- We installed an ASHP so no longer needed Gas and having solar panel as well we were also not using gas during the summer months for hot water.
- Our gas supply was disconnected through Ovo in September 2022 at a cost of £160 taken from our online account which we pay by DD (gas & electricity).
- In December I received our statement and we had been charged for using Gas, estimated reading even though I gave a final reading (I also have a photograph of the removed meter).
- I call Ovo to inform them but as a long standing customer I am on their old system (Apollo) and so the automated account recognition to the call centre does not work and when connected to an agent I am then transferred, put on hold, transferred again until someone can eventually access my account.
- In December the service agent told me that there was nothing that they could do about the charges and that “a case” needed to be raised which would take 32 days to be responded to regarding my account charges for gas. I queried this and they were insistent, I highlighted that I would then be charged for gas again for the next month and the advice given by them was to cancel my DD payment. I ignored this as it would affect my credit rating but took a note of the case number raised.
- On the same day as the above I made a formal complaint to Ovo by email with the case number and account number clearly called out recapping the above and have never received a response.
- In January since I had heard nothing I raised this issue on the Ovo forum and quickly got replies that other customers had similar issues, after several posts an Ovo representative replied and said they would help.
- I then received a direct message (DM) from the Ovo representative stating that they would looking in to this, they asked for more information so I provide everything, cut and pasted the complaint emails into the chat. I was then contact by another representative stating that they would cancel my gas so no further charges would occur apart from the standing charge whilst they investigated and resolved the issue.
- Since then I have heard nothing back and have chased again last week as I received my latest statement where Ovo have charged myself another £257 for gas I have not used.
- I raised this by DM on the forum to the representative and informed them that I would be contacting 3rd parties but have heard nothing back.,
- My account also seems to now be locked in some way as I am unable to provide meter readings for electricity or reconfirm again my final gas meter reading either on the app or on a browser, chrome etc.
The irony is that I join Ovo nearly 10 years ago because of their great customer service when they were a small team based in Brighton.
Are there any small claims cases in progress with Ovo?
Did you take your complaint to the Ombudsman after the 8 weeks since you put the complaint in sometime in December? I would do that if they haven't replied.
A ruling by the Ombudsman creates a civil liability that you could take through the courts if you absolutely had to (i was involved in a Financial Ombudsman case nothing to do with OVO), but that really was a last resort.
I have flagged the OVO moderators as you were offered support via DM that hasn't worked. @Tim_OVO @Emmanuelle_OVO
You can add a review on Trustpilot to highlight the issues if you haven't already
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.ovoenergy.com
I've directed two more people to this thread so the problem clearly hasn't been solved and is only getting worse.
@Tim_OVO @Emmanuelle_OVO You can see this is a recurring issue and it seems obvious that OVO have a problem with removing gas meters from accounts. Wouldn't it make sense for it to be fixed and for OVO to be communicating with these customers? If the company I worked for had a recurring issue like this we'd have people working on it.
Including link for future cross reference
The charge for gas and gas meter has been removed from my account for about 5 days!
however the electricity readings have disappeared,OVO relying on a reading from September 2022 which has replicated itself every month through my account, which leaves my account with a very positive balance but they’ve deleted reading submitted 18 days ago, it won’t accept the readings I’ve sent each day for the last 3 days
( because it says out of kilter with historical readings!)
cannot see where/ how or if they’re refunding the daily charges for gas that have been
“ taken “ over the last 10 months.
it’s still a mess.
Hey @MattatWhitstable,
Really sorry you’ve been experiencing this issue, it seems to be one we’ve seen a few times on the Forum.
@Jeffus has provided some helpful advice here:
Did you take your complaint to the Ombudsman after the 8 weeks since you put the complaint in sometime in December? I would do that if they haven't replied.
A ruling by the Ombudsman creates a civil liability that you could take through the courts if you absolutely had to (i was involved in a Financial Ombudsman case nothing to do with OVO), but that really was a last resort.
I have flagged the OVO moderators as you were offered support via DM that hasn't worked. @Tim_OVO @Emmanuelle_OVO
You can add a review on Trustpilot to highlight the issues if you haven't already
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.ovoenergy.com
You can find out more about our Complaints Procedure on the website.
I hope this gets sorted for you as soon as possible.
As from today my account now accepts readings up to date, the Gas charges and gas meter has stayed away for about 10 days now.
it appears to have been solved!(?)
That is great news @Jonpit . My gas meter standing charges have stayed away now for more than a month, so it really does appear that OVO Energy might have finally worked out how to do it. Not exactly a brilliant record but they do seem to have got there in the end. I’m still waiting for the apology that I was promised as part of the deal with the ombudsman but I live in hope.
I think this forum helped @Johnd1949 there was appeared to be more understanding of my problem after I commented on here, forum support was.. well … supportive. It helped me to find others in the same situation and that eventually you had found a solution!
it seemed to stop the hours on chat or telephone each time to just have the same response, until the next time!
maybe Ovo would like to create a team from those that have helped sort it out to disseminate the process?
I have now received an apology from OVO Energy and a (very) small “ex gratia” re-payment for all the pain they have put me through! It was quite a battle and I do hope that they have now got their systems sorted out so that, in future, others don’t have to go through it all.
I am going to stick with them for my electricity supply for the time being, when my fixed price contract runs out next month, as there seems little point in switching suppliers in the present climate. However, I am still waiting to see how they cope with my SEG application.
