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My Pay As You Go account

Got a question about your Pay As You Go energy use, top-ups, keys, cards, or anything else? You’ll find the answers here.

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Tutorial

Pay As You Go: Smart Meter Video Tutorial Series

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Hub

Pay As You Go - Topic Hub & How to get in touch

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F.A.Q.

Pay As You Go smart meters and In Home Displays (IHDs)

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199 Topic threads
K
Carbon Cutter****
KatebrookCarbon Cutter****
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
I'm PAYG & off supply- Engineer didn't show

Gas top up card stopped working at the paypoint, phones customer support, they gave me a code, wait 2 hours and get new card,.. Nearest place with any cards was 45mins walk,  off I go, gets there code wouldn't work,  fones back, gets new code,.. Goes back to shop that one didn't work.Fones back up they said they had booked an engineer for between 8pm - 11pm,... Its now 1.10am and guess what? Engineer hasn't turned up.Im Cold, ( no Heating), I'm tired, I've no hot water, it's a gas cooker,..and a gas fire, I'm not impressed.. going to be fun trying to get the kids ready for school in morning.Will I be charged for this engineer, even though he didn't turn up?? 

30227
K
Carbon Cutter****
M
Carbon Cutter****
mquinnCarbon Cutter****
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Debt repayment whilst running on emergency credit?

Do I repay a gas debt and standing charge whilst running on emergency credit 

36346
Ben_OVO
Community Moderator
M
New Member***
Micky180New Member***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Scheduled payment on PAYG- Is this an option

Hi I am trying to setup a schedule weekly payment on payg meter why can’t I do it

723
Ben_OVO
Community Moderator
A
Anonymous
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Are there different tariff options if you're PAYG?

Hi,Can someone tell me or give a link to OVOs payg tariffs. I'm only looking for a single tariff and not an e7 etc. When I look at Renew Your Plan, there is no option to select payg. Why is this?Thanks

1709
A
A
New Member***
AvaughanNew Member***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
IHD not showing top up payments

My gas smart meter display has always shown how many days I have left in gas after I top up, and obviously goes down, however it's just changed from this to the amount going up like it's now billing me, iv just topped up and it's the same, the credit isn't on my smart meter, and bill is still increasing, anyone else had this? Any suggestions? 

6918
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
Tim_OVO
Community Manager
Tim_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Traditional Pay As You Go meter error codes and what they meanTutorial

Updated on 16/01/25 by Abby_OVO Meter error codes for your traditional Pay As You Go meter Electricity meter screen codes: RESET, TOKEN NO or ERRORS 1, 2, 3, 50 or 99: We need to change your meter – please call 0330 175 9669 as soon as you can, so we can sort it out. Blank screen: if the red light isn’t flashing, there’s no power getting to your meter. Please contact your District Network Operator (DNO). The easiest way to contact them is to call the power cut helpline on 105. If the red light is flashing, insert your key in the meter and hold down the blue button to wake up your meter. If this doesn’t work, give us a ring on 0330 175 9669, as something might be wrong. ERROR 6: you’re using the wrong key, or your key has stopped working. Please contact our Support team and we’ll tell you how to sort out a new one. ERROR 10: this can mean your key needs a clean – so try wiping the chip with a clean, dry cloth and then put it back in. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to pick up a new ke

490922
J
Carbon Cutter**
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
Emmanuelle_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Pay As You Go Smart Meter - off supplyF.A.Q.

Updated on 20/01/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO: If you’re a pay as you go customer whose vulnerable or relies on your supply for mains powered electrical equipment (supply critical customers) & we’ve been trying to reach you it may be because you’ve not topped up in a while & might be without power. If we aren’t able to get in touch we will send a visitor (after 72 hours of being off supply) to check in and talk about how we can help. 

​​​​​​ We also want you to know that if you can’t afford to top up, we’re here to help. Don’t worry
if this doesn’t apply to you – we just want to make sure that anyone who needs support gets it quickly.These topics may be helpful:  Quick hints and tricks to see if you can get back on supply yourself! - Is my gas supply actually off? & Is my electricity supply actually off? Click on the link for Pay As You Go Smart Meter off supply? Pay As You Go Smart Meter with top up issues? Need financial support or questions about your debt balance? Get advice h

667433
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
G
New Member*
Geminijoe0New Member*
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
I'm on pay as you go, do I get any bill summaries?

I am a pay as you go customer (PAYG) who was an SSE customer. SSE used to send out a statement every 3 months showing usage and costs. I got changed over 8 months ago and can't get a billing statement sent out to me? I am told look at the app but the app is only for D/D customers so no billing info is available to download for PAYG customers, why?We all pay for our energy so why can't PAYG customers get billing statements sent to them?Customer service send me on a merry-go-round with no ability to assist and the Web site does not offer this service 'O' but they do for D/D customers are payg customers less important OVO energy? Sort out your app that allows PAYG customers the same service as DD customers, SSE offered this service via their app why can't OVO offer the same???

