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Looking for a bit of advice on how to proceed.

 

I’m an existing dual fuel OVO customer. My garage is not connected to my house, I can’t share services between the two buildings.

I have got National Grid coming to do a new feed install, they have given me the MPAN for me to get my supplier to put a meter on.

I have followed the guides here about registering for a second account with the same email however it doesn’t allow me to do so, it just changes my password for my primary account. If I try and use the + feature in a gmail email I get the account creation email through but then can’t register because I don’t have an account number for this new account.

I also can’t progress via the online system to book the install with the original or the new email as once I enter in my details it tells me I’m not eligible for a smart meter (because I already have a smart meter registered at that address - the existing home meter).

I have spoken to the new connection team, the person I spoke to initially had issues but after a short peroid on hold told me she would fill out a new connection form for me and gave me a timeline of 12-28 working days.

That was done earlier today apparently, and I’m due an email which I haven’t received yet.

What I’m looking for is some feedback that everything is actually in hand because as of right now I have no reference to the new meter and no method of tracking the order/request.
I’d also like further guidance on how I can get this 3rd meter added to my existing account (or at least a second account registered to the same email).

On my call with OVO earlier there was no discussion of tariffs or anything, does that come later?

All in all a little confusing for what I thought was a simple request - “I have a new feed in my garage, please put a meter on it.”

It sounds like you’ve begun the necessary process but as a public forum, no one here can access your account so you will need to await/confirm via customer support and the connections team

Here's a similar situation 


Apparently my request was rejected but OVO didn’t have the decency to inform me.

 

The person from the new connections team I spoke to just now was incredibly rude, apparently OVO are incapable of helping me, which I find bizarre.

 

Because I have a existing account with them they can’t install a new meter for me on this new feed, I asked if they could create a new account for me for this connection and was told “no”.

 

I am at a loss as to why this is so difficult to achieve, I want to give OVO business but they don’t seem to want it?

 

Do any staff lurk here at all or is this purely customers.


Hi @lookeh ,

Bear with me. I will escalate this to Forum Moderators - this may take a little time so please hang in there.

Got a second @Bradley_OVO @Chris_OVO @Emmanuelle_OVO ?


Thank you very much.


Hey @lookeh 

 

I’m sorry your request for a new connection was rejected, I can understand how frustrating this must be. I'm not an expert in this field I would advise finding out more from the team why you having a current account would affect your ability to proceed with this. I imagine there’s some technicality attached to this scenario. You can contact the team on 0330 303 5063. 

 

Please keep us posted with how you get on.

 

 

Is a new connection needed?

 

If you have a supply number already (MPAN for electricity, MPAN for gas) and a meter attached, you already have a new connection and you can switch via the normal way online (when available).
 

Are you a domestic customer?

  • Are you a domestic customer who will be living at the property
    • If no: we can only offer a new connection to domestic customers who'll be living at the property. 
    • If yes: continue to the next section below

 

Request a new connection

  1. We’ll need to have a check that you have the supporting infrastructure in place (as we'll only be joining the meter to the connections):
    • Electricity: cabling from the mains should already be on site
    • Gas: pipework from the gas main in the street should be on site
  2. If the main connections are available, our Support team can request a new connection from our operations team.

 

What you should know

  • We'll complete a few checks and confirm the date for an engineer visit
    • Please look out for this and contact us if the date isn't suitable
  • If we arrive and can't complete the new connection, we'll let you know why and next steps needed to resolve the issue
  • We'll install smart meters by default, and they'll be in pay monthly (credit/PAYM) setting
  • If you want a prepayment (PAYG) meter, we'll:
    • Install as pay monthly first
    • Check the meters are working correctly (this is so we don't leave you without supply at any time during the settling period)
    • Switch them to a PAYG tariff and account
    • Add any debt accrued in the PAYM setting, set at a repayment rate aligned with our current processes

Hi @Emmanuelle_OVO 

The automated tools to allow me to process a new connection do not work, because this is a new supply at my garage (doesn’t have it’s own registered address) when I select my address from the list it tells me I’m not eligible - because as far as the system is concerned I already have a meter at this address.

The call centre also had the same issues so resorted to filling out the form to send to the operations team who apparently rejected it, I found this out when I called back to check progress after 6 days (I did not receive any email or phone contact from OVO to declare this).

The agent I spoke to from New Connections on the second occasion told me “I can submit this form again but there is no point as it will get rejected again”. He submitted it anyway.

I’d suggest this is because my request has been associated with an existing account which is flagged as already having an electric meter?

As I wrote in my original post, none of the guides on the OVO website for creating second accounts and associating them with a main account using the same email address work, maybe they are historical articles that used to work but currently all they do is reset my password for my existing account.

I asked the second new connection agent about the reason for the rejection and if there was a way he could speak to the operations team or add some notes to the order. He claimed he has no contact with them and all he can do is submit forms.

I have spoken to the customer care team again today, I’m waiting a few days for the result of this second new connection form, I’m not sure how much of this is automated but I feel this could quite easily be resolved with manual intervention.


I’m wondering if that may be part of the stumbling block?

As this is a seperate garage that we are talking about then you will not be ‘living at the property’.


Good spot, I can see how it could read that way.

I’d be more inclined to think it’s a landlord disclaimer so ensure it is the end user who owns the service and not a landlord marking up the cost of the bill (amongst other issues this could cause).

The garage is noted on the deeds and land registry as being a part of the same plot/address despite the distance between the two locations.

Based off conversations I’ve had with OVO I’m still leaning towards their automated systems seeing that the main house already has an electric smart meter so further requests to install another meter at the same “address” are just auto rejected.


It sounds like a very frustrating experience. If you’re unhappy with the explanation you’ve been given by the team, there is always the option of raising a complaint

 

 


Hey @lookeh,

 

I have a member of our engineering team who wants to take a look at your account/case so we can get a steer from new connections why this can’t be done. I sent you a private message so we can take a few details to look into this further. If you get the chance to drop me a message back we’ll do some digging 😊


Thank you @Chris_OVO I have messaged you back.

To update the thread, I took your advice @Emmanuelle_OVO and raised a complaint regarding the way I was spoken to by the new connection agent. The person from the customer support team behaved in a far more appropriate way.

I was told during the course of that process to expect contact regarding the outcome of the second request in a few days, we're heading into the 5th day now and haven't received an email or call (excuse my skepticism but I'm not holding my breath).

Hoping Chris and his contact can pull something out of the bag.


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