You need to wait for OVO to get in touch. The replacements are being worked on and you’ll be informed as soon as they’re ready.

Hey @cathycush 

Like one of our volunteers has already mentioned, we’re actively working on a replacement and we’ll be in touch with all customers who need a replacement when we’ve got more information on the replacement. We’ll also update all related topics on the Forum when we know more.

We’ve got lots of other topics on this matter that may also be interesting to you:

Hope this helps.

I’ve considered my latest response again for this thread.

In my personal view, the easiest way to get off of THTC remains the same as what I’ve previously posted. The least messy option is to upgrade to THTC enabled Smart Meters first and then change the tariff later if you’re eligible.

You MIGHT be able to do it the other way round, but I make no promises as to how much pain you’ll experience with trying to so do.

Interesting approach to customer service here…

• Case raised after initial communications got nowhere - but no response from Ovo
• Complaint raised due to no response to Case - no Ovo response to Complaint either

So… Ovo’s approach to Customer Service seems to be head-in-the-sand denial coupled with studied incompetence.

Leaves quite an impression., wouldn’t you agree?

That’s not what I’ve ever experienced - ALL of my attempts to get in touch have always been answered rapidly.

Hi @monster9,

I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t heard back from the team about your complaint. Have you tried speaking with our Support Team about this? They would be your first port of call as they will be able to access your account and give you an update. Sadly, we don’t have account access here so we would be limited in how to support you. 

If you are emailing the team also check your spam folder in your emails as occasionally responses can land in there out of sight! 

Let us know if you get this resolved. 

Thank you for your advice to contact the Support Team.
So far, I’ve been waiting >25 minutes for someone to respond to Webchat.

You asked me to let you know if I get this resolved. It is not resolved. What do you propose?
 

Transcription of Webchat conversation with Ovo Support today…

I am chasing for an update on Case Number r…] Nothing has happened since the case was raised on 28-Feb. I subsequently emailed a complaint to complaints@ovoenergy.com on Mon 25/03/2024. I have had no reply other than the stock automatic email reply, which states that your “aim is to reply in no later than 2 working days”. I have had no reply. There is nothing in my Spam folder. Where are we with this?

I'm sorry about that. Bear with me while I have a quick look through your account, please.

I'm so sorry we may not be able to change your meter at the moment. We are currently experiencing some complications with upgrading, changing or removing multi rates meters Please bear with us as our technical team are working on a fix.

What is the problem removing my multi-rate meter?

We are having issue with removing multi rate rates meter. Our customers we've done this for are having issue with their bills skyrocketing and different complications with their meter set up. To avoid such complications, we've pended this so we can find solutions to avoid a similar situation from reoccurring.

What is Ovo's timeline for resolving this issue?

So, in summary, Ovo has introduced problems in changing customers meters and, at present, has no solution to offer. At worst, it will take them a further 20 months to remedy. In the meantime, Ovo customers on multi-rate meters cannot change to smart meters and enjoy all the benefits they bring.

Preventing customers from changing to smart meters and thereafter potentially changing supplier is surely anti-competitive practice and illegal?

The date of “end of 2025” is interesting given the RTS turn-off is expected March 2025. How will Ovo deal with customers reliant on RTS between March 2025 and end-2025, if the solution is not delivered before RTS turn-off?

Ombudsman next?

Hi @monster9, 

We have a team working on this, but they don’t have a resolution yet. Once a solution has been agreed you will be contacted directly to arrange an upgrade to your meter. The team knows all the affected members' accounts and will contact you as soon as it’s possible. 

The current OFGEM advice is “Your electricity supplier will contact you to arrange an upgrade to your meter and replace it with a smart meter. We expect them to manage this process before 30 June 2025” There is still plenty of time available before the shutdown, so the only advice we can offer is to sit tight while the team works on a fix.

I’m sorry we don’t have anything further to share at this stage, but keep an eye out for updates to the forum. As soon as we know more, we will update any threads related to this with our most up-to-date information. 

