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Updated on 05/11/24 by Abby_OVO

 

Frequently asked questions for topping up your traditional meter

 

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.

 

How much credit can I top up in one go?

 

This depends on where you’re topping up, as different shops can have different minimum amounts. But these are the usual top-up limits:

  • The minimum you can top up is £1

  • The maximum you can top up your gas meter in one go is £49 

  • The maximum you can top up your electricity meter in one go is £50 

  • You can only top up in full pounds 

  • The maximum amount a payment card can hold is £249 and the most a key can hold is £250

 

How do I add credit to my meter?

 

To top up your meter, take your top-up card or key to:

Once you’ve topped up, follow the instructions below.

 

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.

If you’ve topped up at a shop, keep your receipt each time just in case. If the money doesn’t appear in your meter, we’ll need to look into it for you.

 

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. That’ll help us work out how to fix the issue quicker when you contact our Support team (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, and 9am to 5pm on weekends).

 

I've lost my top-up key/card – what do I do?

 

You can get a new meter key/card from any shop that stocks replacement OVO Energy keys/cards.

 

But before you go, you’ll need to contact our Support team to let us know you’re going to get a new key/card. We’ll provide you with an 8-digit ‘TAG’ code within an hour. Give this code to the shop assistant and they’ll be able to set up your new key/card with our rates and other relevant information so you can register it when you get home.If you don’t need to top-up urgently, we can send you an already programmed key/card in the post. You’ll get it within 3-5 days.

 

Before you add any credit with your new key/card, please register it in the meter. If you try to do a top-up before registering your key/card, the credit could be wiped.

 

If I pay in advance, how can I owe money?

 

There are a few different ways:

  • You used the emergency credit to keep your power on. If this happens, you’ll need to pay back the amount you used. If you need to do this gradually, get in touch via one of the methods below to discuss spreading the cost of the repayment. 

  • You’re repaying a debt through your Pay As You Go meter(s), which will take credit from your balance each day to repay your debt. 

  • If you've asked us to apply discretionary credit to your meter, we’ll add this as a debt to your meter. You’ll need to repay it through your Pay As You Go meter(s).

  • You missed one or more daily standing charge payments due to not having enough credit. This would mean your meter goes into a negative balance.

  • You were in a period of “non-disconnect” overnight or on the weekend (this means you wouldn’t run out of electricity at these times). But as a result, you might’ve built up a negative balance.

You can always contact our Support team if you’re worried or struggling to pay for your energy. 

 

How will I pay my debt back on a traditional Pay As You Go meter?

 

If you use any emergency credit, you'll need to pay it back in full from your next top-up. So if you can, make sure you buy enough credit to pay back the emergency credit, and still have some left for you to use for energy.

 

If you're paying back a bill debt or we lend you some credit when you contact us, we’ll agree how you’ll pay it back at the time. We can spread the cost and you won’t need to pay it back in one go. You can pay it off gradually through your meter, a week at a time.

 

Part of your gas top-ups will be used for your weekly repayments. This is collected from the first top-up you make from Wednesday each week. Your electricity repayments will be spread out evenly throughout the week. So please make sure you’re making regular top-ups to cover these repayments and the energy you use.

 

If the repayment rate is ever set too high, please contact our Support team. For information on how to check your repayment rate, see "Understanding your electricity meter screens” or "Understanding your gas meter screens". We’re here to support you and we’ll always find a repayment plan that works for you. Once you've repaid the credit we lent you, your meter will automatically stop taking repayments. You’ll just pay for the energy you use from then on.

 

Why do I have to keep my supply topped up if I'm not using any energy?

 

Even though you might not be using any energy, there's a daily standing charge. Also, any debt you might be repaying through your meter will continue to be charged. So if you're away from home or not using any energy for a period of time, please make sure there's enough credit in the meter to prevent the supply from going off. If not, any appliances that need continuous supply, such as your fridge or freezer, might be at risk.

 

Anything missed?

 

We’ll aim to update this content to keep it relevant and accurate. If any of the advice doesn’t fit with your experience, leave a comment below to let us know. 

You are in the Engineering Menu, which is completely the wrong place.

You need to get out of that, find the Prepayment Menu and manually add the credit using the UTRN Code - that will let you restore supply.

I can’t seem to get out of the engineering menu. Do you know how I get out? I can only press A or B. Pressing A just loops me round these 6 options and pressing B takes me further into each of the engineering options

Hold A for a few seconds, iirc it’s a back button. Definitely don’t press B - you’ll mess something up.

Failing that, you’ll need to get an engineer out to get you out of that menu.

When I hold in A the screen fills with black squares goes off then just goes back to ‘View Event Log’ I am currently on a call to the emergency pay as you go team, hopefully they can sort it out.

Hey @AGarvin,

 

Sorry to hear of the issues you’re having, is this resolved now?

