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Moving from SSE to OVO - I'm a manual payer, how often will I receive a bill with OVO?

  • 7 February 2022
  • 61 replies
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H
Rank

Hello

 

I hope you can help me.

 

We came to OVO from SSE at the end of December, when with SSE we had our bills quarterly. Each quarter SSE would email me asking for a meter reading, I would return the reading and SSE would send me a bill through the post that I would pay, job done.

 

At the end of December we  received  our end bill that was for  £540.51. I paid that bill by cheque, one cheque for £212.14 for the gas bill and £328.37 for the electric. 

 

I then received an email from OVO saying we were now going to be changed to monthly bills, this was done without any consultation with us. I then received an email asking for a meter reading which I gave on the 16th/17th of January.  

 

We had  still not received a bill by the 31st Jan  so I rang to find out when I would receive the bill. I also asked if we could go back to quarterly bills, I was told that OVO where keeping SSE customers on the same plans as they were on with SSE, I pointed out that we were on quarterly bills with SSE, that were paid by cheque, I was told it would be raised and given a case number.

 

I was then told the bill for January had been paid out of my credit, I was very confused. I went on line to find that there was an online bill for £274.74, but that we were in credit £53.63. I tried to explain that we couldn't be in credit, as I had paid the bill we were sent and nothing more, I was told  my account (and saw) that the account showed that I had made payments of  £212.14 on the 5th Jan and the £328.37 on the 18th Jan twice. No I haven't, I asked at this point to have paper bills as we used to have with SSE and I asked for the over payment  to be checked. The gentleman I was talking to went to check and we were  cut off. I rang back and spoke to someone else, I explained again and was told to check to see if the money had been taken out of our bank twice. This would have been impossible as we pay by cheque not standing order. 

 

The £328.37 has obviously been entered onto the account twice.

 

On the 1st February I received another email saying that I  would receive a statement on the 7th Feb which I could see on line. I just want a bill to pay. 

 

Today I find the account updated, but still not corrected.

 

So we would like help with

 

 Our bills put back to quarterly as with SSE

 

Paper bills so we can pay by cheque

 

A paper bill for the January  payment we still owe of £274.74

 

The over payment of £328.37 removed. 

 

Thank you

 

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Best answer by Jess_OVO 8 February 2022, 14:43

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Blastoise186
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Hey there @Helenpl !

Sorry for the trouble you’ve had there. I’m Blastoise186, one of the forum volunteers here. I’m afraid I can’t fix your issue myself as I’m not allowed to access your account. However, there’s actually a dedicated phone number for former SSE customers like yourself. Try 0345 0260 712 as that should get you straight through. That team is more experienced with this kind of query than the main Support Team are, so they should be able to figure this out.

I can also confirm that if you were with SSE and automatically migrated to OVO, you can retain the option of quarterly billing if you wish. While OVO defaults to monthly billing, your account comes under a grandfather rule allowing quarterly billing instead. The same is true for paper bills - except that this is an option OVO offers to all members.

Fixing your account may take a little time, so please be patient and hang tight during this process. If you feel like it’s getting nowhere, https://ovoenergy.com/feedback has details on what you can do to get things resolved.

If you need a hand again, please feel free to stop by.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
H
Rank

Thank you so much for your help Blastoise186. It’s nice to gat an helpful answer

 

Helenpl

Jess_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

Updated on 08/08/22 by Tim_OVO:

 

How to pay for your energy after moving to OVO Energy

 

Will you be able to pay your bill the same way you did with SSE? The simple answer is, yes!


If you paid by Direct Debit when you were with SSE, we’ll move it over and you can keep on paying the same way. The only difference is that, instead of separate Direct Debits coming out of your bank account for gas and electricity, we’ll combine them into one easy payment.

If you paid for your energy in arrears (On Demand) then you can keep paying by bank transfer, cheque, or by topping up your balance in your online account. Take a look at this handy guide for information about how to pay your bill.


You can activate your online account by entering your email address here. If you hadn’t registered an email address with SSE, we’ll ask you to confirm a few more details before you set your password. Here you'll be able to manage your Direct Debit, or pay your bill and set up a Direct Debit if you paid On Demand with SSE.



What will my bills look like when I’m with OVO?

