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I pay on demand- why are OVO saying my account is in arrears before I get my monthly bill?

  • September 19, 2024
  • 8 replies
  • 304 views
J
Carbon Cutter*

Inbetween bills , which are paid monthly with readings sent in,  i got an email telling me i have negative balance on my account, please pay now.   Well, of course i have a negative  balance.  Its always negative till i settle the bill.  So why tell me this ?  I contacted OVO about these ‘ Neg ‘ emails and they said we’ll stop them and we will put £10 in your account for the hassle.

I never got the £10 that i’m aware of, because it wasn’t listed in plain text that it had been given to me. Then i get another email today 19th Sept. saying i have a negative balance.  My bill isnt due till the  25th of the month, so yes i will have a negative balance.  In fact as soon as i pay the bill, the negative balance will be there again the day after because, strangely, i use elec. and gas every day.  Just stop please.

Best answer by Nukecad

What Blastoise186 was suggesting is that you have £1 credit left when you get a bill, and then pay a full amount to prevent going into negative balance the next month..
In other words you pay say £400 one month that pays your outstanding bill and another month in advance. So that each month from then you are paying a month in advance so should always have a credit balance.
(PS. If you read your terms and conditions they say that you should always be in credit).

There is also another way to stop such emails; simply pay by monthly direct debit rather than paying on demand, (maybe even get a fixed tariff?)

I’ve always paid by DD, had a negative balance for most of the time that I have been with OVO, and have never had such an email.

In fact I fixed my tafiff last month and so now I will be accumulating a growing negative balance through winter and then catching up again over summer until the plan end next August when it will be zero balance, - which is the aim of a fixed term plan, zero balance at the end. (then start again).

Here’s my projected monthly balance for the next 12 months as calculated by OVO, you can see that it’s all negative but comes back to zero - I won’t get any nagging emails about it being negative because I’m paying a fixed amount DD each month and they know that DD amount is enough so that it will come out to zero at the end of the plan.
 

 

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Blastoise186
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  • Blastoise186Plan Zero Hero
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  • September 19, 2024

The trick I always suggest is to bring the balance up to at least £1 credit every time you make a payment - this should eliminate the situation you’re seeing completely.

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J
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  • JeffJeff
  • Author
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  • 3 replies
  • September 19, 2024

Cheers B, but they told me that they would address the situation rather than me jumping through hoops to stop the neg balance messages,  plus that £1 credit will disappear within a few hours. My bills are approx. 200 a month, give or take. Thats about £6+ per day.   If my next bill is 200, and i pay 201, by the afternoon my account will be in debt to the tune of about £5

Nukecad
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  • Answer
  • September 19, 2024

What Blastoise186 was suggesting is that you have £1 credit left when you get a bill, and then pay a full amount to prevent going into negative balance the next month..
In other words you pay say £400 one month that pays your outstanding bill and another month in advance. So that each month from then you are paying a month in advance so should always have a credit balance.
(PS. If you read your terms and conditions they say that you should always be in credit).

There is also another way to stop such emails; simply pay by monthly direct debit rather than paying on demand, (maybe even get a fixed tariff?)

I’ve always paid by DD, had a negative balance for most of the time that I have been with OVO, and have never had such an email.

In fact I fixed my tafiff last month and so now I will be accumulating a growing negative balance through winter and then catching up again over summer until the plan end next August when it will be zero balance, - which is the aim of a fixed term plan, zero balance at the end. (then start again).

Here’s my projected monthly balance for the next 12 months as calculated by OVO, you can see that it’s all negative but comes back to zero - I won’t get any nagging emails about it being negative because I’m paying a fixed amount DD each month and they know that DD amount is enough so that it will come out to zero at the end of the plan.
 

 

It's cold outside. Are Friends Electric?
Shads_OVO
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J
Carbon Cutter*
  • JeffJeff
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  • 3 replies
  • September 19, 2024

I see your point Nuke, but i never use DD with utility bills. I dont trust any of them.  The only DD i have is for my TV licence.

But i have to mention that OVO only started these emails  in the last 6 months.  I’ve been with them a few years, and i’ve not changed anything in my particular account at all since i got thrown over to OVO when SSE kicked out loads of customers.

So why its happening now is a mystery.  I’m also on a 2 year fixed tarrif  which they offered customers a few months back, and opted in.

I’m going to phone them again. I’ll voice a stronger opinion next time.

Nukecad
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  • NukecadPlan Zero Hero
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  • September 20, 2024
JeffJeff wrote:

But i have to mention that OVO only started these emails  in the last 6 months. 

So why its happening now is a mystery.

 

I think that change is probably to do with ofgem tightening up the advice/rules on credit balances last March.
Whilst about credit balances it probably changed how things are now done for debit balances as well.

I thought that you had to pay by DD to be on the 2-year fixed tariff, but must admit that I prefer  a one year fix so hadn’t really looked at the 2-year.

 

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Blastoise186
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  • Blastoise186Plan Zero Hero
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  • September 20, 2024

I’m on the 2-Year Fix - it does require a DD. AFAIK all of OVO’s Fixed Tariffs require one.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
J
Carbon Cutter*
  • JeffJeff
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  • 3 replies
  • September 20, 2024

I just double checked. Yes i’m on a 2 year fixed but not paying by  DD.  Still take readings, wait for amount to update, then pay.

 

I should probably ignore these neg balance emails  and just delete them. 

Shads_OVO
Retired Moderator
  • Shads_OVO
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  • 466 replies
  • September 20, 2024

Hi @JeffJeff,

 

I’m sorry to hear this. 

 

It seems our forum volunteers have already given some good advice here. Hope it has been helpful.

 

 

 

 

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