 

These topics may help:

 

 

 

Re-enabling your meter after you’ve gone off supply

 

Firstly, if the meter is outdoors please check your meter box is water tight and in good condition. If water gets in the meter this can stop you from being able to add credit. Also, we may not be able to repair or replace the gas meter until the outer box is fixed. This is because the meter box is the property owners responsibility. You can buy a new meter box at most hardware stores.


Check your top up card is working by inserting your card into the meter. The meter screen should turn on and say “please wait” followed by “£0” on the card (if there’s no credit on the card). If the meter doesn’t turn on this could mean the chip on your card is either dirty or worn. First please wipe the card with a clean damp cloth and dry it, then try again. If it still doesn’t work, reach out to the Support Team for a new card. 

 

 

Yes it’s been sorted, thanks. 

I am new in this apartment and Ovo is the energy supplier. I do not have a key or card to top up. What do I do?

Hi @Damilola Odedeyi ,

Please note that the OVO Forum is currently in Hibernation Mode for Christmas and New Year. The response times for Forum Volunteers such as myself may be slower to respond than usual during this time and our service here may be limited. There will also be limited or no responses from the Forum Moderators during this time and their responses may be delayed. Thanks in advance for your understanding. We’d also like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Forum Moderators and Volunteers of the OVO Forum.

I hate to say it, but you’ve picked a pretty bad time to ask this question as the options I can recommend for literally right now are extremely limited. 98% of the world is shutting down for Christmas and New Year right now, so there’s very few options I can recommend.

All I can say right now is try calling 0330 175 9669 or 0330 102 7517 immediately.

Hey @Damilola Odedeyi,

 

Is this sorted now?

 

How to get in contact about my OVO Pay As You Go account

 

The best way to get in touch with us is via chat here. Just click the green chat icon on the bottom right of your screen. We’re here to help anytime from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday. Or call us on 0330 175 9669 during the same times.

 

If you’re with Boost

Find answers or chat with Boost at boostpower.co.uk/help. Or call them on 0330 102 7517.

 

The following topics may be helpful:

 

 

Recently moved in to a house, topped up the electric a few times already, just went to top it up again but the post office couldn`t get the key to work, error they had was Unsupported key host 03 supplier 08

Any ideas?

Post Offices aren’t supported. Try a Paypoint shop instead, which is supported.

Please make sure to also register for an account with the supplier - you can’t use the existing one.

My sister has a traditional Pay As You Go meter, the "key" type, and is unable to top up due to heavy snow, so is on emergency credit. Local Post Office counter is closed as the staff couldn't make it in to wor since Wednesday, and the nearest Paypoint outlet is a 10 mile trip over quite bad roads; the local police have advised people to stay at home if possible. What can she do?

Hi @Rivlins ,

I’ve got a meeting with the Forum Moderators in about 90 minutes. You OK to hold on until then, and I’ll definitely bring this up with them?

This one could be tricky, but I’ll see what we can figure out between us.

Thanks, it has come on to snow even heavier now.

Hey @Rivlins,

 

I’m so sorry to hear this, I hope your sister got this sorted. 

 

If you can’t top up at the shops, the next best thing to do is contact customer support who will sort this out.

 

How to get in contact about my OVO Pay As You Go account

 

  • The best way to get in touch with us is via chat here. Just click the green chat icon on the bottom right of your screen. We’re here to help anytime from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday.
  • Or call us on 0330 175 9669 during the same times.

 

If you’re with Boost

 

I’d strongly advise your sister gets a smart meter installed so that they can top up through the app, or switches to pay monthly.

 

Got a question about your Pay As You Go energy use, top-ups, keys, cards, or anything else? Why not see if you can find the answers in our dedicated PAYG Forum category.

 

There are also tons of helpful resources and information available on our OVO Help pages.  

 

If you or anyone in your household is vulnerable, or just needs a little extra assistance at a difficult time in your lives, our Priority Services Register is a free support service you might find useful.

Struggling with your energy bills? Our Winter Support Package might be helpful to you.

I believe she has requested a meter swap but as we are offshore (Scottish islands) the waiting time is quite long. If I remember right, when I got a credit meter installed at our house it took about 4 months.

I hope it’s a shorter waiting time than you experienced @Rivlins! I guess it’s due to engineer availability?

 

Keep us posted with how this progresses if you can. 

I need a replacement electric key urgently 

 

Hi @Darrensoper ,

Please contact Support for this. They’ll get you a replacement arranged.

Hey @Darrensoper,

 

Welcome to the OVO Online Community,

 

I've lost my top-up key/card – what do I do?

 

You can get a new meter key/card from any shop that stocks replacement OVO Energy keys/cards.

 

But before you go, you’ll need to contact our Support team to let us know you’re going to get a new key/card. We’ll provide you with an 8-digit ‘TAG’ code within an hour. Give this code to the shop assistant and they’ll be able to set up your new key/card with our rates and other relevant information so you can register it when you get home.If you don’t need to top-up urgently, we can send you an already programmed key/card in the post. You’ll get it within 3-5 days.

