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I give meter readings each month, why is my bill still based on estimates?


Why, when I faithfully provide meter readings on time, each month, does OVO still give estimated readings on my bills?

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Best answer by Darran_OVO 13 April 2017, 12:50

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Userlevel 7

Updated on 11/09/23 by Abby_OVO

 

Meter readings, usage and estimates

 

If you haven’t had smart meters installed, we’ll send you a meter reading reminder a few days before your monthly summary is created. The easiest way to submit these readings is on the ‘Meter readings’ page of your online account or OVO app (download for Android or iOS):  

 

Exact appearance may vary

 

 

When’s the best date to submit a reading for my monthly summary?

 

The best date to submit your reading is on or just before the date shown on your bill - the email or text reminder you receive may suggest you enter this the day before to make sure it’s received on time. If you do enter the reading slightly early we’ll only estimate your usage between the date you entered the reading and the date the statement was generated, so it should be fairly accurate.

 

When I enter my reading how long does it take to update my balance?

 

Every time you enter a meter reading on your online account, your account balance is recalculated to include your usage costs up-to-date. The balance will usually update instantly although it can take up to 24 hours. It’s worth checking the balance before submitting your readings, so you can easily check that the balance has updated. If the balance show on your monthly summary is estimated, you can always check the accurate balance by submitting another meter reading.

 

How are my estimated readings calculated?

 

If we ever use an estimated reading on your monthly summary, this is calculated based on the last actual reading you gave and your Estimated Annual Consumption (EAC) to give us an idea of what the reading is likely to be. You can always correct any over or under estimated readings by submitting an accurate reading.

 

What’s the best way to avoid estimated statements?

 

As a smart meter can be programmed to send us a reading half-hourly or daily, we can always be sure we’ve got a reading on the date your monthly summary is issued. This will mean no more worrying about reading the meter manually and more accurate billing and usage information on your online account or OVO app (download for Android or iOS.

 

OVO member but not got a smart meter yet? - Book today!

 

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I'm with Toddy. I read the meter and respond when I get the reminder email. If that is too early you should send the reminder email 2 days before it is needed not a week.
I'm with Toddy. I read the meter and respond when I get the reminder email. If that is too early you should send the reminder email 2 days before it is needed not a week.

You make a good point, @Tazz

The meter read reminders are sent around a week before your statement is due. The reason for this is so if a customer is away or forgets about it, they've still got plenty of time to submit some readings before their statement is due.

For those customers that don't want estimated readings on their bills, we advise them to put the date in their calendar or diary to make sure they give them the day before their statement is produced.

Alternatively, you may want to have a look at booking smart meters - that way you'll never have to submit readings and you'll never get an estimated bill! Check out this link for appointments - http://smart.ovoenergy.com/credit.

Hope this helps!

Emma
Nope. I just want my reminder 2 days before you need the reading.
Userlevel 7
Nope. I just want my reminder 2 days before you need the reading.

Hi @Tazz

Ideally we'd be able to tailor when these reminders get sent, depending on each customer's preference. We can't though, and we want to play it safe by giving 5 days for customers to get their readings in.

Let me put it this way: it would be far better for us to estimate 2-4 days worth of usage (from the reading date to the bill date) then for a customer to submit the reading too late and for us to estimate a whole month's worth of usage.

I hope this reasoning makes sense,
Tim
I agree with Toddy. I DO submit my own readings by the deadline that OVO gives me but they still give estimated readings. I quote the last email I received from OVO:
"To make your next statement as accurate as possible, it's best if you give meter readings on 30/07/2017 (or just before). Without them we'll have to use estimated readings, which means you might be paying too much or too little." I did give them by the deadline. They should be waiting to give estimated readings on 31st July if I failed to submit by the 30th which they themselves said was the best date. Yes, they did say "(or just before)" but they didn't say don't submit on 30th even though they said that date was "best".
Userlevel 5
I agree with Toddy. I DO submit my own readings by the deadline that OVO gives me but they still give estimated readings. I quote the last email I received from OVO:
"To make your next statement as accurate as possible, it's best if you give meter readings on 30/07/2017 (or just before). Without them we'll have to use estimated readings, which means you might be paying too much or too little." I did give them by the deadline. They should be waiting to give estimated readings on 31st July if I failed to submit by the 30th which they themselves said was the best date. Yes, they did say "(or just before)" but they didn't say don't submit on 30th even though they said that date was "best".


We think the wording of this could be changed so that it's clearer, Redfinger. I've passed this feedback onto the team for you. Just to clarify, the readings will need to be submitted on that date to avoid any estimates being used.

