at the foot of each listing on that page.

    If you disagree with the adjustment (and who wouldn’t?), contact Support.

    Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
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