 

Before you add any credit with your new key/card, please register it in the meter. If you try to do a top-up before registering your key/card, the credit could be wiped.

I came out of hospital and a £52 debt had accumulated on my prepayment meter and I has lost my key. I was given an RTI code but couldn't find any outlets to issue a replacement key. I contact the supplier who said to install a smart meter.  I waited another 5days in the dark and when the engineer arrived he could not start the installation as he could not gain access to the communal electrics. I was then told an emergency team would come out and put electric on and they would send out a key in the post. The team did not arrive.  During this time I was told, after charging my phone at a neighbouring house, losing work as phone had no battery life and paying additional for takeaways as I could not cook. I am also a priority customer as I have medical conditions, that a replacement key could be found 7 miles away.  When I called the shop they said that they had none and also when booking the emergency team I asked the customer service lady what time they close in case I run into any issues and she told me 8pm when in fact it was 5pm - after the 3hr window the emergency engineer has to meet the apt who didn't show. I was out of electric for over 3 months and they are trying to offer me £50 compensation and I fell twice at home as well as having anxiety living alone. I refused the money.  Can anyone help or signpost me to an legal or advice centre where I can be supported.  Thanks 

Good evening @3weeksInTheDark ,

Firstly, sincere apologies for this. As a Forum Volunteer, I unfortunately cannot action anything myself. However, I have played my Joker Card. You won’t see anything visible immediately as a result, but my Joker Cards have some serious power behind them.

The effects of me doing so will trigger within 24 hours. I am monitoring this thread and the activation of my Joker Card myself and will chase up with as many nudges as required. Please wait and either myself or someone I trust will update you ASAP.

This is one of the few cases where once I bite, I don’t let go - and that’s rare for me on this forum.

If you need the power back on urgently, call 105 and your DNO will help you get the lights back on.

For anyone else reading this, please do not post in this thread at this time unless you can assist directly. The monitoring I place on these threads is intended to assist with emergencies and it’s preferable for my inbox to not be jammed up with random commentary. “Me too” type posts will likewise not help the situation - they’ll only slow down my responses to the OP so please don’t post them here.

Hey @3weeksInTheDark,

 

I’m really sorry to hear of the experience you’ve had, this shouldn’t have happened at all.

 

My first suggestion is to escalate your complaint if you’re unhappy with the compensation you’ve been offered. 

 

If a customer is off supply and vulnerable with no means to top up, an emergency appointment should be booked right away. Blastoise is right in suggesting you can call 105 if it is out of hours. Any engineer that comes to your property to exchange a meter or provide a top up will need access to the meter. You’ll need to find out who is responsible for the communal areas (landlord, housing association, maintenance company) and request immediate access. 

 

I've lost my top-up key/card – what do I do?

 

You can get a new meter key/card from any shop that stocks replacement OVO Energy keys/cards. The support team should be able to advise on the phone where the nearest shop is to you. 

 

But before you go, you’ll need to contact our Support team to let us know you’re going to get a new key/card. We’ll provide you with an 8-digit ‘TAG’ code within an hour. Give this code to the shop assistant and they’ll be able to set up your new key/card with our rates and other relevant information so you can register it when you get home. If you don’t need to top-up urgently, we can send you an already programmed key/card in the post. You’ll get it within 3-5 days.

 

Before you add any credit with your new key/card, please register it in the meter. If you try to do a top-up before registering your key/card, the credit could be wiped.

 

The support team also have the option to add support credit to the meter for customers who are unable to top up. 

 

How to get in contact about my OVO Pay As You Go account

 

  • The best way to get in touch with us is via chat here. Just click the green chat icon on the bottom right of your screen. We’re here to help anytime from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 2pm on Saturday.
  • Or call us on 0330 175 9669 during the same times.

 

If you’re with Boost

I’d strongly advise you request for the smart meter to be changed to pay monthly, so that this issue never arises again. For anyone with vulnerabilities in their home, this is recommended, so that there is no longer a risk of going off supply. 

 

Got a question about your Pay As You Go energy use, top-ups, keys, cards, or anything else? Why not see if you can find the answers in our dedicated PAYG Forum category.

 

There are also tons of helpful resources and information available on our OVO Help pages.  

 

If you or anyone in your household is vulnerable, or just needs a little extra assistance at a difficult time in your lives, our Priority Services Register is a free support service you might find useful.

I used £9 emergency credit.Topped up £20 but only got £5.15 credit why

Hi @Michaelnash ,

Sounds like you racked up some Standing Charge debts while using Emergency Credit. The collection of them is paused under EmCr and deducted from the next top-up. What you actually get into your main credit is whatever’s left after EmCr has been replenished and all outstanding debt is paid off.

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