I give meter readings each month, why is my bill still based on estimates?

Sorry I don't understand the reply. This just tells me the readings which I already know! The question is despite the manual readings being on this list it will still put another estimated reading on my bill for the same day - why?

This - why an estimate too when I've given a reading as requested! Every month 🤔

Sorry… you’re quite right. My mistake.

I imagine the estimated figure makes the reading up to midnight of the day, ie 24th feb in your example. Did you submit the reading earlier in the day? 
A smart meter could submit the reading for you of course, they can be set to give readings every half hour so the bill is accurate.

I've tried all different times of day to try mitigate this possibility but it still insists on an estimate. I even tried multiple readings the night before, the morning and the evening! If they want a particular time of day then they should write that as well as the day because surely at some point they shouldn't be putting an estimate?

I had a smart meter installed at a previous property and wasn't impressed. They've probably improved but I still see people complaining about estimated bills because it didn't take the reading. Have a laugh because last time despite being in the same cupboard they couldn't connect to my gas for some reason so I still had to put up with meter readers coming into the house which was the reason I agreed to install 🙄

I know they want to pressure all of us to take them and perhaps that's why they refuse to just take my readings. 

That does look odd but it doesn't affect the amount you pay so unless the estimate is significantly different to the actual reading I wouldn't worry about it.

Well I know it seems like pressure but I think it’s really that smart meters are all that’s going to be available one day. However it’s not compulsory so if you’re happy to submit regular readings no prob. 
Was your latest bill created on 24th feb ? and was the estimated figure given as that shown on your earlier comment? If so then I think that’s as accurate as you’re going to get unless you submit at 23:55 on the evening of the day your bill is created. 
When you say ‘perhaps that's why they refuse to just take my readings’ I don’t think the system is refusing to take your readings, I’m sure it’s not that intelligent! It looks like it’s taken you last manual reading given on the 24th then estimated the additional use you’d have chocked up from the time of your submitting that reading to the end of the day of creating the bill.

Guessing here, I’m afraid.

If you submit a reading on 24 February, it’s recorded as being for 24 February. But the latest reading you see - e.g. now, on 27 February, is the one last midnight. So the reading used to calculate this bill will be the one for midnight 23/24 February, i.e. before your manual reading was submitted. Since the latest manual reading at that stage was four days earlier, the consumption up to midnight 23/24 February will have been estimated - don’t ask me how, but it will have been based on historic usage. That’s why the instructions (which I can’t find, of course) advise submitting a reading a day (or two?) before the bill is due.

Appreciate any guessing 🤣

The app currently says this on meter readings -

They’re up to date. Thanks!

Best day for next reading:

24 Mar 2023

Last reading: 24 Feb 2023

So I'm trying to do what it says!  Basically I'm wondering if anyone who submits a reading actually gets a bill based on the reading.

Hi @Crazygirl 

Sorry to hear about your issue. 

I don't have much to add to the good responses you have already had. 

Here is one example as you ask in the screenshot below. Perhaps it made a difference as i entered a few readings that month? It is a guess to be honest. You could try entering readings through the month and see if that has any effect for example. This is one when i had a traditional meter with OVO. I have a smart meter now which i personally find so much better

We do see users raising the same thing as you. Due to what OVO call "live billing" I don't personally think there is any way to guarantee it doesn't happen. I don't think we have ever worked out a fool proof way yet of stopping estimated readings sometimes being applied for some users. 

If it annoys you a lot i suspect your only options are to get a smart meter or switch suppliers. Obviously check with other suppliers how they handle their bills. Octopus get good reviews on Trustpilot so perhaps check with them. 

https://octopus.energy/

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/octopus.energy

The above screenshot is for gas, but electricity also didn't show an estimated reading on the bill that month. The next month i had a smart meter installed so didn't need to submit any readings since June 2021.

Let us know if you figure out a way of always stopping the estimated readings as i am sure it will be useful for other customers and we could ask OVO to update some of their help pages. 

I don't work for OVO, i am just a customer like you. 

Hey @Crazygirl,

That does sound frustrating, I’m sorry to hear. 

Do the meter readings you’ve submitted prior to the statement date appear on the statement? My advice would be to submit a meter reading on the 23rd if the one from the 24th isn’t appearing on your statement. We have a live billing system so whenever you submit a meter reading your account balance will update accordingly within 24- 48 hours. So you no longer need to wait for your bill to know how much energy you’ve used. We have a great FAQ on this topic here: