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Bri4life
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July 24, 2023
Solved

When is the best time to give my meter readings to avoid estimated bills?

  • July 24, 2023
  • 74 replies
  • 3896 views

Is it normal after submitting a meter reading on the 22/7/23 to be asked for another meter reading via the app and for it to be done ASAP?

New to Ovo after moving over from SSE

Best answer by Firedog

Updated on 23/07/26 by Ben_OVO

 

We’ve discovered (well @Firedog has) that if you send early on the day following it is used and not estimated

 

This ‘discovery’ was the result of one test on one day, so it’s hardly a recipe for guaranteed success. However, the thinking behind it was that a manual reading is recorded on the day it’s received, but when applied to bills, it’s treated as if it were entered at midnight. On the first day of the billing period, then, a reading submitted that day will be used both as the closing reading for the previous period and the opening reading for the current one.  If you try this for the next billing period, please come back and tell us whether it worked or not. 

[My experiment took place on a day when smart meter readings don’t make it - the first day of a quarter when tariffs change. There is just so much traffic on the smart meter network that day with every smart meter in the country having to be updated that there’s just not the bandwidth available for readings to get through to suppliers.] 

We’ll always bill you to a reading the day before the billing date. For example, if your billing date is the 25th of each month, we will bill from an opening read on the 25th of the month to a closing read on the 24th. In this case, the best time to give a read would be the 24th. if we don’t receive a reading that day, then an estimate will be generated based upon your previous actual readings.

 

We'd recommend having smart meters installed, as then you won’t need to submit reads, and won’t be billed to estimates.

 

 

74 replies

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
July 24, 2023

Not really @Bri4life unless the first one hasn’t logged correctly or the app hasn’t updated. You can check what’s recorded by looking at your meter readings 

https://account.ovoenergy.com/meter-readings

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
B
Rank 1
Bri4lifeAuthor
Rank 1
July 24, 2023

The reading I gave shows up, should I do it again?

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
July 24, 2023

The reading I gave shows up, should I do it again?

It won’t hurt if you do. The system updates daily anyway. They do ask for a reading at the end of the billing period if that might be a reason

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
D
Newcomer
Douglas 7253
Newcomer
July 24, 2023

They ask for a reading before the end of the month but end up estimating for the 1st of the next month anyway 

BPLightlog
Super User
BPLightlogSuper User
Super User
July 24, 2023

They ask for a reading before the end of the month but end up estimating for the 1st of the next month anyway 

We’ve discovered (well @Firedog has) that if you send early on the day following it is used and not estimated

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
D
Newcomer
Douglas 7253
Newcomer
July 24, 2023

Ha 😂 ha

Firedog
Super User
FiredogSuper UserSolved
Super User
July 24, 2023

Updated on 23/07/26 by Ben_OVO

 

We’ve discovered (well @Firedog has) that if you send early on the day following it is used and not estimated

 

This ‘discovery’ was the result of one test on one day, so it’s hardly a recipe for guaranteed success. However, the thinking behind it was that a manual reading is recorded on the day it’s received, but when applied to bills, it’s treated as if it were entered at midnight. On the first day of the billing period, then, a reading submitted that day will be used both as the closing reading for the previous period and the opening reading for the current one.  If you try this for the next billing period, please come back and tell us whether it worked or not. 

[My experiment took place on a day when smart meter readings don’t make it - the first day of a quarter when tariffs change. There is just so much traffic on the smart meter network that day with every smart meter in the country having to be updated that there’s just not the bandwidth available for readings to get through to suppliers.] 

We’ll always bill you to a reading the day before the billing date. For example, if your billing date is the 25th of each month, we will bill from an opening read on the 25th of the month to a closing read on the 24th. In this case, the best time to give a read would be the 24th. if we don’t receive a reading that day, then an estimate will be generated based upon your previous actual readings.

 

We'd recommend having smart meters installed, as then you won’t need to submit reads, and won’t be billed to estimates.

 

 

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 | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
    E
    Rank 1
    Ed Williamson
    Rank 1
    August 16, 2023

    My online account shows a “best date” for submission but then you always send me an email asking me to submit several days (5) earlier.

    BPLightlog
    Super User
    BPLightlogSuper User
    Super User
    August 16, 2023

    From a number of other users, we’ve seen that a submission before the end of a billing period results in an estimated final reading. 
    Most have been satisfied by submitting a reading early on the morning after the end of the billing period (which is generally the day after the suggested best date)

    Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
      A
      Rank 7
      awills61
      Rank 7
      September 4, 2023

      I know this has been asked before but I can’t seem to find a definitive answer anywhere. I’ve recently transferred to OVO from SSE and my first bill has just been generated. I entered manual readings on the 2nd of September, my billing period ends on the 2bd of the month, but I still get an estimated bill. Why? How do I get the system to use the readings I submit as the actual readings that should be used for the bill.

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