Hi @Simon Tate 

Sorry to hear you are having issues.

If you wish to make a complaint to OVO then the best place to start is here: https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback

Hello

When I submit a complaint via the preferred way of a web form at Want to make a complaint? | Our complaints procedure | OVO Energy, I get a little green notice on the page itself, but not durable confirmation that the complaint has been received. This is different from the email address, which has an auto response with a generic message. 

I don’t think that is ok, and I think every message should be acknowledged properly. (Ideally, I would like to get an issue reference as you would get with any modern issue tracker.) The lack of a response makes it difficult for example to follow up on any issues. 

So, do you think I should better communicate via email? 

I’d still recommend using that contact form - it likely reaches the complaints team much more directly, more quickly and with a shorter queue than the main contact email.

I think it may be worth me explaining something important here - and this includes the reason why I think OVO’s current implementation of that form makes sense. Please bear in mind that I’m speaking with my cybersecurity hat on more than I am with my forum volunteer hat in this case.

Contact forms are notorious for being abused in various ways, especially by spammers. In fact, I know of multiple attacks that can be pulled off through a contact form and the use of an auto-responder makes up quite a large margin of them. Best practice actually suggests you should only show an on-screen confirmation and no auto-responder. I turned them off several years ago for all the websites I run and pretty much no-one has ever complained to me about it. And if they ever did, I’d give them the same explanation as I’m offering here.

It’s also a waste of server compute resources, especially for something most people would delete in just a few seconds and might never read.

The other reason is really more about security and domain reputation stuff, but that’s a story for some other time.

Ultimately, it seems to me - and this is my personal opinion - that OVO is merely following best practice. For somewhat similar reasons, it’s not beneficial to generate and supply case numbers for emails that turn out to be fake/spam - you might as well just filter out and burn those during the initial triage and/or as early as possible, so that you don’t waste time making other people deal with cases that literally have absolutely no merit at all and are not even worthy of being retained (and by this I mostly mean spammers and abusers). Even if you have a case number, it’s not much use anyway unless you have access to the system that issued it.

Everything you send in goes onto the Timeline and is bundled together. Nothing gets lost as long as it’s delivered successfully. That’s all you need to worry about as long as the on-screen info shows it went through. Let OVO handle the rest.

I had the same issue, you will have to persevere on the phone to get anywhere.

I used the online form a week after asking for a formal complaint to be raised whilst I was on the phone to them.

A week later I hadn’t received any sort of response, so I wrote out my complaint in full, saved it as a PDF and emailed it in.

Two weeks later I still had no response and it was now four weeks after the original phone call.

I rang in and queried the lack of response or acknowledgement and I was amazed that the customer advisers do not get notified when something is submitted online. Apparently it just sits in a queue until someone actually gets around to checking them…given the current call queue times I suspect this will take weeks!

As for the lack of acknowledgement to my email the adviser had no answer as to why no-one had bothered to look at it and respond.

So for everyone who is happy with the OVO service will not realise the extent of the problems. Those customers who do have issues, although in the minority, are having to suffer at the hands of OVO.

Personally I cannot hold it against the advisers, they are dealing with massively increased call volumes as they now have the former SSE customers as well as the original OVO customers and I very much doubt the number of advisers in their call centre has increased much, if at all.

Who do I complain to at ovo please

Hi @Simon Tate ,

To direct you to the right place, I need to ask you which side you’re intending to complain about. Please confirm whether it’s about:

• A Pay Monthly account, in which case it’d be https://ovoenergy.com/feedback 
• A Pay As You Go Account, in which case it’d be https://www.boostpower.co.uk/feedback

That’s ok but nobody replies so I wanted an email address of someone who would at least reply 

Thanks

Simon Tate 

I think I have figured it out now. 
The way to go is to submit a written request by email. This does get linked to your account (no idea how, probably AI), but it does not get actioned (at least not for a few months in my experience). So, then you have to call up, and tell them to actually process it. So far, that seems to do the trick. 

I would not recommend using the chat feature. The people seem to be a lot less competent than on the phone, and this has caused me a lot of issues. 

If you’ve emailed in, you will get a response, don’t worry. However, may I please recommend against emailing in multiple times while awaiting a response. Every additional email you send in the meantime slows down the process because someone will need to read ALL of them before responding.

The email addresses on those two links are the best ones available. I’m not allowed to give out the direct email addresses of any OVO/Boost employees or teams beyond those that are publicly listed by OVO and Boost.

So, then you have to call up, and tell them to actually process it. So far, that seems to do the trick. 

Umm… I’m not sure I like that idea as it’s incredibly load generating if tons of people start doing it. All you’ll end up doing is slowing down absolutely everything for everyone, so I’d personally advise against it. Trust me, 10 years in IT is more than enough to tell you that from experience!

