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Being told OVO don't supply 3 phase smart meters, is this really the case?

  • 19 October 2023
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We have a 3 phase supply to our house and would like to have a 3 phase smart meter installed.

I saw various discussions on the ovo forum regarding people having 3 phase smart meters installed so I decided to give OVO a call.. I was told on the phone that they do supply 3 phase smart meters and that I could have one.

 

I made the switch from Birtish Gas and now that im a customer I’m being told that OVO do not supply 3 phase smart meters?!

Customer support said that an engineer can wire a single phase smart meter... I’d have thought that we have a 3 phase supply for a reason and chucking everything onto a single phase might not be the best idea?

 

Any input would be greatly appreaciated.

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Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO 19 October 2023, 13:13

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Blastoise186
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I can confirm that OVO DOES do 3-Phase Smart Meters. They’re just being done in limited numbers right now as there’s not a huge number of engineers available.

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I wonder why I wasn’t told that? I think id rather wait for an engineer to become available then move everything to a single phase.

How would i go about getting myself on the waiting list?

 

Blastoise186
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The Forum Moderators were keeping good records there. I’ll see if they’ve still got that list handy.

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I called again and this time I’ve been told that i can have one but its going to cost me £300. 

Blastoise186
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Yup, that’s right. £325 is about the average OVO charges for that job.

If you already have a Three-Phase meter, the fee to go Smart is waived.

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I already have a 3 phase non smart meter, but apparently I still need to pay...

Blastoise186
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It should be free if you’re going Three-Phase Traditional > Three-Phase Smart.

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Ok I’ll try telling them that, not holding my breath...

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@Tim_OVO / @Emmanuelle_OVO  Could you please share your input? I’ve noticed your involvement on the 3 phase smart meter thread: 

 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Hey @tobydeh,

 

Sorry you’re having issues,

 

This is the advice we’ve given on the topic you’ve posted above...

 

From the start of May 2023, if you have a single rate 3 phase meter (i.e. not Economy 7 / 2-rate etc.) we would encourage you to book a smart meter appointment as normal online or over the phone on 0330 303 5063. (Please do not attempt to book sooner than May unless you have been contacted.)


This will then go through to a specialist team who will validate that it is single rate job and that an 3 phase engineer is available in your region. If this is the case, they will re-book your appointment with the right engineer. (So please bear in mind your appointment date/time will likely change, but we'll try to keep it the same where possible.)

 

What happens when you try and book a smart meter online?

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@Emmanuelle_OVO  Thanks for getting back to me. 

I made the booking online then called customer support to inform them that I currently have a 3 phase non-smart meter.

1st call I was told I cant have one and that my booking would go ahead with the engineer fitting a single phase meter (which is concerning).

2nd call I was told i can have one but it would cost £325. They said that they will arrange a date for an engineer and call me back this afternoon.

 

I’ve not spoken to, or been offered to speak to any specialist teams.

 

Could you please provide clarity on whether or not I should be paying for the smart meter?

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Two very friendly engineers turned up this morning with a 3 phase smart meter!


I’m not sure how / when it was organised or why there was confusion when calling up but everythings sorted.

 

One happy customer :)

Abby_OVO
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Hey @tobydeh 

 

This is lovely to hear! Glad they got it sorted, all be it a little confusion along the way. 

 

Let us know if there’s anything else we can help with. Feel free to pop back to the Forum with questions any time🙂

Location: Electric Avenue
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Does Ovo Energy install 3 phase meters? I saw a schedule of prices which included £325 for a 3 phase meter upgrade. Customer services booked me an appointment after taking the cash from me, but the engineer did not show up. When I chased for a new appointment, they now state that Ovo Energy do not install 3 phase meters and the money I paid for a meter upgrade has just been credited to my electricity account. I am now in the process of moving to another supplier but I thought I would check as the people at customer services do not seem to have a clue what they are talking about.

Blastoise186
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OVO does do 3-Phase Meters, it’s just that 3-Phase Smart is a bit limited right now.

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Ovo customer sales told me yesterday they do not do any 3 phase, smart or not smart, even though I have had 2 no show engineer appointments for a 3 phase meter. (I don’t need a smart one as it is just so I can run a 3 phase ASHP). But today customer services have now booked me a new appointment for a 3 phase meter. This is so confusing. We’ll see if the engineer shows up for the appointment….

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It's all very confusing! Glad to hear @tobydeh that you got there in the end. Can I ask did they replace a 3 phase (day/night) meter, and did you have to pay for it?


@Disgruntled2 did they show up, and if so did they manage to fit the smart 3 phase?

Got a 3 phase smart install booked for next week, I'm not holding out much hope.....

 

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Update. I have finally succeeded to get a 3 phase meter installed. It took a few failed appointments - as in 2 no shows, one cancelled and go to the back of the queue, 2 engineers showing up at the same time neither of whom could do 3 phase and then finally a successful appointment. So despite much wasted time, I am still delighted to have achieved the goal. One lesson is beware of British Gas - who I was originally with who not only were not able to supply a 3 phase meter, but have also massively overcharged me on my final bill when I moved to Ovo - which is likely to take months to resolve.

Abby_OVO
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Hey @Disgruntled2 

 

I’m glad to hear you’ve finally got your 3-phase meter fitted!🙂

 

I’m sorry to hear though about the the billing issue with British Gas, I really hope they sort that out for you soon. A common cause of final bill issues is likely to be an incorrect meter reading somewhere, so it’ll be worth checking the meter readings they’ve used on the bill.

 

Best of luck.

Location: Electric Avenue

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