108213
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
R
Carbon Cutter*****
richard cCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Moved in to a new house, top up meter. But can't top up!

This message here is my last chance to get help. No one at OVO will help. They just pass me around, 10 times!!! Next step it to take legal advice. I have no choice! OVO support staff WILL NOT HELP!!! I spent two hours on the phone and spoke to 10 different people. And not a single one can help. The web site will not allow me fix the issue online as the house has a pre payment meter. I have to phone. My old OVO account was closed when I moved out of my flat a month ago. I could not be sure my purchase would happen. So I had no new address at that time. So the account was closed.I have now purchased a new house.The new house has a pre payment meter with a keyI need an OVO account so that I can then buy electricNo one at the OVO call centre can help. They just keep passing me from department to department. Why can I not buy electric from you? I want to give you money but you don't want it. My old account number is *edited by moderator* (which was closed) 

463520
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
P
Carbon Cutter***
PinksamanthaCarbon Cutter***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
How long is an RTI code valid for?

I was given an RTI code for a £100 refund. I’ve had flu so not been able to go to shop to put on my key. Does the RTI code have an expiry date? 

992
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
A
New Member***
AnubisNew Member***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Why can't Pay as you Go customers enjoy the same EV benefits as those who pay by direct debit?

Why can't PAYG customers enjoy the same EV benefits as those who pay by direct debit. 

2496
Ben_OVO
Community Moderator
B
Carbon Cutter***
BonesyCarbon Cutter***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Old style prepaid electric key not topping up correctly

Hi newbie here and need advice.We were with SSE but I believe OVO took over the account some time ago. The last 3 top ups I have done have definitely not added up. We put  the emergency 2 days ago which is £15 and we only get notification at 50 pence left. Today I put £30 on the key and went to top up, the meter said about £8 left of emergency,so we owed £7 to my mind. So I put the £30 in and the meter showed the key had £30 on it. The meter then showed that we had only £13 credit whereas it should have been £23, a shortfall of £10. There is no debt with this meter and to be honest we rarely use the emergency except during the colder periods purely because of the lack of warning until 50 pence left. We have got letters from them saying that we haven't topped up in a while but every week for many years at least £25 goes in a week without fail. So are OVO charging £10 every time you use the emergency electric or are they scamming us or have been hacked themselves. Any thoughts welcome bu

19315
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
R
Carbon Cutter****
richardson.craigCarbon Cutter****
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Was told I had a pay monthly meter when signing up but it's top up?

I’m just going to copy and paste the complaint I just sent any help and advice would be appreciated thanks :)To OVO Complaints Team.I want to make a formal complaint. Recently last week moved into a new property which you already supplied electric and gas so I thought it would be easier just to stick with you. Set up my account with a nice lady who said I had smart meters and meter readings would be sent automatically and I would be paying monthly when it was due for gas and electric. Today (Sat 11th Jan) I woke up to no gas or heating or hot water. I had to call my landlord to get a certified gas engineer out only to be told I have a pre-payment gas meter that I have to top up. It had no credit hence why no gas, This was never mentioned to me. I then tried to call you and your phone lines are closed at weekends! I text chatted to someone they said the gas meter is pre-payment you top up with a code or online. They then said the meter isn’t communicating with OVO and someone would have

1006
R
Carbon Cutter****
P
Carbon Cutter***
PinksamanthaCarbon Cutter***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Do i need to activate my new electric key

My key was stolen. I picked up a blue key from a shop after being given an RTI code from OVO. I’ve been given another RTI code for the £100 that was on my stolen card. I went to the shop and it didn’t work. Did I need to activate my new card? 

20512
L
OVO Staff
L
Carbon Cutter***
LynnybCarbon Cutter***
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Moved in a house with prepayment meters - how to get account set up in pay monthly?

We have bought a house which has pre payment meters I obviously want to a ) change details over b) get rid of pre payment  I just cannot get through on the phone and it’s driving me to dispair there is currently no supply at all 

604857
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
N
New Member**
NogasfreezingNew Member**
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Blinking red light on meter after failed top up?

took my electric key to the shop to top up, failed to top up on the shops side, put key back in and now there is a blinking red light? Any idea why this failed to be topped up (was able to top up gas card at the time) and is now doing this? 

2333
Firedog
Plan Zero Hero
N
New Member**
NogasfreezingNew Member**
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Invalid gas key, disabled and left with no heating in -4 weather

Given 8 digit code to set up gas card, followed steps to activate card in meter, card reading as invalid in shops. Tried with two separate cards, same result. No emergency credit due to needing to use it (OVO failed to send out gas card after asking for one on multiple occasions or inform us we could get one from shop for almost a month) it is currently -4, two disabled people in the house, no emergency line to call and the gas has now been cut off. What do I do? 

765
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
V
Carbon Cutter****
Vreid92Carbon Cutter****
posted in My Pay As You Go account
Is my PAYG meter impacted by the RTS shutdown?