This does get linked to your account (no idea how, probably AI),

I know many ways of making that possible. inSided has taught me a few tricks and platforms like Zapier make that incredibly easy to do. It can even just be a case that the support ticket system has an integration with the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and simply pulls in data from the CRM in the process of creating the support request.

After another wasted hour talking to the Resolution team I realise that it has the wrong name, even though they OVO that is brought to my attention the fault they had made, they have not resolved the issue from August 2021 to now (Oct 2022) however they are particularly good at telling you it has been passed on, and on and on and on and on and on and on etc

I am not expecting a good outcome because I find myself getting increasingly frustrated with their “we need to pass this on” attitude. I don’t know what they would be like with a more complex issue than an erronious transfer………...14minths and counting

Hey @Kevinrc,

Sorry to hear this.

Please find more about the complaint procedure on our website.

If you have an active complaint it needs to be escalated if you are unhappy with the resolution, if no resolution is met within 8 weeks or we have provided your with our deadlock letter, then you have the option to refer your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman. 

You can also contact the complaints team through email complaints@ovoenergy.com.

We don’t have access to your account here at the Forum, so please if you have a question let us know if we can help? We can offer general advice. You mentioned an erroneous transfer… Can you please provide more information about your issue?

Hi , I sent a complaint using the complaints email address at OVO and havent had a confirmation of it, or anything to say they have it. I am only presuming they have. 
How long do they take to get back to you?...with anything?

Hi @yuna1971

To quote the OVO official stats

61.24% are resolved by the end of the next working day 

92.49% are resolved in 8 weeks. 

Given the general speed of email with the majority of companies these days i would be tempted to phone or use web chat if you haven't heard back by next week. Best not to try Monday.

Feel free to post details of your issue here if you would like other customers to see if they can help in the meantime. Obviously don't post personal information 

It is very very complicated. I’m hoping they don’t sort it as I only complained as I have to do that before the ombudsman. I wouldn’t be able to explain it. Let’s just say - they have messed up my account big time.

should I contact today on the chat?

trouble is the chat thing you just get some numpton , how will they be able to tell me if a complaint received? 

Hey @yuna1971,

I’d advise calling Support on 0330 303 5063, you can then raise a complaint then and there. If they’re not able to resolve your complaint it can then be escalated. 

If you feel it would be too hard to explain over the phone, you can get them to search your email address and they should be able to see the email you’ve sent. 

You can find out more about our Complaints Procedure here. You can also post your issue here on the Forum and we can see if we can offer some helpful advice?

Hope this helps. 

sorry but ringing that number is just a normal customer service number. It gives me no option to speak to anyone unless I’m a “vulnerable customer” which I’m not. 
So not sure what help you’ve provided here. 
maybe you can look for me if you work at ovo ?

@yuna1971 a good way to contact ovo is via private message on their twitter or facebook pages.

The ovo staff their have access to your account. 

Include your name, address,  account number and date of birth for security purposes in the private message. Ask them to check if your email complaint has been received.

They usually get back in 24 hours in my experience in the week. 

Useful as you will have a date and time stamped audit trail, including the name of an ovo employee

My topic being moved/deleted again I didnt want to have to post everything again, in tears from trying to talk to someone on phone from OVO he again threatened to send my “5k debt” to credit recovery agencys there is no way I can speak to someone on phone some common sense.

I am a disabled person on priorty register, I never had my meters read since I moved here just before covid and was with SSE, so I underpaid my electric bill for a long time and used alot of electric with being at home all time. Being moved to OVO and finally was able to work out how to give them metre readings because the one time they came out the guy has read the wrong meter. Ive had silly stuff like one month i used £400 in electric then  used £1000 in electric till I started giving my own manual meter readings now its normal. As a single person in a 1 bed flat on benefits thats not right. In november and december since I’ve starting giving readings it works out I’m using about 12 units of electric a day or about £150 a month it even says on they website im using less that £5 a day, so they can see like everyone ive cut down on electric. Yet they have lumped on 3 years worth of built up electric in one month aka I now owe £5000, when i try to explain this no one ever listens.

Sorry trying to explain it best i can with my disabilty, I have emailed the CEO and Ofgem have decided to rule something where it works out Ive used 33 units a day over 3 years or something, seeing how the past two months I’ve only used 11-12 units per day and they can see this, if I accept the ruling I’d be paying for electric I’ve used in past not now at current electric prices, I’ve never had my metre read but cause OVO bought out SSE they are using SSE estimates as manual meter reads in past, but I cant talk to no one about this, dont know where to get help.

Hopefully that explains my situation some, I am thinking of going to court for discrimination over this through if I accept Ofgems decision I read that my case wont be sucessful, but the amount of tears and mental health stress this has caused me saying I owe £5000 when they can see I  only use 12 units a day, i used alot of the past electric during covid not now, I dont think I can upload bills here to show, and every time I post here seems my post gets deleted.

