Trying (and failing) to get account information from OVO

  • 5 August 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 315 views
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I sent the following complaint about three weeks ago, with details of what I expect from OVO.

  • I have had no communication from OVO since my electricity supply was moved to OVO, other than from the Smart Home team
  • I have received no welcome pack
  • I have been told my tariff rates verbally, by Customer Service. But I have no official confirmation of that, by email, post, or in any other form.
  • I have been told by the smart home team that my supply from OVO started on 29-June-2023. However, my previous Octopus account shows no usage after midnight GMT on26-June-2023 (01:00 on 27-June-2023).
  • I have phoned your Customer Service number three times. The first two calls failed, because the calls were dropped while I was waiting for a response. The third time, I dropped the call after 70 minutes, mostly waiting for connection to your Resolutions team. As this was later in the day, I believe that there was probably because the call was left hanging at the end of the working day.
  • I have attempted to set up an online (MYOVO?) account. My understanding is that this is because I have been allocated an older account type, which is due to be migrated to the current system. This is apparently not expected to be complete by December. Why is this so. I have a new account. This is not the same as my previous account. I expect to be able to access my account online. I also expect access to my 30-minute electricity usage figures. If this is not corrected, I will be referring the complaint to OFGEN. The timescale for this started at 17:22 on 05 July 2023.

 

My expectations are that:

  • You will send me, by email, post, or any other reasonable medium, full details of my tariff.
  • You will confirm at what time my electricity supply from OVO started.
  • You will move my account to whichever of your systems allows me online access to my account.
  • You will provide me with my 30-minute electricity usage data, from the point at which my supply started. Online access to this data is my preferred solution,

 

I had an initial response from *Edited by Mod*, who I suspect is not a real person, promising immediate triaging, and a response within five working days,

Some time after this deadline, and after a reminder email, I had a phone call from a member of the Resolutions Team. Her suggestion was to say that I had been mis-sold, and to transfer me back to Octopus. Unfortunately, this is not an option, as I am contracted to be supplied by OVO, as part of the Neat Heat trial of a Zero Emissions Boiler.

She was totally unaware of the Smart Home Trials, so promis3ed to investigate, and return to me later.

I have had no contact since.

The frustrating thing is that this is a complete contrast with the OVO Smart Home Trials team, who have been really helpful throughout.

Has anyone any suggestions as to how I proceed.

My initial thought was to send a Subject Access Request to OVO, to get details of OVO’s dealings with me, including the half hourly meter data. Unfortunately, OVO seem to have a problem with this, and are being investigated by the Information Commissioner. I will probably send an SAR, in the hope that OVO will eventually respond. I will probably do this anyway.

Only 66 days until I can leave woeful OVO. Trialling Tepeo ZEB. 4kW Solar PV. KIA e-Niro with Zappi V1 charger. Eddi V2 Solar diverter. ZEB looks very good so far, OVO is a total disaster.

6 replies

Firedog
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Sorry, I can’t help with the lack of response from OVO. However, there are a few long-term customers who frequent these forums that may be able to help you get at least some of the information you’re looking for. To do that, we’d need some details from you.

  1. What type of meters do you have - make and model? It may be easiest just to post photos of them.
  2. Do you have an In-Home Display (IHD) paired with your electricity meter? If so, what sort? Again, a photo would help.
  3. Visit Switch your gas and electricity to OVO (ovoenergy.com) in a private browsing window (to ensure that there are no cookies to interfere). Enter your postcode and address and fill in the other details. If and when results appear (they don’t always - sometimes you’ll see just an invitation to call), click on the one you think applies to your current arrangement. Then click on the Tariff Information Label links to see the rates that apply. Note that these include VAT at 5%.

It may be possible to see the tariff that is being used on the meters and/or the IHD. The IHD may also make it possible for you to access your half-hourly data via a third-party application like Bright, which gets them from the DCC on your behalf. Showing us the meters and IHD would help us help you.

 

PS I submitted an SAR to OVO several weeks ago for a completely different reason. After confirming my email address, I’ve heard nothing, so I won’t be surprised if you don’t get anywhere either.

