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Rank 1
hillfort
Rank 1
March 19, 2022
Solved

Why am I still getting charged for gas? - my faulty gas meter was removed!

  • March 19, 2022
  • 84 replies
  • 4953 views

Hi for the last two months I have been getting billed for gas I could not have used as I no longer have a gas meter, how do I go about having this extra charge removed from my bill.

 

I have tried contacting ovo several times of the last couple of months due to errors in ym bill but have heard nothing from them, it took 3 months for them to accept that my meters are faulty and agree to replace them.

 

this error is costing my at least 40 pounds per month just now in gas charges and my electrictiy chrages range from 92p to over 10 pounds per day, this i kind of expect as I am all electric including my heating, however i have been charged 10 pounds on two sepecrate days this week when i was not in my home to use energy and my heating is manuel controlled by myself.

 

this is becoming more and more distressing I am not looking forward to see what they will be charging me next month.

Best answer by Tim_OVO

Updated on 18/08/26 by Ben_OVO

Hi @hillfort, 

 

I’m happy to help as best as I can here, but it sounds like you’ll need a member of our Support team to take a look at your actual account.

 

If the meter was removed and there’s no longer a gas supply at the property, it’s possible that the details haven’t been updated on the system yet. The Support Team can remove the meter details and remove any additional charges since the meter was removed. They’ll then rebill the account based on the removal of any backdated charges.

 

As you mention, if you have a gas supply to the house (even if it’s capped), you’ll pay a standing charge. It costs £106 to remove your meter and disconnect your supply. More info here:

 

 

It sounds like the billing platform hasn’t been updated to show this meter is capped. So it will be estimating usage based on your annual projection, based on years of usage history. Please speak to our Support team to get this flagged. 

 

Any charges that have been incorrectly estimated will be removed from your account if we’re made aware of the supply being capped. 

 

If you had your gas meter tested for a fault, the meter is always replaced and taken off site for testing. A new meter is fitted. The charges are then re-calculated based on the degree to which the meter is faulty. Is this what happened in your case?

84 replies

Show previous replies
M.isterW
Rank 6
M.isterW
Rank 6
February 15, 2023

The response always seems to be to raise a complaint but the complaint process isn't fixing this problem. I saw a post this week suggesting OVO increase the number of customer service agents to help reduce waiting times. I would suggest OVO also need to improve the capability of the customer service agents so problems like this are actually fixed within a reasonable timescale.

1992 4 bed detached house. Solar PV + battery, Zappi EV charger, Mitsubishi Ecodan ASHP and i-life2 fan assisted radiators.... No gas 😊
    J
    Newcomer
    Jonpit
    Newcomer
    February 15, 2023

    I have ‘ raised a complaint’ some 10 days ago now but not yet had a response!

    i believe I have to wait 8 weeks from above before I could contact the ombudsman!

     

    i reiterate that the helpline staff and everyone I’ve spoken to or messaged at OVO have been amazing, calm and helpful, just that there’s a block in the system that doesn’t allow them to solve this problem.

    needs some more work on software, metering or communications , maybe getting the national gas “ grid” to operate effectively.

    is this another example of incompetent government systems, and body responsible ignoring our needs or is it just OVO systems?

      M.isterW
      Rank 6
      M.isterW
      Rank 6
      February 16, 2023

      I'm having a go at escalating the problem to some senior customer care people at OVO. Let's see if that gets us anywhere.

      1992 4 bed detached house. Solar PV + battery, Zappi EV charger, Mitsubishi Ecodan ASHP and i-life2 fan assisted radiators.... No gas 😊
        1
        Newcomer
        103146433
        Newcomer
        February 24, 2023

        We had our gas meter removed and capped in June 2022.  Still not removed from our energy account.  In fact, the history of our account has disappeared as far as 2020 and we haven’t had any electricity billing since July 2022. We have gone through a winter of the highest energy costs in history without knowing what our bills will be. After many, many phone calls, emails and webchats, I have had to escalate the issue with the ombudsman. 

        Just a tip, though, if you use the webchat, screenshot the dialogue as the transcript request process is also broken!

          M.isterW
          Rank 6
          M.isterW
          Rank 6
          February 24, 2023

          Welcome to the gang ☺️ and keep us updated on your progress.

           

          My ombudsman complaint has come back to me for comment after OVO responded. Reading the internal comms that were attached to the complaint it's clear that OVO doesn't have a process for handling the removal of gas meters. The issue gets bounced from team to team then ignored until the customer complains again.

           

          This is a problem that is only going to get worse as more people get rid of their gas appliances. I hope that OVO are looking at their processes and working out how to fix this, rather than ignoring it until the next customer comes along.

           

          1992 4 bed detached house. Solar PV + battery, Zappi EV charger, Mitsubishi Ecodan ASHP and i-life2 fan assisted radiators.... No gas 😊
            J
            Newcomer
            Jonpit
            Newcomer
            February 24, 2023

            I have been assured today that it’s all sorted out!

            will let you know.

            if so Linda and Roy will deserve elevation.

              J
              Newcomer
              Jonpit
              Newcomer
              February 28, 2023

              My Latest email in response to HELP at OVO email telling me that they’ve got my bills wrong!

               

              hi…
              Bills are Still wrong, if you check you will find that I don’t have/ use any gas.

              My Gas Meter was removed on 13 May 2022, by yourselves.

              You continue to charge daily charge for Gas.

              Numerous promises over the last 9 months to sort this out! 

              Latest call on Friday 24 feb telling me it’s all done… it’s not.

              I also do not have access to OVO app because you say you’re processing a Non-Existent Switch. 

              I was Also told on Friday that this had been sorted out.. it’s Not.

              Seems your computer systems and messages on system are Rubbish.

              Please forward to …….. and ….., …….. said she’d phone on Monday.. she didn’t.

              Account no……





              Sent from space

              Jeffus
              Rank 20
              Jeffus
              Rank 20
              February 28, 2023

               

                Jeffus
                Rank 20
                Jeffus
                Rank 20
                February 28, 2023

                It would be good if this issue was sorted before OVO launch a heat pump offering. 

                Can you imagine the mayhem of 1000s of people trying to get their gas meter standing charges removed.

                I am surprised OVO ever let these cases get to the Ombudsman. I would be quite embarrassed about the whole thing if i worked for OVO in this area. 

                  Jeffus
                  Rank 20
                  Jeffus
                  Rank 20
                  February 28, 2023

                  My gas account has now been removed for about three weeks and it appears to be holding. All of the standing charges, from the date of my meter removal, have disappeared, so someone at OVO Energy has sussed out how to do it!

                  However, they have not yet been back in touch with me to formally clear my complaint and I still have a process going through with the ombudsman.

                  In my case to the ombudsman I was not seeking any compensation, all I asked was that OVO Energy sort out my account, and then acknowledge that it was all their fault and send me an apology.  As they have, so far, only completed the first of these, I feel justified in keeping the process active.

                  Good to know it is possible. 

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