How can OVO help in the event of a bereavement?

  • 23 October 2018
  • 59 replies
  • 8074 views
How can OVO help in the event of a bereavement?
Show first post

59 replies

C
Rank

The error  relates to OVO producing a bill claiming a four figure debt is outstanding  based on their estimated readings despite the property being empty for twelve months and paying bills by direct debit until April 2022. I provided photographic evidence of meter readings on the day of sale which were immediately sent to OVO. We were prepared to accept that there is a six to eight week delay in producing a final bill. However when it was clearly wrong and a solicitors letter was sent pointing the error out the very least that would be expected is a prompt reply. It is now over 12 weeks since we complied with the requirement to submit immediate final readings and OVO haven't seen fit to have the courtesy of replying to our solicitor . 

Not sure what it will teach other customers but if you will forgive me I feel I have posted enough on the for now. I feel pretty exhausted with the entire matter and just hope that it will be resolved shortly.

Emmanuelle_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

Hey @Christopher 1,

 

I’m really sorry to hear of your experience,

 

I’m sure now you’ve contacted the bereavement team they’ll be able to re-issue the final bill. If you haven’t already I’d advise emailing them directly with the meter reading photo taken on the day of the sale. 

 

Hope this gets resolved for you as soon as possible. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
M
Rank
Userlevel 1

I closed my Mothers account in August 2023 as she moved to a care home and sadly died

At first all seemed good with OVO as the closed everything and produced a final bill and credited her bank account

The  house has gone into Probate so probaly won’t be sold until next year - 2024

I live in Leicester and my parents house is in Hampshire , so my neighbour posts any letters deemed important to me

I was shocked today to receive a letter stating they may send someone in to cut off the supply and demanding payment.

The account number on the letter is not even my Mothers old account!

What is going on !

Firedog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge

Sorry to hear about your mother. It’s not pleasant having to deal with stuff like this when you’re grieving.

Even though your mother’s account has been closed, there is still a supply to the house, and that costs even though there’s little or no usage. It is now the responsibility of your mother’s estate and will remain so until probate is settled and someone else takes it over, so there will still be bills to pay. I don’t know if this is the reason why demands for payment are being sent, but if whoever is handling the estate hasn’t been paying, it’s not unlikely. 

OVO’s bereavement team should be able to help sort this out; the instructions in the first post in this thread are quite explicit.

 

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
M
Rank
Userlevel 1

Sorry to hear about your mother. It’s not pleasant having to deal with stuff like this when you’re grieving.

Even though your mother’s account has been closed, there is still a supply to the house, and that costs even though there’s little or no usage. It is now the responsibility of your mother’s estate and will remain so until probate is settled and someone else takes it over, so there will still be bills to pay. I don’t know if this is the reason why demands for payment are being sent, but if whoever is handling the estate hasn’t been paying, it’s not unlikely. 

OVO’s bereavement team should be able to help sort this out; the instructions in the first post in this thread are quite explicit.

 

Thank you for that, but nobody explained that to me at all. And secondly the account number on the demand is not my Mothers account number. If OVO had advised me I needed to pay standing charges that could have been set up. But I was never told anything just that everything had closed

Firedog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge

But I was never told anything just that everything had closed
 

That’s sad, and I hope that @Emmanuelle_OVO or @Abby_OVO will make sure that those who report the death of a customer get the advice and support they need. 

You mention that the account number on the demand notices was not your mother’s. That’s not surprising - that account had been closed, after all. I’d like to know, though, who the demand letters were addressed to: The occupier, perhaps? 

 

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
M
Rank
Userlevel 1

Yes it is disturbing as they new I was acting on Mother’s behalf prior to this but nothing was sent to me other than the final bill for my Mother.

Yes correct the letters are addressed to The Occupier and threatening to gain entry to the house I find disgraeful and I will be speaking to my Solictor on Monday as well as speaking with OVO

 

Firedog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge

I will be speaking to my Solictor on Monday ...

 

I would have expected a solicitor handling a case like this to have made sure the executor (you, presumably) was aware of his obligations, e.g. to utility companies. 

Best of luck tomorrow.

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
M
Rank
Userlevel 1

True, but I would have expected OVO energy to help and inform me when the account was closed

 

Sending threatening letters for a debt of £125 is disgraceful

 

 

juliamc
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +2

Just to butt in here… could you forward the bill to your solicitor for them to settle it out of the estate ?

M
Rank
Userlevel 1

Also why base the consumption on an occupied house when it was empty , answer me that?