Had my Gas Meter removed 12 months ago but OVO still take Gas Standing Charge every month. They recognise this is a problem but can’t give a timeframe of when this will be resolved, has anyone else experienced the same ?
Well mine was removed in September 2022 and every month I am being charged for standing charges plus for gas usage that Ovo estimates each month. They are taking the money by direct debit and recently sending myself emails telling me that my DD payments are too low given my “supposed” usage and that they want to increase my direct debit payment. I am just loss for words….
It is good that someone on this forum has had a solution.
Had my Gas Meter removed 12 months ago but OVO still take Gas Standing Charge every month. They recognise this is a problem but can’t give a timeframe of when this will be resolved, has anyone else experienced the same ?
Yes, but only 10 months ago. The case is being handled by Ombudman Services.
Well mine was removed in September 2022 and every month I am being charged for standing charges plus for gas usage that Ovo estimates each month. They are taking the money by direct debit and recently sending myself emails telling me that my DD payments are too low given my “supposed” usage and that they want to increase my direct debit payment. I am just loss for words….
It is good that someone on this forum has had a solution.
Keep sending them the same meter reading and they'll eventually assume zero use.
I had a call from the ombudsman and they have, unsurprisingly, found in my favour. OVO have a number of weeks to sort out the problem (close my account, refund the charges and pay compensation). I'll let you know if that happens.
Had my Gas Meter removed 12 months ago but OVO still take Gas Standing Charge every month. They recognise this is a problem but can’t give a timeframe of when this will be resolved, has anyone else experienced the same ?
Make sure you log an official complaint if you haven't already
https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback
Well mine was removed in September 2022 and every month I am being charged for standing charges plus for gas usage that Ovo estimates each month. They are taking the money by direct debit and recently sending myself emails telling me that my DD payments are too low given my “supposed” usage and that they want to increase my direct debit payment. I am just loss for words….
It is good that someone on this forum has had a solution.
Blimey...
Paying for estimated gas use....
Get on the Priority Service Register and ask them to send a meter reader for that invisible meter?
Please can someone help me I have had my meter removed since 14th October 2022 and since then OVO have charged me £1154.28 for gas that hasn’t come into the building, I have received £300 compensation from them as this was an error but still the red letters keep coming through my door can anyone help!
Hi @caroline Rose
Lost count of the number of people who have been impacted.
Multiple complaints via the Energy Ombudsman reported on the forum.
Some examples going on over a year…
Another customer impacted....
Had my Gas Meter removed 12 months ago but OVO still take Gas Standing Charge every month. They recognise this is a problem but can’t give a timeframe of when this will be resolved, has anyone else experienced the same ?
Make sure you log an official complaint if you haven't already
https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback
I’ve been through the whole gamut of complaints procedure with OVO during the last 12 months ,even the Advanced Resolution Team have not resolved the issue & I’m still being charged Gas Standing Charges. The Ombudsman service was very good but they say they cannot force OVO to give a timeframe on when the system problem will be sorted !
Well mine was removed in September 2022 and every month I am being charged for standing charges plus for gas usage that Ovo estimates each month. They are taking the money by direct debit and recently sending myself emails telling me that my DD payments are too low given my “supposed” usage and that they want to increase my direct debit payment. I am just loss for words….
It is good that someone on this forum has had a solution.
Keep sending them the same meter reading and they'll eventually assume zero use.
I had a call from the ombudsman and they have, unsurprisingly, found in my favour. OVO have a number of weeks to sort out the problem (close my account, refund the charges and pay compensation). I'll let you know if that happens.
I’ll be very interested to hear if you get your problem solved in the next few weeks
That is great news @Jonpit . My gas meter standing charges have stayed away now for more than a month, so it really does appear that OVO Energy might have finally worked out how to do it. Not exactly a brilliant record but they do seem to have got there in the end. I’m still waiting for the apology that I was promised as part of the deal with the ombudsman but I live in hope.
Have you received refunds of the gas standing charges that were taken as well as OVO closing your Gas Account?
Hey @caroline Rose
I’m really sorry to hear about the trouble you’ve been having still being billed even though the meter was removed.
It sounds like the meter details need updating on the account, it may also be that the details weren’t updated on the National Database when the meter was removed.
Do you know if the Support Team has raised a case for the details to be removed? If they’ve not given you any time frame or mentioned that a case has been raised, I’d get in touch with the Support Team so that they can make the necessary request to have the details updated.
I have tried to contact OVO but they don’t seem interested the bill today 9th May risen to £1900 I just give up perhaps when they come to disconnect me or take me to court they will see I HAVE NOT GOT GAS
I have tried to contact OVO but they don’t seem interested the bill today 9th May risen to £1900 I just give up perhaps when they come to disconnect me or take me to court they will see I HAVE NOT GOT GAS
@Tim_OVO do you know if OVO are any closer to sorting out a general fix for all the outstanding gas meter removal complaints and issues? Has there been any progress recently?
Hi @LAB18
Yes, once the system had finally accepted that the gas meter had gone, they recalculated all my charges back to the date of the meter removal, removing all the gas standing charges, and added them back onto my credit balance. As they had previously asked for a ridiculously high DD and their system wouldn't let me reduce it until it finally realised that there was no gas supply, I am now slowly working through a credit balance of more than £700! I figured that,as I'd already paid it over to them, I might as well leave it there as a buffer in case of further energy price shocks.