Also I tried to apply for customer support package, I got sent a throwover yet got 2 emails back saying they cant find my account data? And when i called now it is closed so I cant get any help. Theres no help for disabled people on phone at ALL. Can anyone offer any advice, sorry for long post I have learning disabiltys but trying to explain best I can. Thanks Wolfgang.

Hi this is the ofgem decision if it helps people understand my  question about if to accept it or not and what to do:

Conclusion

I have concluded OVO Energy failed to provide you with the appropriate customer service, and I am not able to determine if the readings provided are correct based on the evidence you have provided.Therefore, I have requested for the following actions to be completed: Change the opening reading to 17442 on the 16th June 2022 , provide an apology and £100.00 goodwill to credited to your energy account. If you have any questions, please contact me on 0 or send me a message online, using our complaint management system where I will be able to respond directly to you.

Outcome: Upheld

Remedy 1

Remedy: Action

Comment:

Apply the reading 17442 for the 16th June 2022 as the opening reading. 

Remedy 2

Remedy: Action

Comment:

Issue an apology for the shortfall in service and any inconvenience caused.

Remedy 3

Remedy: Goodwill

Value £: 100.00

Comment:

Provide £100.00 as goodwill payment to your energy account, as a goodwill gesture for the shortfall in service and any inconvenience caused.

No consumer comments found ...

Decided by *removed name* on 20 Dec 2022 at 08:58
You can download this decision as a PDF letter 

We display your energy use over time based on previous meter readings.

We display your energy use over time based on previous meter readings.

Hey @eyupwolf,

I’m really sorry to hear of the issues you’re having,

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to your account on the Forum, and are unable to deal with complaints of this nature.

As you’ve already raised a complaint which was escalated to The Ombudsman I'd advise calling 0330 303 5063 and asking to speak to the complaints team regarding an ‘escalated complaint’ they should be able to put you through. 

You can find out more information about our complaints procedure on our website. 

Hope this helps. 

Thank YOU finally doing that I was finally able to get through to someone who was at least able to talk to who understood a little about my issue, while still wouldnt help other than generic go back to ombusman at least she agreed 10000 units in a month is wrong but Im going to speak to my MP and take this to court based on what she said meter man read wrong metre and the amount of stress this caused me and threatening me to send my 5 k debt to credit recoverty agencys is discrimination when error wasnt even my fault.

I've tried every way possible to speak to someone from ovo and the only direction I seem to get at talking to anyone is their collections line. Which is rediculous. I'm a vulnerable adult with autism and an acute anxiety disorder and when trying to find out a few issues regarding my enery support scheme not being applied, I found myself amid a panic attack due to being shouted at by one of their staff.  I had only so far informed her of my attempts at trying to source some information about my account. My wife found me crying and asked me to put the phone on loudspeaker to which she listened as shocked as myself to hear how angry this lady was and took over the call. Her attitude didnt seem to change regardless of my wifes attempts at appeasing and pacifying. I was given several different numbers to try by different staff. And for all of those numbers, the extensions led to the same location. Collections. I was told over the course of over a month, that I was to expect payment shortly, payment was delayed, then finally shouted at that the scheme payment was not applied. Please note I am not a confrontational person and can fully assure you I had not encouraged or instigate the level of abuse that followed the conversation. I requested to be transfered to another collections advisor as I was struggling to communicate with the level of aggression. I was told that I did not have authority. Not the ovo employee. She was implying myself. It took me a few hours to try to calm down. I then tried a different form of contact which was through whatsapp. It took two days to get a reply. The only information I was given was that they couldnt access full details of my acvount due the fact they work in collections. So I then tried to contact them through online messaging. I now have several reasons I am trying to contact ovo. One of them being funding of over a thousand pounds that was credited to my account in the beginning of December, still not available.  Have been trying in a que to speak to someone for days. Nobody is replying to me on whatapp and no advisor is answering me on messenging either. It's starting to seem like you just take money and supply little care for your customers.  We have no way to contact you regarding emergencies, funding, queries or advice. 

Hi @XWhitex ,

Sorry to hear of the trouble. OVO is still closed until tomorrow, but I’ve let the forum moderators know. They’ll be back tomorrow along with the main Support Team.

A marker has been set against this thread to request moderator attention. The forum moderators here have very good Autism Awareness, especially because I have Autism myself and they’ve learned a lot from me, so they know how to help.

If there’s anything I can do to help in the meantime, please let me know.

For any other users who post in this thread, may I please ask that you respect the fact the user who asked this question has Autism and that their social understanding is severely impaired. I will try to help as best I can, but if you’re only coming here to post “me too” type comments, please consider not doing so in this thread.