Will OVO assume my meter is faulty if I'm using more than usual?

First of all: I am so glad that you are keeping warm! Secondly, as a vulnerable person, are you on OVO’s Priority Service Register? You should also register with your water company.

Now to answer your question. If your gas usage appears to be abnormally high when you send in your reading, OVO MAY contact you and ask you to check to make sure that you have read it correctly. However, that is unlikely, in my experience.

With a week to go before the end of my billing period, we have already used more gas than we did last month. I think it is likely that we will use, at least, as much as we did this time last year as we have had some very cold days. Our total cost for gas and electricity this month is already more than it was for the same period last year. 

Please try to stop worrying (I KNOW this is easier said than done). Please do not stop keeping yourself warm and comfortable. The whole point of the government help is to allow you to choose to be warm. Not only will your body thank you for this, but your home may do so too. Keeping yourself warm is good for your health and keeping your home warm helps prevent damage from mould (also bad for the body) and damp. 

I hope I have helped you in some way and that you will be able to relax and look forward to the New Year which will bring us closer to warmer weather!!

Hello, thank you for your prompt response and all your lovely, supportive help. You're very kind. 🥰

I'm on their Priority Service Register, as with the water board equivalent, too.

Yes, I've used more this month than ever and I have OCD, so I check my gas meter every night, a few times and I know that it's going higher, in the right way, slowly going up, not concerning so, because I've been using more than ever! (I photograph it too, and sniff to make sure no leaks as have had in past hence the OCD, so I know it's working fine) 

Would they send someone to look at my gas meter? That's what I'm afraid of?

Thank you 😊 

Thank you so much 😊

Hey ​@Janie6 

I’m glad to see Bendog already stopped by with some really helpful advice here, I hope it’s helped put you at ease a little. 

This kind of increase in gas usage during winter is entirely normal, mine sounds very similar in nature, and not something we’d need to send anyone out to check on.

If you do have any other questions or queries, do let us know.😊

Just in case it helps…

OVO actually knows to expect meter readings to be within a certain range/tolerance of what they think it should be at any given time. It’s a pretty complicated system so I won’t give you the Rocket Science version (trust me, it’s very complicated!), but I think the tolerance is something like 200% (as in 100% in either direction) so there’s plenty of headroom. If you’re within that range, there’s a 99% chance the reading will simply be accepted and processed smoothly*.

I’m afraid I can’t calculate that range for you as I don’t have access to the tools, but unless you go absolutely bonkers somehow and/or start stealing energy it’s unlikely to be a problem.

​​​​​​​* I can’t give you a 100% promise because I’ve learned from experience that doing that will inevitably blow up in my face when it does go wrong… But it’s unlikely. :)