We are all electric and on THTC, or so we believe, we moved here in March 2021 and we have been trying to switch since we moved in, due to our apparent meter type we were with SSE then switched over to OVO. Currently going through energy ombusman to get a different meter/tarriff, due to living in the countryside we have to travel to a shop and due to weather it is not always possible and being pay as you go its not sustainable and we were told absolutely no way can we get a different meter and we would just have to wait until the RTS shuts down and hopefully we can get a smart meter(apparently this is not possible at the moment due to signal, yet others on our street have smart meters)OVO have argued that we are on a THTC tarriff..but the rates he gave me dont match the rates on our actual meter, each rate on our meter being 1pence more per kw. We have been told by someone, that our meter is infact an economy 7/10 meter. I cant seem to see the RTS box or the second meter they are claim

96348
V
Carbon Cutter****
L
New Member*
Lauralala87New Member*
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Why have I had a balance adjustment on pay as you go?

Why would I occasionally keep getting a balance adjustment message on my pay as you go smart meter? Surely the money just goes down as I use it. Why are they taking more from me? 

922
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
A
Carbon Cutter*****
Andrew BurtonCarbon Cutter*****
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Do PAYG have online account options?

I have a prepayment meter.  How can I set up an online account? I am asked to supply an account number from a bill but with a prepayment meter, I don't get a bill.

72954
A
Carbon Cutter*****
C
New Member*
Customer666New Member*
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Gas supply cut off for three days- Meter says 'Call Help'

Hi,We tried to top up our pay as you go “heritage” meter and were met with a flashing display of “call help”. To cut a long story and multiple (poor signal peppered) conversations short, the engineers have failed to show up twice, and we’re still without a gas supply.Has anyone else had a similar problem, and more so, is there any way to circumvent the singular process put in place to deal with our issue? Regards, Customer666

1405323
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
J
Carbon Cutter*
JC_
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
OVO top-up app not showing up to date meter balances?

I didn't think it was possible to view meter balance/s on the top-up app, however on the app store, some of the reviews say they are able to see their balances. I cannot seem to see mine on the top-up app?

9016
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
H
Carbon Cutter****
HelzCarbon Cutter****
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Prepayment smart meter stopped communicating! Am I going to go off supply?

Hi , I'm hoping for any assistance I can get with my pay as you go kaifa smart meter. Firstly I noticed the IHD stopped giving electricity info 10 days ago. Contacted ovo by web chat and the assistant said they had "unjoined and rejoined" meanwhile I had to switch the IHD off for 30 mins. This didn't work so Immediately started another chat ,told by another assistant that the IHD should be switched off for 24hrs. Didn't work either. Wondered if by any chance I could find out what credit I had or perhaps top up by the meter itself so I had a look (it's outside the property ) and found the display only showing inaccurate local time. Didn't shuffle through any screens only showed me the wrong time. Got no reaction from any of the buttons but the lights were flashing every 5 secs. Started another chat with ovo, established that the electricity meter wasn't communicating with either of us and that I wouldn't see an engineer till end of Feb at the earliest unless I'm out of credit. So just a

24916
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
T
Carbon Cutter*
TracyH80Carbon Cutter*
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Pay as you go bill for debt! How is that possible?

I moved into a new property (owned) in December. It had pre-payment meters for gas and electricity with a key and card for top up. I had smart meters installed on May 3 and on May 15 received an email from SSE/OVO advising my final bill had arrived and could I log in and pay it. I have not received a bill and have never used emergency credit on either meter. After two hours of phone calls speaking to six different people, a two day chat in Whatsapp and thirty minutes on hold today  I am no further! They advise I owe £60.27p however no one on any call or message system could confirm how or why I allegedly owe this amount, or whether it is for gas, electricity or a combination of the two. I have not received a bill and no one has been able to send me another copy of it. I was hoping to transfer to being a direct debit customer but I’m not sure about this as you don’t seem to be able to get finance correct when I pay in advance!  Any other pre-payment customers  receive random emails abou

663628
R
Carbon Cutter****
Emmanuelle_OVO
Community Manager
Emmanuelle_OVOCommunity Manager
Posted in My Pay As You Go account
Pay As You Go smart meters and In Home Displays (IHDs)F.A.Q.

Updated on 23/01/25 by Chris_OVO: How to use your Pay As You Go Smart Meter  We’ve pulled together some frequently asked questions all about your smart meters and In Home Displays (IHDs).  Can the IHD warn me when I’m getting low on credit? Yes, a message will appear on your main menu screen. Then, if you don’t top up straightaway, your IHD will send you another message when your credit is almost used up. At that stage it’ll ask if you want to activate your emergency credit. Want to know more about your IHD? Check out these helpful guides:    Why is my IHD balance different from my app balance? The app balance (available in the Apple App Store or Google Play) gets updated once a day after midnight. If you've used energy or topped up since midnight, then your app balance will be out of date.  It might also be that your meter isn’t communicating with us, in which case your balance won't update in the app. But your IHD will usually communicate with your meter throughout the day to stay up

370150
Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero

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