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Rank 2
June 22, 2025
Solved

IHD and Meter says I’ve used £2300 of gas this billing period

  • June 22, 2025
  • 32 replies
  • 533 views

As per the title my IHD and gas meter are displaying a stupid amount of gas usage (£2302)for the first three weeks of this month. (My total gas usage for May was only £16) 

In fact £2000 would be approximately 4 years gas usage for my two bed semi detached bungalow. My online account details show a figure which is as expected of £5.13 gas usage for this month. 
 

why such a discrepancy ? 
also my online account shows readings of 5719 have been sent on 20th 21st and 22nd June

yet my Ihd and meter display 63769.440 under meter reading.

i tried querying with online chat only to be told that consumption varies and basically the meter is a smart meter and will be correct. 
 

Fair enough if the meter is sending in accurate readings,  but if Ovo were to manually read my meter or ask for a manual reading they’d be getting the much higher read. 
 

I did ask if the reading on the IHD is converted at some point to the reading they use their end but was told  no. 
 

My electric meter readings coincide with what I see on my account it’s just the gas which is so out. 

Just to add some more context my electricity supply was interrupted for several hours on 20th June as my supply was looped to my neighbours, and needed unlooping because of alterations to their property needing a meter relocation. During this the main fuse to my electric meter was removed by National grid while the works were completed. 
I wonder if it’s possible that the interruption compromised the information stored in the gas meter as I know the gas and electric meters do communicate with each other 🤔

I have raised a complaint for Ovo to investigate as I was getting nowhere with online chat being told there was nothing the rep could do and no point escalating as I’d be told the same by someone else. No attempt was made to understand my concern nor any realisation that a £2300 consumption in summer for a domestic property where the only gas usage is when I turn a hot water tap on is totally unrealistic anyway for a 3 week period, even saying check my previous bills, just resulted in the same reply that ‘you can’t expect the same consumption every month and there are standing charges too’
 

Just wondering if anyone else has had such discrepancies between the meter reading displayed on their IHD and meter compared with the readings being sent to Ovo ? 
Thanks 

Best answer by Mikep

Updated on 11/12/25 by Ben_OVO

UPDATE

Just after my last post I had a call from OVO in relation to my e-mail complaint. Basically they are re-setting things their end and if it’s not fixed send an engineer. They’ve assured me they are receiving correct readings from my meter but the displays my end are incorrect.

 

Thanks again for all the inputs 

If the information on your In Home Display (IHD) seems incorrect, then there could be an issue with the IHD itself, or with the smart meters at your property. If in doubt it’s always best to contact our Support Team, however this article may help you determine whether the issue is the IHD or the smart meters:

 

 

32 replies

MikepAuthor
Rank 2
June 23, 2025

Thanks. That’s a fault I don’t remember seeing before, and I can’t imagine where it comes from. The IHD is supposed to receive and display m³ figures for gas. The gas proxy (a device inside the communications hub on top of the electricity meter) is clearly receiving the right m³ data from the gas meter so they can be sent to OVO, so it’s a mystery why the IHD is getting kWh figures from the same meter. It also looks as if the IHD is using its own internal systems to work out consumption figures in £ as if the data it was receiving were normal, which they obviously aren’t.  

I’d suggest contacting Support again, using the webchat option. You’ll then be able to upload the images so they will be added to your account and can be scrutinized by someone who knows about IHDs.

Meanwhile, please upload a photo or two of the actual gas meter. You will have to touch a button to light up the screen; repeated touches should display more information than just the kWh figure.

Thanks for this I’ve added photos as requested 

checking my online bill I don’t see that I’m going to be charged 2k, but as you say the IHD must be displaying the wrong figure under meter reading. I’ve turned it off and back on again but still get the same result. 
I note you say the IHD may be using this wrong figure to calculate to £ but it’s also displaying as such on the meter🤷‍♂️

Thanjs a lot for your input 

Firedog
Super User
Super User
June 23, 2025

Thanks. That is a SMETS1 meter, so it’s perhaps not surprising that it doesn’t work flawlessly in an otherwise SMETS2 environment. 

For the time being, you shouldn’t take too much notice of the £ figures you’re seeing. There is clearly a misconfiguration somewhere which may or may not come right by itself in the next few days, so as  both BP and I have said, “you should be able to rely on the online account for an accurate picture of what’s happening.”