 

Our bills may look slightly different here at OVO. Here's why…

 

We like to make sure things are clear and simple. So we combine electricity and gas into one easy-to-read monthly bill. Our designs and colours will also look a little different to what you’re used to.

 

 

I pay on demand. When will I get my first bill?

 

If we’ve told you that you’ll be billed every month, you’ll get your first bill around month 1. For everyone else, you’ll get your bill around month 3. You'll then get your following bills each month or 3 months around the same date. We’ll let you know when your bills will arrive before you move to OVO.

Information on how to pay your bill can be found on our Help Centre.

 

 

I receive SSE bills by post. Will this be the same with OVO?

 

Yes. When you move to OVO you’ll still get your energy bills by post every three months. To make life easier, we’ll also save a copy of your monthly bill in your online account, so you’ll have it to hand.

Activate your OVO online account to view your bills online - just enter your email address here. If you hadn’t registered an email address with SSE, we’ll ask you to confirm a few more details before you set your password.

 

 

I’m set up for paperless billing SSE. Will it be the same with OVO?

 

Yes, we’ll keep emailing you your bills. And you’ll be able to see them in your online account. 

 

If you haven't activated your online account with OVO, just enter your email address here. If you hadn’t registered an email address with SSE, we’ll ask you to confirm a few more details before you set your password. 

 

 

I paid by Direct Debit with SSE. Will it be the same with OVO?

 

Absolutely. We’ll take care of everything, so you won't need to set up a new Direct Debit. The only difference you’ll see is that if you’re a gas and electricity customer with SSE, we’ll combine your Direct Debits into one easy payment. And the Direct Debit will come from OVO Energy.

To keep your balance on track, please provide meter readings through your OVO online account or app as often as you like. Take a look on our Help Centre to see how it's done.

 

 

When will my Direct Debit be taken with OVO?

 

When you’re moving to OVO we’ll write to you to confirm the exact date of your Direct Debit. We’ll make sure it’s taken on a date that’s closest to when you’d usually pay SSE. This can be any day of the month excluding the 29th, 30th, or 31st.

 

 

What happens if there’s money left in my SSE account?

 

If your account is in credit, the money will be transferred to your new OVO Energy account. And if you have a balance to pay, this will also be transferred.

 

 

I pay On Demand and have received my final SSE bill, how do I pay?

 

To pay your final bill by credit or debit card please give our OVO team a call on 0345 072 9498 with your new 8 digit OVO account number. You'll find this on your final statement.

 

I used to billed quarterly with SSE - will that change? 

 

All quarterly billed SSE customers who join OVO will be switched to monthly billing, which means that instead of receiving four bills over the year (one every three months), you will receive a new bill generated each month based on your actual or estimated energy usage. 


 
Keeping tabs on energy usage and paying for it couldn’t be easier. Our customers have told us that they appreciate this method, as monthly billing prompts them to provide more regular meter readings and means that your monthly bill is more manageable than being billed for a quarter's worth of consumption in one go.  

 

We want to offer the best services to help our customers manage their energy usage based on accurate information spread out over the full year. 

 
We know from customers that monthly billing can help them with budgeting and to avoid spikes and bill shocks through being unaware of the amount they use, particularly over the colder winter months. 

 
The energy market has been turbulent for some time, with the Ofgem price cap being reviewed twice a year (soon to be four times a year) and wholesale gas prices increasing significantly in recent months. Monthly billing also allows us to monitor our members' usage and intervene sooner rather than later if they are experiencing difficulties. 

 

I'm struggling to pay my bills, can OVO help me?

 

We're here to help. If you're struggling to pay your bill or keep up with your monthly payments, give our friendly team a call on 0800 069 9831.

 

 

We’ve made a full list of FAQS about SSE customers joining the OVO family, see these FAQs here

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H
Rank

Thank you Jess, I have now had serval phone calls with the support team and have hopefully sorted out the bill problem. You were right on the fact we now have to pay monthly, some may find this easier, but one size does not fit all as they say. It makes life a bit harder for us, but as things stand now there is little we can do about it.  

