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Why am I being forced to change my Direct Debit?

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juliamc
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Hold on @Ceri - I’m just another customer ! I’m sorry I haven’t got to the bottom of this yet. 

It’s VERY possible that what I’m saying about the Future Annual Consumption figure is relevant for your query, please don’t bite my head off !!!

I don’t work for OVO 

C
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Sorry I thought you did lol. 

Jeffus
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Sorry I thought you did lol. 

The people who work for OVO all have _OVO in their name.

There are a few of us that are just customers that quite regularly post like @juliamc  if we think we can help so you will see some common names pop up on the forum regularly.

Hope that helps 

juliamc
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For some reason unknown to me the Future Annual Consumption figure isn’t on the OVO App (not anywhere I’ve found) it’s only on the MyOVO web account, on your Plan Details. As you’ve been moved from SSE to OVO it’s highly likely that the system has bumped up your expected figure from the one SSE had.

You can look back at your SSE bills and find (on page 3 I think) a figure called Estimated Yearly Use or something similar. If you compare that to the Future Annual Consumption that OVO are using and there’s a wild difference then that’s where your problem lies.

I’d be interested to know these two numbers too!! 

If I’m wrong and it’s something else we’ll try and identify it. No promises though !!

Jeffus
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For some reason unknown to me the Future Annual Consumption figure isn’t on the OVO App (not anywhere I’ve found) it’s only on the MyOVO web account, on your Plan Details. As you’ve been moved from SSE to OVO it’s highly likely that the system has bumped up your expected figure from the one SSE had.

You can look back at your SSE bills and find (on page 3 I think) a figure called Estimated Yearly Use or something similar. If you compare that to the Future Annual Consumption that OVO are using and there’s a wild difference then that’s where your problem lies.

I’d be interested to know these two numbers too!! 

If I’m wrong and it’s something else we’ll try and identify it. No promises though !!

There are a couple of things missing on the app, this being one of them.

Basically i would direct people to the website for most queries 😊

C
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You are correct in what you are saying, but I went on chat with ovo and it has at last been sorted as someone can see the small amount of usage. I shall now pay when I receive bills not DD as too easy for them to alter this. Also had my usage noted on the account. Thank you very much for your interest.

Ceri.

juliamc
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Oh !! That’s great news !! I’m glad that’s done.🙌🏻

R
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      I just received an email from OVO a couple days ago. It said that the estimated cost would be higher so I need to either 1) adjust my DD account so that I pay £195 instead of the agreed £165.82, or 2) make a one time top-up payment of £371.96 so that my account will not be in debt at the end of contract.
 
       Now I have a couple questions would like to ask :
 
1) According to the bill that I received, it says that my actual usage would only need to pay an amount of £132.47. But since the agreed amount is £165.82, I was finally collected by OVO an amount of £165.82 from my bank account. So, there was a difference of £33.35. May I know if this amount would be credited back to me next month?
 
2) Based on OVO's recent estimation, the cost until my current 12-month billing would be £2,527.62, instead of the previous £2,155.66, and so I need to increase my DD to £195, or pay
a top-up amount of £371.96.
 
    Now may I ask the following :
 
    2.1) Based on what kind of evidence that my usage will be finally need to pay this £2,527.62? The calculation is just a simple equation without any explanation.
    2.2) I just paid the bill for one time only (and is already more than the actual amount I used), how come that OVO can know that I will be in debt at the end of my contract? Please
give me an explanation on this.
    2.3) According to the attached bill that OVO sent to me, my usage only needs to pay £132.47. If I will be in debt at the end of the contract, then what is the meaning and usefulness of this bill? Please, may I know this?
 
      This make me shocked and confused for many days and I was unable to contact your staff (the phone line always say that it is busy).
 
Please help, thanks!
Ringo
R
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I'm beyond frustrated with this forced adjustment to my direct debit, the reasoning apparently being that they project I'm going to more than double my useage (both gas and electric) over winter. Except I've been with OVO literally a few months and every single month I've been using half the average household's energy. 

 

They literally predict I'm going to use more energy in June than I am this month (because there's no way to bs about my actual useage so far this month!), it makes no sense. Plus I'm forced to try and argue my point over a badly designed chat system during work hours…

 

How the hell do I remove this forced increase?

juliamc
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If you can stand it for a bit longer try submitting meter readings weekly so the system sets your usage lower than it appears to be doing now. If you have a smart meter then that’ll happen gradually anyway and eventually it’ll settle into a correct dd pattern.

Blastoise186
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Also, if you have a Smart Meter, try asking OVO to set it to Half-Hourly Readings to help it get the most accurate data in. This will accelerate the process of repairing your DD way faster than Monthly readings can!

If you still think the increase is wrong, call OVO’s Collection Team on 0800 069 9831 and request a Direct Debit Review Suspension, which lasts three months.

If you absolutely cannot stand paying by DD and don’t have the patience to wait a few months for things to fix themselves properly, your only option is to pay on-demand, but this will cost you at least another £200 a year.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
R
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It's already doing daily readings from what I can see, how do I increase the frequency? Can't see an option to increase it at all.

 

I'll give the collections team a call

Blastoise186
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OVO can change the settings for you. OVO is happy to explore making it self service though.

If you’d like to see that happen, upvote this idea. :)

 

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
S
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I’ve been with OVO a few years now and am £450 in credit, despite this they have increased my Direct Debit. I’ve tried to get it reduced but they’re only willing to reduce it by 15% unless I speak to the collections department (I’m not struggling to pay the bill).