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
MikepAuthor
Rank 2
June 23, 2025

Thanks. That is a SMETS1 meter, so it’s perhaps not surprising that it doesn’t work flawlessly in an otherwise SMETS2 environment. 

For the time being, you shouldn’t take too much notice of the £ figures you’re seeing. There is clearly a misconfiguration somewhere which may or may not come right by itself in the next few days, so as  both BP and I have said, “you should be able to rely on the online account for an accurate picture of what’s happening.”

 

Thanks for your time and assurance. I should have come here first, rather being told ‘the figure is right and I can’t do anything about it’ by the CS person!

BPLightlog
Super User
Super User
June 23, 2025

It’s worth noting ​@Mikep , that there is a situation where that particular meter can be showing Total lifetime values (from install) and the IHD can mimic that.

The button options are 

1 - Displays cost of consumption and units used on the current day and previous day
2 - Displays cost of consumption in the current week and previous week
3 - Displays cost of consumption in the current month and previous month
4 - Displays historical data comprising monthly units consumed and cost of consumption
- Displays ‘Not Used’
- Displays tariff name, standing charge per day, active rate register(s) along with the consumption and cost per unit recorded in each rate register (Will provide Economy 7 readings: IMP R01 is the night read, and IMP R02 is the day read)
7 - Displays ‘Not Used’
8 - Displays ‘Not Used’
9 - Displays total import and export register values (will provide a total reading after IMP KWH)
0 - Performs display check and then displays date, time, load and CO2 data of the current hour and current day, yesterday, last week and last month (will show 'COMMISSION' instead if meter needs to be commissioned)

There a guide here 

 

Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
MikepAuthorSolved
Rank 2
June 23, 2025

Updated on 11/12/25 by Ben_OVO

UPDATE

Just after my last post I had a call from OVO in relation to my e-mail complaint. Basically they are re-setting things their end and if it’s not fixed send an engineer. They’ve assured me they are receiving correct readings from my meter but the displays my end are incorrect.

 

Thanks again for all the inputs 

If the information on your In Home Display (IHD) seems incorrect, then there could be an issue with the IHD itself, or with the smart meters at your property. If in doubt it’s always best to contact our Support Team, however this article may help you determine whether the issue is the IHD or the smart meters:

 

 

Chris_OVO
Community Manager
Community Manager
June 23, 2025

Hey ​@Mikep,

 

We're glad to hear this seems to be a visual glitch that isn't affecting your account. Please keep us updated on whether the reset resolves the issue. ​@BPLightlog and ​@Firedog have provided excellent advice and support on this thread.

 

I’ve included another guide which you might find useful below: 

 

Renewable energy jokes never get old.
MikepAuthor
Rank 2
June 24, 2025

Hey ​@Mikep,

 

We're glad to hear this seems to be a visual glitch that isn't affecting your account. Please keep us updated on whether the reset resolves the issue. ​@BPLightlog and ​@Firedog have provided excellent advice and support on this thread.

 

I’ve included another guide which you might find useful below: 

 

Thanks for the tutorial link!

24 hours has passed since the reset at Ovo’s end. I also turned my IHD off and back on again as I was told, but this morning it’s still saying my Bill to date is £2303 and the meter reading on the IHD still displays in KWh not Cubic metres. The gas meter itself correctly cycles through cubic meter and KWh readings but also says cost now as £2303

Nukecad
Super User
Super User
June 24, 2025

I wonder if it’s worth trying to get the gas meter exchanged?

Maybe that’s exactly what an enginner will do if they now send one out following the unsuccessful reset.

It is a SMETS1 meter, and 8 years old so probably due for replacement soon anyway.

I said, Hey - Watts going on.
MikepAuthor
Rank 2
June 24, 2025

I wonder if it’s worth trying to get the gas meter exchanged?

Maybe that’s exactly what an enginner will do if they now send one out following the unsuccessful reset.

It is a SMETS1 meter, and 8 years old so probably due for replacement soon anyway.

I’ve just come off the phone to Ovo as they wanted me to let them know if the reset hadn’t worked. They are going to try something else which could take 2 weeks to work . No idea what that is, but I just have to forget about it for a couple of weeks ! 

Chris_OVO
Community Manager
Community Manager
June 24, 2025

Hey ​@Mikep,

 

It’s likely they’ve raised a case with our metering team, who can investigate the technical issues causing the IHD to display incorrect figures

Renewable energy jokes never get old.