Thank you for your help, have a good day

 

Helenpl 

R
Rank

The title says it all.
SSE was an excellent company. Their website made information about my account simple, billing was logical and it was straightforward to pay my bill quarterly or lob in some money in between the billing dates.
OVO is the opposite.
The website is confusing, for some reason I’m being billed monthly, I have no idea what I actually owe as the meter reading function keeps insisting I’ve made an error.
I absolutely and totally HATE this arrangement.
If there is an alternative electricity supplier then, for the first time in my life, I will give top priority to changing.
😡😡😡

Blastoise186
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Userlevel 7
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Hi,

Firstly, try submitting a meter reading using the automated system on 0330 303 5063. I’d also recommend talking to the team here to get your account fixed up.

It’s also worth noting that ALL suppliers are moving to Monthly Billing these days. You’ll be hard pressed to find someone doing Quarterly Billing and even if someone does the deal might not be as cheap.

You also still can make payments to OVO whenever you want - simply use the app, MyOVO or call 0330 303 5063 and use the automated system.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
Jess_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

Hi @RRK and welcome to the OVO online community,

 

I’m so sorry to hear of the issues you’ve had with your account since you joined us from SSE. As @Blastoise186 mentions, if you’re not able to get your meter readings submitted online, our Support Team are able to log these for you and double-check there’s no technical issues with your account which might explain why you’ve not been able to log them yourself.

 

As you mention, following your move we may have updated your billing schedule. There’s more details on why we’ve made this change on the thread above and some useful info on our live-billing platform in the guide below:
 

 

We hope this helps.

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M
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SSE was an excellent company. Their website made information about my account simple, billing was logical and it was straightforward to pay my bill quarterly or lob in some money in between the billing dates.
OVO is the opposite.
The website is confusing, for some reason I’m being billed monthly, I have no idea what I actually owe as the meter reading function keeps insisting I’ve made an error.
I absolutely and totally HATE this arrangement.
If there is an alternative electricity supplier then, for the first time in my life, I will give top priority to changing.
 

 

Completely agree, I have been with SSE for years and I HATE this arrangement as well, I’m getting no answers, have no idea how much electric I’m using, meter reading keeps saying error, askd me if I want to book a smart meter then says I can’t, what a complete disaster at the worst time,

Tim_OVO
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Userlevel 7

It’s so odd to hear about this ‘error’ message when trying to submit a meter reading. How annoying for you. Can you keep us updated if and when you do flag this to our Support team, in case others are affected?

 

I can appreciate that being asked to book a smart meter only to be told there’s no slots free currently is not a good experience. We do have a finite number of engineers but I’m not sure how dynamic our tool is, to know when to offer it vs when there are free lots in your postcode area. I would definitely recommend checking our availability every few weeks and getting a smart meter appointment booked in.

 

Jess_OVO wrote a great guide on OVO’s billing summaries for anyone new to OVO and new to the way our live billing works: 

 

 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
J
Rank

Our gas and electricity accounts have just been transferred from SSE to OVO.  I have just logged in to find that I cannot understand the way OVO shows the bills.  There is absolutely no information whatsoever.  Previously our accounts had two separate bills calculated every quarter.  Now all I can see is one account with only a daily rate charge and what looks it will be a monthly bill.  No explanation of what is gas or electricity and no way of seeing my previous bills.  I am a very senior citizen who is used to being able to download my bills and checking meter readings and calculations.  Why are we unable to do this with OVO?  And why can’t I have my bills quarterly as before????

Jess_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

Hi @jim.w. - Welcome to OVO and to our online community.

 

Some really important questions to ask now that your account has joined us from SSE. As outlined in our billing FAQs here:

 

What will my bills look like when I’ve with OVO?

 

Our bills may look slightly different here at OVO. Here's why…

 

We like to make sure things are clear and simple. So we combine electricity and gas into one easy-to-read monthly bill. Our designs and colours will also look a little different to what you’re used to.

 

As you mention you previously received these bills on a quarterly basis, it’s worth checking your OVO welcome pack as, depending on your payment method, we might have updated your billing frequency to monthly. We know from our existing members that monthly billing can help them with budgeting as it spreads their usage costs through-out the year. If you’d like to discuss this change further we’d encourage you to reach out to our dedicated Migration Support Team on 0345 0260 712.