Very frustrating. I’m not sure why I’m being treated like a pre-payment customer and I can’t just pay for what I use?

 

 

juliamc
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Ooh, @Sunelectric if you’ve been with OVO some years you’ll get interest on your credit balance (of up to £1000), not massive but more than you’ll get in a bank.

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hey @Ringo Cheung,

 

Welcome to the OVO Online Community.

 

If you’re on the variable tariff, your rates would have increased significantly in April and again in October. So your direct debit would be adjusted based on the increased rates.

 

At this point in the year, if you pay by direct debit we’d expect your account balance to be in credit. This is because the direct debit is an average for throughout the year. So your additional credit you build up over the summer months will pay for your extra consumption over winter. 

 

If you log into your Online Account, you’ll be able to see the exact formula which works out your direct debit. We have a great tutorial on this topic:

 

 

 

We have a live billing system so whenever you submit a read or we get a reading from your smart meter your account balance will update accordingly. If you haven’t submitted a read for a while, I'd advise doing so or your account balance will be based on estimates. 

 

 

If you’d rather pay higher bills in winter and have a refund of your credit you can do so if you’re on the Simpler Variable Tariff. But if you are on a fixed plan you pay monthly in advance so you’d need to keep one months direct debit in the account as credit. Here is a helpful guide on how to do so:

 

 

Hope this helps.

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
Emmanuelle_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hey @Sunelectric,

 

Sorry for the issues you’re having. 

 

If you’re on the Simpler Variable tariff, the direct debit is worked out over the year so it may be due to the significant price increase in April and again in October. We are also about to enter the winter period. The direct debit review tool on the Online Account will tell you exactly how your direct debit is calculated:

 

 

You can contact the Collections Team and ask for your direct debit to be put on hold for the next 3 months, meaning they won’t review or increase it for that period. You can opt to go onto the Simpler Variable on demand, with this plan you can pay on receipt of the bill but it’s more expensive. You also have the option of getting a refund. We have a great guide about this topic here:

 

 

Hope this helps. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
L
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Iv only been with Ovo since being moved from SSE and there a nightmare! You cant speak to a human unless your willing to wait 191 in a queue!  I live alone I'm disabled and on UC and today they raised my Direct Debit to£175  that could put me in arrears! So had no alternative had to cancel direct debit they say they want to help how is that helping me!

M
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@Lesley57 

I’d advise not to cancel your direct debit - it will increase your prices approximately 8.6%.

Better to use the Direct Debit guarantee to reclaim any incorrect debits - contact you bank to instantly reverse any unjustified debits.

However, prices this winter will be double those of last winter and that has to be reflected in billing and Direct Debits.  The issue then comes down to whether your Direct Debit has been correctly computed.  Your disability and Universal credit status might be factored in by OVO, although I doubt it.  Is the forecast of your consumption correct, and are the prices used correct?

Eon and EDF customer. Don't think smart meters are worth the expense.
L
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I would rather hold on to my money and save up enough for payments than let them hold on to it

Blastoise186
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You may want to talk to the job centre and OVO about Fuel Direct as well. It’ll likely help you out.

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

Hey @Lesley57,

 

Sorry about the issues you’ve had.

 

It’s a really stressful time and I’m sorry to hear of your concerns. I’d advise contacting our Collections Team if the direct debit is too high.

 

Have you heard of OVO’s Customer Support Package? 

 

 

I’d also advise getting added to the Priority Services Register if you aren’t already.

 

@meldrewreborn has made some good points here, it is more expensive to pay on receipt of the bill. Unfortunately prices have increased significantly since last winter. 

 

@Lesley57

I’d advise not to cancel your direct debit - it will increase your prices approximately 8.6%.

Better to use the Direct Debit guarantee to reclaim any incorrect debits - contact you bank to instantly reverse any unjustified debits.

However, prices this winter will be double those of last winter and that has to be reflected in billing and Direct Debits.  The issue then comes down to whether your Direct Debit has been correctly computed.  Your disability and Universal credit status might be factored in by OVO, although I doubt it.  Is the forecast of your consumption correct, and are the prices used correct?

 

Hope this helps. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
T
Rank
Userlevel 2

Hi,

I'm feeling very stressed as, having only increased my direct debit yesterday, there is what looks like a generic note on my online account info to say that this increase does not look like it will cover their projections (which have already HALVED on a couple of months ago!) and a further minimum of £40 is required on an account which was and is in credit! They seem to be implying that unless I do this, it will be done automatically. This is all truly very intimidating.

As a pensioner, living with the chronic condition of M.E. which requires a constant, not high, temperature, so that my precious energy is not lost by adjusting to fluctuating temperatures, I'm afraid I find this approach unacceptable. Stress exacerbates my condition also and this is proving extremely stressful. Frankly, I feel bullied. Surely this is not how OVO want their loyal customers, indeed any customers, to feel? 

Any suggestions?

Thanks! 🙏

juliamc
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Userlevel 7
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Hi @Technophobe As a start to answer your question How accurate are ‘projections’?, it’s important that your meter readings are accurate. Do you have a smart meter ? If not, are you sending regular meter readings ? They, along with your Future Annual Consumption figure, are used to calculate your Direct Debit. 

T
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Userlevel 2

Yes I have a smart meter and having just checked my readings have been successfully received and I have nothing to do. My account is in credit and will run over next Spring and Sunmer when it is likely to be even more in credit. I object to what reads as threatening communication a day after I have increased my direct debit. Is it worth writing to Customer Services?

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