Submitted meter reading wrong, I put some of the numbers the wrong way round - how to get it fixed?

It's two months since I flagged up my September bill where day and night meter readings swapped over. I was charged £388 for a single day use of electricity because of it. It still has not been sorted out. I have escalated it to a complaint now. If they were to put the £388 back into my account while they sort out the problem!!!! I'll give them one month from now to sort it out and if it is not sorted by then, I'll take the matter to the energy ombudsman. 

Hey @KazW,

I’m glad that this issue is being sorted out for you.

Please don’t be worried to switch your heating on! Your account will be re-billed and in the meantime has been put on a billing suspension for 3 months while they sort it out. 

@shaship I’m really sorry to hear this. You say put £388 back in your account, if you are referring to an increased direct debit which was taken from your bank you can file an indemnity claim and your bank will return this payment. If you are referring to an incorrect bill due to transposed readings (the day and the night reading switching over) it sounds like you’ve raised this to the right team. The meter readings will be corrected and the account will be re-billed. 

As it’s been quite a long period of time, I’d call Support on 0330 303 5063 and ask for an update and timeframe. If you are unhappy with the response there is always the option to raise a complaint. You will need to go through our Complaint Process before you can raise the issue to the Ombudsman. 

Hope this helps. 

@Emmanuelle_OVO the other problem I have on my bill is that for the last few weeks I've been charged £20 Plus which is for heating. My problem with this is that I have no heating on!! The main heating we have it is storage heaters which I have not switched on. Instead we are using a portable Calor Gas heater and that does not use any electric!! Spoke to someone in length this morning but he had no idea why this is happening! It isn't for hot water because that shows up separately to heating. My meter readings have been the wrong way round since April so I don't feel like I'm getting very far. 🙁

If you’re looking at this type of message and seeing an amount for Heating which doesn’t make sense, take no notice. It’s only a guide, mine is wrong… I don’t use gas to heat hot water but that’s what it’s saying !!

I have suddenly had over £300 deducted from my account? Apparently OVO have messed up my meter readings in November? All was ok up to the 20th to the 22nd November when you reversed my day and night meter readings which resulted in my daily electricity reading jumping from around £3.00 for the day to over £300 for that day! How do I get my account re credited!

Hi @Drewm9991 no one here has access to your account but readings do self correct so if you can get the readings updated your account should be back as it should be. 

The account had the same problem yesterday and it took nearly 30 mins for the billing department to rectify the problem and refund the money back into my account, but on checking my account this afternoon it had done it again? Unfortunately the lady at customer service’s wasn’t helpful at all and just kept saying I’ll have to wait 3 days for it to be looked into! Not happy at all!

Hey @Drewm9991,

Sorry for the issues you’re having, 

As frustrating as this is, luckily it’s usually a straight forward issue to resolve. 

If it exceeds the 3 day timeframe I’d advise contacting Support back. 

Keep us posted with how you’re getting on. 

Unfortunately, @Emmanuelle_OVO I share @Drewm9991 experience and consequently, I am deeply frustrated, upset, and worried.

My 2017 installation smart meter's peak and offpeak readings were similarly incorrectly transposed on 21st November 2022 after two sets of electricity readings were taken during what I assume was an upgrade to my meters software (a “Final read of old meter set up” was cited in my online November 2022 statement). I have taken screenshots  of everything as evidence in the event that the information changes.

This transposition has resulted in a daily consumption charge of £648.02 that was recently deducted from my account without notification of a recently revised November statement that contradicts an earlier November statement and Ovo's monthly billing notification email.

Like @Drewm9991, I also contacted Ovo customer services by phone twice (I have a case number). Initially, the money was refunded and a new November statement issued but the following day the money had been taken again. As a result of my second customer service call, my case was passed to “Tech Ops” on 30th December 2022 and I now have “No time frame” for a resolution and have to await their email response.

In the meantime, in response to the overcharge, Ovo are advising me to increase my direct debit to account for the £648 they deducted from my account but actually owe me.  Fortunately, my account was in credit so I am not in debt to Ovo. However, if I was in debt, I wonder whether Ovo would passively accept my informing them that I'd settle but was unable to provide a time frame for settlement?  Perhaps I might expect letters from Ovo or a debt collection agency and a forced prepayment meter installation?

I have raised a complaint with customer services and have its reference number. I  hope that the issue is resolved soon rather that dragging on for eight weeks, at which point, I intend to contact the ombudsman to complain and to seek a resolution.

Given that Ovo didn't notify me of the revision to my November 2022 bill, I wonder whether other Ovo customers have encountered similar problems or might be unaware of the error?

Hi GwenllianP

I have finally got to the bottom of the meter readings being reversed??? Apparently I have a 1st generation meter which was updated to 2nd generation around the 21st November to bring it in line with a government policy so it is updated to show something called DCC?? During the update something went wrong which resulted in the meter readings being reversed?? I have had my account amended twice now but when the meter readings are updated the following day the account balance is once again deducted in my case by over £300! I have been told that I have to perform a Load test which means I have to take two meter readings and take a picture which includes the meter/serial number and the meter reading at least 4 hours apart! I have been advised to take one at 9am and then one at 1pm! Email those pictures back to customer service so they can pass the pictures onto the metering department so they can see which meter number is active during the day! With this information they can then update the meter again to rectify the problem! The worrying thing is the email I received back from the lady who I spoke to said it can take 47 days for the issue to be resolved??? Crazy!