13 KW/hr have been used in 3 months amounting to around £4 of electricity plus 3 months of standing charges they do not seem to have any idea

So they send a bill for £125, so my estimation is that I owe them less than £40 if that

 

M
Rank
Userlevel 1

Just to butt in here… could you forward the bill to your solicitor for them to settle it out of the estate ?

No problem , but the estate is in Probate and all funds frozen

juliamc
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +2

The final bill once the house is sold (assuming that’s what happens) will need a closing meter reading and at that point any overpayment will be refunded. If I remember rightly my late mother’s energy bill was transferred into the name ”the executors of ….” and I was able to submit meter readings to keep it up to date.

M
Rank
Userlevel 1

Thank you, well I am hoping OVO will understand tomorrow what has happended and then I can give them actual readings and explain the house is empty and no appliances powered up except for the boiler set on frost protection

Abby_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 6

Hey @markwa 

 

I’m really sorry to hear about this, it sounds like a difficult situation.

 

Juliamc and Firedog have given some good advice here, and the Support Team will definitely be able to help you with this - we don’t have access to accounts here at the Forum so we are limited to advising on what to do.

 

They’ll be able to take meter readings from you and correct any estimated bills. Let us know how you get on, and if there’s anything else we can help with.

Location: Electric Avenue
M
Rank
Userlevel 1

Hey @markwa 

 

I’m really sorry to hear about this, it sounds like a difficult situation.

 

Juliamc and Firedog have given some good advice here, and the Support Team will definitely be able to help you with this - we don’t have access to accounts here at the Forum so we are limited to advising on what to do.

 

They’ll be able to take meter readings from you and correct any estimated bills. Let us know how you get on, and if there’s anything else we can help with.

Thank you for all the help


I spoke with OVO team first thing this morning and a few apologies from them as to why the acccount had been handled incorrectly

The account will now move to an Executors account and I just need to give monthly readings and when Probate has gone through and the house sold then the account can settled from the  sale of the estate

Neil on the bereavement team was really helpful and I would give him 11/10 if I could.

Abby_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 6

Hey @markwa 

 

I’m really glad to hear that! I’ll make sure to pass this onto Neil’s team so he gets the recognition he deserves. Glad he was able to help you with this.

 

If there’s anything else we can do to help, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Location: Electric Avenue
L
Rank

I spent months trying to reach the Bereavement Team after my Mum died in 2022, to no avail. In 2023 I stopped paying the energy bills on her flat and the tenant took over and has been paying a monthly standing order ever since. Now suddenly I’ve had a bill (her account was on my email as I had power of attorney) for the last 7 months for her, as if the account were still in her name. I tried to contact Ovo, gave lots of details and eventually the person at the other end said they were about to pass it on to the Bereavement Team. I waited online for 45 minutes but no further response… I’m not that worried about them suing my dead mother and her closed bank account, but I am worried they might cut the tenant off!

Had to put this in “my account” as there’s no appropriate header.

Blastoise186
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +1

Hello @LisaP ,

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. I will escalate this to the Forum Moderators immediately. Please bear with me.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
BPLightlog
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

There are some additional details here @LisaP 

Although you might have already tried those routes

Independent volunteer - Sitting in a Faraday cage, waiting for a signal
L
Rank

There are some additional details here @LisaP 

Although you might have already tried those routes

Sadly, that’s where I started from all those months ago, but thanks.

Emmanuelle_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

I’m sorry to hear this @LisaP, I’ll ask Forum_Support to be in touch.

 

Please keep an eye on your private messages. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
U
Rank

My deceased brother-in-law is being threatened with court action.

I am trying to find out what this is about.

Electricity is via scottish power.

Gas is disconnected.

The robot is useless.

The chat person cannot help.

hello@ovoenergy.com is manned by another robot.

complaints@ovoenergy.com is manned by another robot, named Cheng.

any thoughts?

 

Blastoise186
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +1

Good afternoon @user47 ,

I’m sorry for your loss. Please bear with me - I’m immediately paging all Forum Moderators. They might be able to help with the gas supply, but if the electric is with another supplier, OVO can’t assist with that one - please talk to the active supplier.

Paging @ChristopherS_OVO @Shads_OVO 

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
ChristopherS_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 4
Badge

Hi @user47, 

 

I’m sorry for your loss, this must be the last thing you want to think about right now. 

 

How did you become aware of this? Was it a letter sent from a debt collection agency? 

If you haven’t already I’d recommend visiting our dedicated bereavement page here to begin the process of notifying us. 

 

We have a dedicated team who are trained to deal with circumstances like this I’d recommend giving them a call. They can offer support and guidance and get to the bottom of where this contact has come from. You can reach them on 0330 175 9683 or email bereavement@ovoenergy.com. 

 

Please let us know if they resolve this for you.

 

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings