Skip to main content
C
Rank 1
ccooky98
Rank 1
March 5, 2019
Solved

New IHD showing high levels of usage - is this right?

  • March 5, 2019
  • 110 replies
  • 8627 views



Hi, I had my smart meters installed yesterday lunchtime, this morning my IHD tells me I used a combined gas and electric totalling over £25!! there is no way this is correct. My daughter had a shower this evening for 5 minutes and the electric cost went up on the IHD by £5.....anyone else having these unusual readings? its worrying me as my bill is going to be massive!
    Best answer by jewelie

    Updated on 23/10/25 by Ben_OVO

     

    Sorry for the inaccurate usage costs you’re seeing on your In-Home Display (IHD).

     

    With a smart meter the tariff information showing on the device should match the rates showing on the ‘plan details’ page of your online account or app. If the tariff figures loaded on your device aren’t correct, it may appear that your usage costs are far higher than they should be - reach out to our Support Team to get that corrected. You can find out how to see your plan details using this guide:

     

     

    It is worth bearing in mind the following: 

     

    Usage costs on your IHD may not 100% match your daily charges

     

    If the unit rates loaded on to your device are not accurate the daily costs shown here will not match what you are actually charged. For this reason we’d always advise checking the actual usage charges on the ‘Billing’ page of your online account or app. You can find out how to use the Usage pages using this guide:

     

     

    No increase in costs due to a smart meter:


    Having a smart meter installed won't directly increase your costs. There are no hidden effects on usage, and your tariff won't change. 

     

    Your meter will be accurate:

     

    The meter will clock accurately. Old meters (this does depend on how old your previous meter was) can slow down, or even speed up meaning they're not measuring your energy usage correctly. We'd only expect to see this with very old meters. A brand new meter, smart or otherwise, will clock what you're using accurately.

     

    IHD user guides can be found here:

     

     

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

    Interested but not yet an OVO member? - Check out our plans!

     

    110 replies

    Transparent
    Rank 20
    Transparent
    Rank 20
    March 6, 2019
    Don't panic @ccooky98. Your Smart Meter doesn't yet have the correct Tariff information uploaded.

    Have a look at what I've just written about this here.

    When I installed a shower a few years ago, my (teenage) daughter seemed to take a long time using it. I bought an hourglass style "egg timer" which stuck to the tiles with a suction cup.

    A couple of weeks later, I inquired if she was actually using it.

    "Oh yes," she replied. "But it's annoying having to turn around every three minutes and turn it over again. How is it meant to save energy?"! 😕
    Save energy... recycle electrons!
      C
      Rank 1
      ccooky98Author
      Rank 1
      March 6, 2019
      thanks for that! I turned my heating and water off yesterday as was so worried about the cost! got fed up of being freezing and turned it back on a little while ago, just before I read your reply! hopefully it will sort itself out soon, I think I might just turn the IHD off so I don't keep looking at it! thanks again for your reply
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      March 6, 2019
      Glad to hear you're keeping warm again @ccooky98 !

      OVO will be using the direct readings from your new Smart Meter and applying a correction factor to allow for it not yet being synchronised to your actual tariff.

      So your next monthly statement may look a bit odd. It will also have a mix of readings from both old and new meters of course.

      The Statement after that is the one you can use to check if things have settled down.

      Please feel free to post here again if you are concerned. But for obvious reasons, don't upload pictures of your Bills which contain personal information!
      Save energy... recycle electrons!
      C
      Rank 1
      ccooky98Author
      Rank 1
      March 6, 2019
      Thank you, i have just turned heating off again....it went up on my reading from 63p up to £3.60 within 10minutes or so! Its too stressful to watch it go up and up!!
      S
      Newcomer
      Staceyt8319
      Newcomer
      March 17, 2019
      I had my smart meter fitted on Tuesday and it’s only for the electric as they couldn’t do the gas and the screen is saying that I’ve used £53 already this week???
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      Transparent
      Rank 20
      March 17, 2019
      It's OK @Staceyt8319 ... don't panic; this is quite normal.

      I too had Smart Meters fitted last week. I've written about the process and why you get erroneous readings to start with. Have a look at what I've said on this other Topic here.
      Save energy... recycle electrons!
      T
      Newcomer
      TomH
      Newcomer
      April 19, 2019
      When i read smart meter and scroll through daily charges the last few days have been £10, £13 and £31 respectively, yet period charge to date is only £9 (which sounds about right).

      Any ideas what is going on, its was only installed 4 days ago.
        Nancy_OVO
        Retired Moderator
        Nancy_OVO
        Retired Moderator
        April 23, 2019
        Hi @TomH - I've moved your post onto this topic where you can find more information about this issue.

        Cheers
        Your guiding light(bulb)
          Transparent
          Rank 20
          Transparent
          Rank 20
          April 23, 2019
          Hi @TomH When you first have Smart Meters, they don't have your tariff information stored within them. Have a look here where I've explained this.

          Having said that, @Nancy_OVO has also just posted on the Forum that OVO are aware of some bugs with the IHDs currently being supplied. I don't know whether yours is affected, but until your tariff data is uploaded, we can't tell anyway.

          Don't worry. Your SMETS2 meters will still send correct usage data to OVO. What's displayed on the IHD doesn't affect your bills.
          Save energy... recycle electrons!
            jewelie
            Rank 4
            jewelie
            Rank 4
            April 23, 2019
            Hi @TomH When you first have Smart Meters


            , they don't have your tariff information stored within them. Have a look here where I've explained this.

            Having said that, @Nancy_OVO has also just posted on the Forum that OVO


            are aware of some bugs with the IHD


            s currently being supplied. I don't know whether yours is affected, but until your tariff data is uploaded, we can't tell anyway.

            Don't worry. Your SMETS2 meters

            will still send correct usage data to OVO


            . What's displayed on the IHD


            doesn't affect your bills.

            Can't speak for @TomH or @ccooky98 but my Chameleon IHD3 PPMID has the correct tariff* (did so within days of being installed), is registering correct gas and electricity usage, is registering automatic meter readings with OVO, but is displaying similarly crazy costs. So it does seem like this bug might well be quite prevalent!

            *A potential gotcha when comparing tariff shown online and on statements to the one on the IHD is to remember that the ones on the IHD includes VAT, so remember to multiply the ones on your statement etc by 1.05 to compare them to the IHD ones.
            Show more replies
            Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement

            OVO Energy Ltd, Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ, (Company no. 06890795) registered in England and Wales.

            OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ.

            OVO (S) Gas Limited is part of OVO Group Ltd