 

Sounds like you’ve already managed to get logged in to your new OVO online account to check out your current billing period. We use a live-billing platform here at OVO. This means that we calculate your charges on a daily basis, deducting your standing charges as they are accrued. If you have a smart meter that’s sending us daily meter readings we’ll also adjust your usage charges daily too. You’ll still get a summary of these charges which is sent out at the end of each billing period and can be downloaded by heading to the ‘billing history’ menu option. You can find out more about this live-billing model in the guide below:
 

 

Hope this helps explain the changes to your account billing. 

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J
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Sorry Jess but this gives me no joy at all.  First of all I can’t see any of my previous bills with SSE which apparently I am supposed to see.  I can’t see my gas or electricity bill only a daily charge. of so many pence.  My billing history just says no information available.  I really don’t want my bills combined.  I don’t want a monthly bill, I prefer my usual quarterly bill.  I was quite happy with SSE who gave us a perfect service.   Now things have changed and I feel I have no control over my account where there is no information at all.

J
Rank

Forgot to say Jess ………………….  we have never received an Ovo Welcome Pack.   We don’t have a smart meter because we are in a block of four so on a loop.   Getting a smart meter will cause too much disruption to the other three flats, two of which have refused to participate anyway.  Therefore we should continue receiving a quarterly bill with meter readings, calorific values and calculations as before .   We have never been advised that procedures would be different.

Jess_OVO
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Userlevel 7

I’m so sorry to hear that you’re yet to receive your OVO welcome pack, @jim.w..

 

This understandably hasn’t helped you prepare for any upcoming changes since your account joined us. As you also mention not having any visibility of your ‘Billing history’ I’m wondering whether the migration of your account is still ongoing. I’d recommend getting in touch with our Support Team, who can have a closer look at your account to check everything’s as it should be. The quickest way to get in touch with the team is often via our webchat which you can access here.

 

I hope this helps get things back on track.

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S
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Userlevel 1

I am also in dispute with OVO over this. I was an SSE customer paying quarterly for my paper bill, and was told that I would have to pay monthly now, and also have an ‘online account’. I am not happy at all and am not sure that it is even legal to change my terms and conditions like this. I am determined not to be bullied into having to submit meter readings every month and pay monthly. I officially submitted my complaint using the OVO complaints webform and they have now replied after *four weeks* to tell me that they cannot reply to my webform complaint submission as I ‘do not have an email account linked to my OVO account’. Unbelievable. I will wait until it gets to the 9 week stage and if they have not resolved this by then I will be contacting the Ombudsman. Really not impressed with OVO one single bit, and wish that I was still with SSE.

Jess_OVO
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I’m so sorry to hear about this response to your complaint, @scurrie42.

 

I appreciate you’ve been waiting some time to hear back so its frustrating that we weren’t able to get things escalated for you. If you’re not sure which email address is registered to your account or would like to discuss the change to your billing cycle directly with the team we’d recommend using our webchat option which you can find here.

 

I hope this helps get things back on track.

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S
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Userlevel 1

Thank you Jess. After some chasing around I finally managed to get my complaint escalated today. I was told that reverting back to the quarterly billing cycle that I had with SSE is not an option at all, I have therefore started to look for a new supplier and will be leaving OVO. As soon as I have this in place I will pay the monthly bill I was sent. Whoever made the decision to take on a large customer base of quarterly paying customers and force them to pay monthly has a lot to answer for.

Regards,

Stuart

Jeffus
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Badge +2

Thank you Jess. After some chasing around I finally managed to get my complaint escalated today. I was told that reverting back to the quarterly billing cycle that I had with SSE is not an option at all, I have therefore started to look for a new supplier and will be leaving OVO. As soon as I have this in place I will pay the monthly bill I was sent. Whoever made the decision to take on a large customer base of quarterly paying customers and force them to pay monthly has a lot to answer for.

Regards,

Stuart

Hi @scurrie42 sorry to hear that, i have found OVO pretty good generally and they have one of the highest trustpilot ratings of energy suppliers along with a couple of other suppliers. All i would say is be careful who you join as some have terrible reviews. I went from quarterly to monthly bills when i transferred from Scottish Power. It took some getting use to but i find it easier to budget now, along with my new smart meter installed by OVO. 

Have you found any suppliers offering new customers quarterly billing? I haven't seen any actual quarterly quotes recently but i may have missed it. There is plenty of out of date information on websites the last time i looked. 

Let us know how you get on in case it helps others. Be good to know which supplier you choose in case it helps others. 

Good luck whatever you choose. 

 

S
Rank
Userlevel 1

 

Have you found any suppliers offering new customers quarterly billing? I haven't seen any actual quarterly quotes recently but i may have missed it. There is plenty of out of date information on websites the last time i looked. 

 

Thank you Jess, I am still phoning round but EDF told me that I could have quarterly billing with them, so they are one option so far. I don’t want a smart meter, and there is no way that I am phoning OVO every single month with a reading. I long for the days when they came and read your meter, then you just got a quaretrly bill and paid it. It was so simple. Now it seems that they treat us as their employees and demand payment every month. Awful.

C
Rank

I am in total agreement with RRK. The SSE system of billing was clear and logical. As with scurrie42, I would question the change without my agreement.

At the beginning of this month I received an electricity bill with start and end readings estimated. Previously, with SSE, I could submit a correct reading via my telephone keypad and receive a revised bill.

Not so this time. Having gone through the rigmarole of identifying myself to the ‘helpline’, I informed the operative of the correct reading and requested a revised bill. This arrived a few days later and had the same estimated figures and charges as the first one.

Having called the ‘helpline’ again, I was told to ‘speak up’ (Nothing wrong with my phone- the problem was at the other end). I explained the situation but I don’t think the person on the other end was really prepared to listen. They then told me I owed half as much again. When I queried this, I was told that it was a cumulative figure from when the first bill was sent out. I asked how they could possibly know how many units I had used to date - to be told that this was an estimate (I don’t have a smart meter).

In addition I was asked to make a payment there and then, as there could be further action to recover the debt!

Before this disastrous transfer, SSE stated that customers who made payment on demand would be able to do so as normal. Not so! The Post Office cannot  accept payments for OVO. There is a Bank Giro Credit slip that says that this can be used to pay in at ‘your local Natwest branch’. Is that supposed to be a joke? Alternatively, you can go to a local PayPoint store. Is this another joke?

Many customers of SSE (and previously Scottish Hydro Electric) live in remote places, where the only access to cash or bill paying is a once a week Post Office. I would also point out that there are many people who do not use the Internet, do not use debit or credit cards and still use cash. They were still able to pay for their electricity to SSE. What are they supposed to do now?

 

I shall also be looking for a more satisfactory supplier. 

Jeffus
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I am still phoning round but EDF told me that I could have quarterly billing with them, so they are one option so far. 

 

@scurrie42 thanks for letting us know. 

How did EDF say the payments work? Is it you pay automatically by direct debit every quarter based on the actual bill amount? 

Is it just the case of giving EDF meter readings once every quarter via the website or over the phone? 

Jeffus
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +2

 

Many customers of SSE (and previously Scottish Hydro Electric) live in remote places, where the only access to cash or bill paying is a once a week Post Office. I would also point out that there are many people who do not use the Internet, do not use debit or credit cards and still use cash. They were still able to pay for their electricity to SSE. What are they supposed to do now?

 

I shall also be looking for a more satisfactory supplier. 

Hi @c.rushbridge

Let us know who you choose in case others are interested. Particularly what features you like. 

Good luck whatever you choose to do. 

C
Rank

Just been moved to OVO and used to pay quarterly and now can’t as it’s monthly. Was never told this in the first place and expected to find an extra £200 a month which isn’t an option. I don’t know what to do and it’s not fare that it’s expected with out any help or advice . 

Blastoise186
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Hi @CLC ,

It’s actually all stated in the welcome pack, did you not receive one by any chance?

I’m afraid quarterly billing is dead. 99% of the market appears to have dropped support for it and there’s no going back now. Monthly billing costs you exactly the same as quarterly billing does, just with more frequent payments to have spread the cost out.

That £200 increase is unrelated and could be down to underpayments in the past. You can dispute that with OVO here if you think it’s incorrect.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
C
Rank

My last quarter was only £377 with meter readings so it’s quite a jump  . Only got a letter stating  that OVO was taking over .

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