To answer your question about going to the Ombudsman, I’m unsure whether they are currently taking cases relating to this. It’s been a widely publicised date for the RTS shut off, affecting all suppliers. OFGEM is presently monitoring this, and they know that it’s more of a widespread issue than a specific issue regarding any select few customers. You are welcome to reach out to them and ask for their position on how they’re handling cases. 

This is NOT an OVO-specific problem - it’s an industry-wide problem. OVO merely inherited it when they took on all former SSE customers. The entire industry is trying to fix the mess, but OVO is one of only two large suppliers - the other being Octopus - who had nothing to do with creating the mess in the first place.

The Energy Ombudsman will probably not make a ruling to force OVO to replace THTC Meters at this time.

Update from my original post 

Octopus have now installed a new meter into my neighbours house. 
However I contacted other neighbours who are with Octopus and their smart meters don’t work as they are unable to receive the signal leaving them all in dumb mode!! 

You use the term "dumb mode". I presume your neighbours can submit the reading monthly and this will generate their bills. I could live with that... it's what I'm doing just now.

We did advise you to wait...

Wait for what? I haven’t done anything. I’m just updating everyone on my neighbours situation 

So I had a engineer appointment for THTC meter removal on the 18th April, but said engineer failed to show!

Back to support team with the same mixed up excuses on why they can't remove THTC meter!

I have an email from my DNO saying there's no reason for OVO to refuse and that OVO should just do a logical meter disconnect.

It's most frustrating when according to my calculations if I was able to change supplier onto a 30min agile tariff I'd be averaging £0.11/unit....so for OVO to say bill's raising and customer care as a reason is very patronising.

Hardly that complicated.... Anderson block and perhaps some longer tails!

Don’t be so sure. We’ve seen a lot of different setups on the Forum over the years. Just because yours is simple, doesn’t mean everyone else’s is.

Yup - you have to ask yourself what incentive does Ovo have to rectify this issue quickly given they’ll potentially lose a large no. of customers the moment they do.

The incentive to migrate before the RTS Shutdown is obvious - customers heating/hot water would break if it’s not done.

As I’ve said before, be patient. This stuff is not an overnight job and has to be done right, NOT quickly.

It’s all very wall saying “be patient” if you’re not stuck with one of these meters and unable to switch providers or make use of more flexible tariffs that the likes of Octopus offer.  Every month that goes by is money needlessly being extracted from peoples pockets.  We’re not asking for special treatment here. We just want to be allowed to engage with the market the way everybody else is able to.

Unfortunately, it’s beyond OVO’s control - it’s an unfortunate design decision made 30+ years ago by engineers of the day and it’s one OVO - and the industry as a whole - is currently stuck with.

Until such time that the transmission and distribution networks get those much needed upgrades, THTC is here to stay - Smart Meters or otherwise - and I can’t guarantee you’ll ever get off of it.

What is the "unfortunate design decision made 30+ years ago" that might mean we may never be able to get of THYC?

Why do the transmission and distribution networks need to be upgraded to give us the same electricity that we are using at the moment? 

Because at the time THTC was developed, the networks and infrastructure simply didn’t have the capacity required to support the huge demand for electricity required by all the various heating appliances that consumers were trying to use - a problem that still somewhat exists to this day.

It was a “Quick Fix” solution to avoid having to spend several million pounds on infrastructure upgrades at the time. It just… Kinda stuck around for probably a lot longer than what may (or may not) have been originally intended.

Even now, capacity up in Scotland - especially the rural areas where THTC is common - just isn’t up to scratch with how things are basically everywhere else. Unless you’re on the Orkney Islands of course, where they’ve actually got too much super eco juice and not enough ways to get rid of it by sending it to the mainland. The 40MW interconnector cables between the Orkney Islands and the mainland just simply isn’t anywhere near enough to send all that extra power through - it’d need to be upgraded to 100MW+ (anyone got £250 Million spare?) and have an absolute ton more generation sources in order to power pretty much all the Scottish Highlands. Only then could you get super green eco juice to replace THTC with… But there’s a problem with that too.

Tom Scott explains it better than me though, so I’ll let him do the rest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UmsfXWzvEA

Then why do so many people who live around me have smart meters and access to great tariffs through other providers while I am stuck with OVO and a crappy rate in a THTC meter?