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Rank 3
August 15, 2023
Solved

Moved in to a new house, top up meter, but can't top up!

  • August 15, 2023
  • 31 replies
  • 5618 views

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 key

I need an OVO account so that I can then buy electric

No 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)

 

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Updated on 28/07/26 by Ben_OVO

 

Hey @richard c,

 

I’m really sorry to hear this. Below you’ll  find some info and useful links that should help you with this:

 

 

Topping up for the first time?

 

To register your new electricity key or gas card, put it into the correct meter for at least a minute. The electricity meter will show a message to let you know it's registered, and the gas meter will beep.

 

For gas meters

  • Insert your card into the gas meter and follow the instructions on the screen.

  • Make sure the gold-coloured chip is facing the meter display. Press and hold the red ‘A’ button, and the credit will appear on your meter.

 

For electricity meters

  • Insert your key into the electricity meter, and follow the instructions on the screen. 

  • Make sure the arrow on the key is facing upwards. The new credit should show automatically.

 

When you buy gas or electricity credit at the shop, we recommend keeping your receipt. This means that our Support Team can make sure your reimbursed if there’s any issue topping up the meter.

 

 

My key/card isn’t working – what should I do?

 

We recommend taking the key/card out of the meter and wiping the chip with a clean, dry cloth. If you re-insert it in the meter and it still doesn’t work, please get in touch with us and we can send you a replacement.

 

Is your meter showing an ‘error code’ when you insert your key/card? Was there an error code when the shop assistant popped your key or card in a PayPoint terminal? If so, note the error code down and compare it to the list of codes we’ve listed in our guide on error codes here.

 

If you go off supply our Support Team can book in an emergency appointment. If you’re on the priority services register and have any electrical equipment that relies on electricity, such as a stairlift or refrigerated medication, please let the team know when you contact.

 

 

31 replies

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 15, 2023

If it’s Traditional Prepayment, you need Boost, not OVO. https://boostpower.co.uk 

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
richard cAuthor
Rank 3
August 15, 2023

OVO sent me to boost first. They said no. Multiple people have said I have to first go to the OVO pay as you go. They check the address, see that meter type, and pass me on to another person. And so the cycle continues. None of them try to help me, just pass me around.

 

I will try boost again directly. 

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 15, 2023

I’ve checked backstage with the other forum volunteers and the forum moderators previously. We’ve had it confirmed that OVO PAYG is for Smart Meters only - Boost focuses on Traditional PAYG these days.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
richard cAuthor
Rank 3
August 15, 2023

If it’s Traditional Prepayment, you need Boost, not OVO. https://boostpower.co.uk 

Your answer is wrong. This is what boost said.

“So the property is showing that it is with OVO PAYG so I will have to transfer you to them.”

richard cAuthor
Rank 3
August 15, 2023

The meter is not smart. It has a key you put in it to add credit. Boost don’t want to help either.

Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
August 15, 2023

My own sources are absolutely solid on this one. I have access to internal teams via the forum moderators so I know it’s accurate.

I will flag this up to see what can be done, but it’s probably a Boost issue.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Abby_OVO
Community Manager
Community Manager
August 15, 2023

Hey @richard c 

 

Sorry to hear about this.

 

I’m going to have the Forum Support reach out to you to see if they can help get this sorted. Look out for a PM here soon:  https://forum.ovoenergy.com/inbox/overview 

 

Currently Playing: She's Electric
richard cAuthor
Rank 3
August 15, 2023

Have finally found someone at OVO who wants to help and has been very good at working on fixing this for me. After an hour on the phone where she called other departments to get this sorted she has passed the issue on higher up and has reassured me that she will call back at 4pm.

The issue is that the system can not cope with me having an old account that was closed. A new one was made but the system would not let her change the address to my new one. As a software engineer of 25+ years (degree and masters in software engineering) this inability of the system not to be able to cope with a user that has had an account with OVO, which was closed, but now needs a new one is a clear indication of a lack of basic software engineering. If the requirements elicitation has been carried out properly and interviews with all stake holders this basic use case will have been factored in. This is not a rare use case. For example,

A customer moves out and into a new partners address. Their account is closed as their new partner handles the energy and so the account is not needed. Then a few months later the relationship ends and the former customer moves to a new property that has a traditional pay-as-you-go-meter.

This is a user story that is basic to the operation of your system. It should have been catered for. But instead, if this is your story, you are in of world of pain.

 

richard cAuthor
Rank 3
August 22, 2023

And so the saga continues, I STILL can not buy credit for my meter. I now have a new account, when I login I am sent to a page telling me to install an app. But the meter will not work with the app, it’s an old pay as you go. I have had to ring again to ask for a new key, the one I have is very old SSE, was told will not work. I have also just booked in for a new smart meter on the 19th. Will I finally be able to buy electric?? I have medication in the fridge that MUST be refrigerated. If I loose electric I loose my meds. And if that happens I WIll contact my MP and the press.

Will the engineer go to the right house??? The system is still showing my old address are the billing address, which is not and the people on the phone can change it, the system will not let them change it! The new address is set as the supply address. The faster I can leave OVO the better. 11th August this started, will not be fixed till the 19th September. (I hope) and I have little confidence that it will be. I will never use OVO again and I will be encouraging anyone I know that uses them to move. OVO systems are awful. What has made it has is that as the property has the old style pay as you go meter I have to phone, you can not use the online chat. They moment you say you have pay as you go it stops, telling you to ring.

 

OVO are the worst company ever. 

Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
Retired Moderator
August 23, 2023

Updated on 28/07/26 by Ben_OVO

 

Hey @richard c,

 

I’m really sorry to hear this. Below you’ll  find some info and useful links that should help you with this:

 

 

Topping up for the first time?

 

To register your new electricity key or gas card, put it into the correct meter for at least a minute. The electricity meter will show a message to let you know it's registered, and the gas meter will beep.

 

For gas meters

  • Insert your card into the gas meter and follow the instructions on the screen.

  • Make sure the gold-coloured chip is facing the meter display. Press and hold the red ‘A’ button, and the credit will appear on your meter.

 

For electricity meters

  • Insert your key into the electricity meter, and follow the instructions on the screen. 

  • Make sure the arrow on the key is facing upwards. The new credit should show automatically.

 

When you buy gas or electricity credit at the shop, we recommend keeping your receipt. This means that our Support Team can make sure your reimbursed if there’s any issue topping up the meter.

 

 

My key/card isn’t working – what should I do?

 

We recommend taking the key/card out of the meter and wiping the chip with a clean, dry cloth. If you re-insert it in the meter and it still doesn’t work, please get in touch with us and we can send you a replacement.

 

Is your meter showing an ‘error code’ when you insert your key/card? Was there an error code when the shop assistant popped your key or card in a PayPoint terminal? If so, note the error code down and compare it to the list of codes we’ve listed in our guide on error codes here.

 

If you go off supply our Support Team can book in an emergency appointment. If you’re on the priority services register and have any electrical equipment that relies on electricity, such as a stairlift or refrigerated medication, please let the team know when you contact.

 

 

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