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA
Blastoise186
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Hmm… Setting this stuff to run via Transcend would probably fix all this. It’s effectively an automated system so once it’s set up, it wouldn’t even need anyone at OVO to do anything other than just sit back and sip coffee.

iirc it’s pretty fast so you can sometimes get the data package in a matter of hours.

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

Hey @Guinea Pig 42,

 

I’m really sorry for the bad experiences you've had,

 

You are entitled to raise a ‘subject access request’. You certainly should have received a welcome confirmation email which includes your tariff details. We don’t have access to your account here on the Forum but it sounds to me like something may have gone wrong with the sign up. I’d have assumed if a Welcome Letter had been created we could re-send that or manually attach it as a pdf.

 

I’ll ask Forum_Support to reach out and see if they can shed any more light on this. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
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Hi @Emmanuelle_OVO   @Firedog @Blastoise186 @Tim_OVO

Apologies everyone, I will get round to replying properly sometime. I’ve been a bit pre-occupied with other things, and what little time I’ve had left has been spent fighting OVO.

I do get a reasonable estimate of my electricity usage downloaded, as a by-product of my EV charger, so this will not leave me too shocked! I will however check out your suggestions, when I can.

The current state of play is that:

  • My electricity is definitely with OVO. Since 29th July.
  • I have had no welcome letter,
  • I have had no bills or statement.
  • I have had no written (email or anything else) information about my tariff
  • I have no Direct Debit in place.
  • I am not going to get online access to my data until at least December.

I have been through the complaints process and we have reached deadlock, so I am now in a position to refer this to the Energy Ombudsman.

I have also submitted a Subject Access Request  to get my data, and to attempt to find out how OVO has (mis)handled setting up my account, and why they can’t correct their error in putting me on an archaic account.

It is unfortunate that OVO is apparently totally unable to meet the Information Commissioner’s deadline by many months, so I will probably be online with before I get a response. However, I will inform the Information Commissioner if(when) OVO fails to meet its obligations.

BTW Emmanuelle, none of these comments are aimed at you or anyone connected with either the Forum, or the Smart Homes Trial. I have had nothing but useful help from all of you. You will have my complete support if you stage a Palace Coup!

Only 66 days until I can leave woeful OVO. Trialling Tepeo ZEB. 4kW Solar PV. KIA e-Niro with Zappi V1 charger. Eddi V2 Solar diverter. ZEB looks very good so far, OVO is a total disaster.
Abby_OVO
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Userlevel 6

Hey @Guinea Pig 42 

 

It’s always a shame when the Ombudsman needs to get involved but hopefully they come back to you soon with a resolution for everything. 

 

 

BTW Emmanuelle, none of these comments are aimed at you or anyone connected with either the Forum, or the Smart Homes Trial. I have had nothing but useful help from all of you. You will have my complete support if you stage a Palace Coup!

It’s really good to know we’ve been a helpful space during all of this! Do still keep us update with how things play out. 

Location: Electric Avenue
G
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Thanks @Abby_OVO 

I’m not sure that I can go to the ombudsman quite yet. I’ve had an email from one of the Advanced Resolution Team, which says that they are unable to reach a resolution.

However, I don't think this is the deadlock letter that I need to contact the ombudsman. I have requested a clarification,

I suspect that OVO may be dragging its heels, and wait until the eight week deadline on 30th August.

Sadly, I am left with the feeling that, because I am trialling a new type of boiler for OVO which commits me to stay with OVO for 12 months, OVO has no interest whatsoever in helping.

As far as I can tell, my smart meter data has not yet reached OVO, so the effort involved by your IT in closing my account, and re-opening, where it should have been, it in the current system, is minimal. This is just incompetence.

I’m left with the sad conclusion that the only way I am likely to get online data before December is if OVO collapses, and gets taken over by Octopus. Unless of course you and the Smart Home Trials team stage an uprising!

Only 66 days until I can leave woeful OVO. Trialling Tepeo ZEB. 4kW Solar PV. KIA e-Niro with Zappi V1 charger. Eddi V2 Solar diverter. ZEB looks very good so far, OVO is a total disaster.

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