Lucy
I queried the reason for getting estimated readings, this was the reply:-

The reading showing as estimated on 24/09 is a known error on our side. It's not actually an estimated reading. The system that registers your readings failed to label them correctly as smart meter readings. This has effected thousands of our customers unfortunately., but it is just an labeling error.
I queried the reason for getting estimated readings, this was the reply:-

The reading showing as estimated on 24/09 is a known error on our side. It's not actually an estimated reading. The system that registers your readings failed to label them correctly as smart meter readings. This has effected thousands of our customers unfortunately., but it is just an labeling error.
Userlevel 5
That's interesting @DeltaBravo- thanks for sharing!
I submit regular meter readings but usually a day or two before my statement date. Last month my gas usage for the first 29 days came to 59 units. OVO then put an estimated reading in for the remaining two days of an additional 42 units!! I've read my meter today, 4 days after my statement date, and I'm still 8 units short of their estimate.
Baffled by their maths.
I have the same issue, and I think the Ovo response is both unhelpful, and Innaccurate! Having experienced this problem, I raised directly with Ovo, and they agreed to change the dates on the reminder. So just a few days ago, Reminder asked me to submit on 6th. I was sure this was wrong as my statement date is always 7th, but did as requested. Guess what, Bill produced using Estimated readings for 7th. Grrrr
I now submit my readings bang on the date specified by OVO and this seems so far to be working. There will of course be occasions when submission on the due date will not be possible (holidays, etc.).
Userlevel 1
I will take Toddy’s tip and provide readings day before statement date. See if it works.
A review of my readings against Ovo estimates this past year reveals they have consistently overestimated, except Aug & Sept.
Result has been higher bills than necessary leading to a projected shortfall. Is this to encourage a higher DD?
Or a Smart meter? Judging by some comments, not a good idea.
New to OVO so go easy on me :)

So I added my meter reading 20/11 thinking this was close enough to the 24/11 date that OVO bill on. Pretty sure it told me on the dates on the app and this was inside it - but I can't remember now, and because OVO didn't send me an email reminder that is also set up in the app I have no evidence. Because I submitted early, I now have 4 days usage estimated, which clearly aren't estimated on my usage but ho hum that's a different matter (FWIW ~130kWh for the previous 10 actual days vs ~90kWh for the 4 *estimated* days, nearly double my actual usage, but its only for a handful of days so can forgive the crudeness of the calcs!).

Anyway, it's only a minor discrepancy - as it only estimated 4 days - but how close to the cut off do you have to put the meter reading in to get no estimated usage? I'd guess if I went to 24/11 then it would say that I'm too late and go back a whole month for estimated usage, so 23/11? Would it then estimate 1 days usage?
Why when I submitted meter readings on 4th November, and got an e-mail adjustment, do I get an estimate bill dated 11th November?
Hi Chrisl,

Firstly, I use my PC diary (I guess this could also be done via Alexa, Cortana, etc.) to remind me of the days when meter readings are due and then use the email from OVO to back-up those dates. Thereafter, I read the meters on the actual dates quoted on the OVO email reminders to take the meter readings.

Since adopting this approach, I have had no estimated readings. I accept, however, that given work commitments, travel, etc., it is not always possible to give readings on the dates required. However, if the majority of the readings are actual with a few estimates now and then, I guess there is a balance over a period. Hope this is of some help.
Tend to agree with the above comments. Have had the same situation for over a year. Queried it and got similar answers. This Month, as a test of the system, I gave accurate (UP TO THE MINUTE READINGS AT 11:57pm ON THE DAY SPECIFIED) I still got an estimated reading on my bill which was increased.to the date of bill generation using an estimated reading. WHY?

Don't really mind as I over pay to the extent that I could now have a free years energy! - Well I'm getting no real interest from any bank.

Still don't particularly want a smart meter I can work out how much I'm using and why. Also I don't want a meter cluttering up the walls and décor. the meters are in a cupboard for a reason< they are out of the way. By the sound of it they don't particularly provide a more accurate bill. Any way in the long run it will always even itself out and you pay for what you use. Nevr had an underestimated bill though!
The old adage of tempting fate seems to have occurred following my last post. I provided readings on the requested date but have received a bill based on estimated readings for this month. It may be that because the due date was a Sunday there were no staff to receive and process the readings (I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the readings were processed automatically). That being the case, surely OVO should adjust their meter reading requests accordingly? In any event, the differences in the readings are marginal but it is annoying when making the effort to provide readings on the requested date to have them overridden.
What is the point of me giving you meter readings if you always include an estimated reading and charge me on that reading?
Userlevel 5
What is the point of me giving you meter readings if you always include an estimated reading and charge me on that reading?

Hi @bigbird,

I've moved your topic over here where you'll find all the info you need.

Cheers,
Nancy
Userlevel 1
Why are estimated readings added days after I email readings with plenty of time? Estimated readings are higher than actual readings.
Userlevel 1
Ovo added estimated readings on my account despite me sending them 5 days before and them showing on my readings history. They returned my email saying they had no emails with my readings but they're right there in plain site and this is after me attaching a screen shot of my readings history. Total incompetence here?
Userlevel 5
Hey @NoiseMaker,

I've moved your questions over here where you should find all the information you need about estimated bills.

Nancy
Userlevel 1
I had no problem for years giving my readings on 5th of the month when my statement was on the 12th so why all the probems now?
I've recently had notification tjat my statement date has changed with no notice of when I should submit my readings.
On one occasion when I sent in readings after the 5th but before the 12th I got estimated bill and the reason was I submitted too late.

This is all bullshit imo and Ovo don't seem to know what the Hell they're doing or perhaps they're pissing about to push their smart meter agenda. I won't have a dangerous or piece of spyware and potential hacker in my property. End of. Ovo are failing imo and need to get a grip. People are pissed off.

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