111 kWh is more than I use in a month when I’m at home, so if that’s what your meter says, then:

• You left something running (a common culprit is the immersion heater, which can easily consume 3-4kWh a day), or
• You’re reading somebody else’s meter. Check that the meter serial number on the bill is the same as the one on the meter itself - it looks something like 12A3456789, or
• You’re misreading the bill. You would expect to see an accumulated standing charge of around £80 - £100. The standing charge varies between 50p and 60p a day depending on how you pay for your electricity.

If you showed us screenshots of the bills concerned (having obscured any personal information), we might be able to spot where these alarming figures come from. It would help to see your meter readings as well: you should be able to see them on this page in your browser: Meter readings history - OVO Energy .

You might also check if the readings used for the bill are real or estimated @Dorota Parker . If you look at the link provided above you will see a description after the reading

Hey @Dorota Parker,

Sorry for the issues you’re having,

BPLightlog and Firedog have given some great advice here. 

The following topics might help:

Hi,

thank you very much. I think we will do how Jess OVO adviced.

I will off all in fuse box and we will be recording 10 min meter. Something the meter is wrong or place where is  fixed is not good. 

Thank you Firedog - I know 111 kWh we used in another home in 1 month time. We off all and sockets too and go out for more 4 months. Flat is 28m2 not TV, nothing. Not electric door bell and not any  lights left . I came specially from London to Cardiff and  off all. Fridge and washing from sockets. and every month 111 and something. If somebody use our electricity will be not possible the same 111 kWh per month. Sometime I think that our lights in the building are eat our electricity

That’s a possibility, but there would have to be two or three old incandescent 60W lamps burning day and night to clock up that amount of usage. And (unless you own the building) communal lighting shouldn’t be wired through your meter.

Did you check the meter serial number?
Did you check that there’s no immersion heater (for hot water) turned on?

How I tell I off all. At home we have all Led bulbs. For hot water we have https://www.google.com/url?q=https://chosry.com/shop/ols/products/programmable-fused-spur-timer-switch&opi=95576897&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiB_sLMq56CAxVUXEEAHffJCFYQsDwIygQ&usg=AOvVaw0gK1uHSjraphDwItgIctS7

but we do not use programmer. We on for one hour before bath and after off.

I will try to off fuse and to look meter for 5-10 min evening when communal light will be on. I do not, but in box with meters there was very big metal cabinet and was not possible to close the meters box door. Our meter is close to the floor - I do not if it affected the meter. From 2021 and only now when we came back after holiday this cabinet is not there.

Thank you very much for Your support

Hey @Dorota Parker,

Are you able to upload a screenshot of the meter readings? I’d be interested to see if any of them are estimated.

Please don’t include any personal information. 

If you asking me to send our meter photo with usage? or photos item we have to see usage every hour, day month and year?

Hi @Dorota Parker

This page, do you see any rows that say Estimated? Can you upload some screenshots of this page? 

https://account.ovoenergy.com/meter-readings/history/electricity

I found this in our online account . I will try to send

Electricity reading history

If you think one of your previous readings was wrong, contact us(opens in new window)  and we'll update your account.

Hide estimates

From 16 May to 24 or 25 of September is the same usage when nobody was at home

Need help? You can get support on our help centre (opens in new window) 

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• Total Electricity cost

  £32.01

  Total Electricity kWh

  111.26

  Want to know

   

  Day	Usage
  1 Jul 2023	3.63 kWh
  2 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  3 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  4 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  5 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  6 Jul 2023	3.57 kWh
  7 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  8 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  9 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  10 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  11 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  12 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  13 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  14 Jul 2023	3.57 kWh
  15 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  16 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  17 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  18 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  19 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  20 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  21 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  22 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  23 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  24 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  25 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  26 Jul 2023	3.57 kWh
  27 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  28 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh
  29 Jul 2023	3.59 kWh
  30 Jul 2023	3.60 kWh
  31 Jul 2023	3.58 kWh

  Need help? You can get support on our help centre (opens in new window) 

• Total Electricity cost

  £32.04

  Total Electricity kWh

  111.31

  Want to know

  where your energy’s going?Unit

  kWhCost

  ) 

  Day	Usage
  1 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  2 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  3 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  4 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  5 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  6 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  7 Aug 2023	3.61 kWh
  8 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  9 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  10 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  11 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  12 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  13 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  14 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  15 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  16 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  17 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  18 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  19 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  20 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  21 Aug 2023	3.57 kWh
  22 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  23 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  24 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  25 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  26 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  27 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  28 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  29 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  30 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  31 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh

  Need help? You can get support on our help centre (opens in new window) 

• Total Electricity cost

  £32.04

  Total Electricity kWh

  111.31

  Want to know

   

  Day	Usage
  1 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  2 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  3 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  4 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  5 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  6 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  7 Aug 2023	3.61 kWh
  8 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  9 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  10 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  11 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  12 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  13 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  14 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  15 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  16 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  17 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  18 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  19 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  20 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  21 Aug 2023	3.57 kWh
  22 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  23 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  24 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  25 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  26 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  27 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh
  28 Aug 2023	3.60 kWh
  29 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  30 Aug 2023	3.58 kWh
  31 Aug 2023	3.59 kWh

  Need help? You can get support on our help centre (opens in new window) 

• Your Sep 2023 energy use

  Total Electricity cost

  £45.12

  Total Electricity kWh

  156.68

  Want to know

   

  Day	Usage
  1 Sep 2023	3.59 kWh
  2 Sep 2023	3.58 kWh
  3 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  4 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  5 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  6 Sep 2023	3.61 kWh
  7 Sep 2023	3.59 kWh
  8 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  9 Sep 2023	3.61 kWh
  10 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  11 Sep 2023	3.59 kWh
  12 Sep 2023	3.57 kWh
  13 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  14 Sep 2023	3.59 kWh
  15 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  16 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  17 Sep 2023	3.58 kWh
  18 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  19 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  20 Sep 2023	3.60 kWh
  21 Sep 2023	3.59 kWh
  22 Sep 2023	3.58 kWh
  23 Sep 2023	3.59 kWh
  24 Sep 2023	17.03 kWh
  25 Sep 2023	6.60 kWh
  26 Sep 2023	15.20 kWh
  27 Sep 2023	5.98 kWh
  28 Sep 2023	10.98 kWh
  29 Sep 2023	9.48 kWh
  30 Sep 2023	8.74 kWh

  Need help? You can get support on our 

•  

Need help? You can get support on our 

Need help? You can get support on our help centre (opens in new window) 

Need help? You can get support on our 

Well, @Emmanuelle_OVO did ask  Thanks for this comprehensive documentation.

Every one of those entries, like 3.58 kWh, is a link to the usage page for the day concerned. Click on one of those - e.g. for 23 September - to see, with any luck, both a chart showing how the usage was spread over the day and a table showing precisely how much energy was consumed each half-hour throughout the day.

If the chart shows bars of about the same height all the way across, that indicates something that’s running continuously, like a 75W lightbulb in the stairway that’s always on. What is the normal half-hourly usage?

If the chart shows a bunch of bars noticeably higher that the rest, then that looks like something (that immersion heater, perhaps) that’s switching on and off again. Note how high the tall bars are, or take the figure from the table lower down; double that figure to find the kW rating of whatever it is that’s gobbling up your electricity. 

One last thought - we heard recently from another user in an entirely analogous situation. He’d switched everything off, but like you saw that something was still using a lot of power. Quite by accident, he found out that his underfloor heating was set to come on at intervals to maintain a constant 20º in the house, even though he thought he’d switched it off. You can’t be too careful with these smart controls that think they know better than you do.

Hi @Dorota Parker

Here is an example of my daily usage when we are away that you can compare with, primarily fridge freezers in our case along with much smaller things like security lights, alarms, oven clocks etc. 1.37kWh in a day. 

I off all. Fridge, washing from sockets too and off sockets. I do not have door bell not outside lights not oven clock - nothing. because this is 28m2 flat studio flat. Because of that I am very upset. I came to Cardiff from London to off all for my child in this flat and we paid from 2021 each month extra 33 pounds for nothing.

Hey @Dorota Parker,

From the screenshots you’ve sent it does seem that your meter is communicating fine, and that usage was consumed. 

I think the best advice for you would be to follow these instructions:

What’s the best way to locate an energy guzzling appliance?

Worried that your electricity usage seems high? By checking the usage of each circuit you might be able to find out the particular appliance which is the culprit. The meter will need to have decimals showing in the reading for this test to be useful:

1. Leave the main breaker in.
2. Turn off all individual circuits (on the fuse board, for example).
3. The electricity meter should stop clocking usage. If not, there could be a short in the fuse/breaker panel box or an appliance connected without fuse/breaker protection. An electrician will be needed to investigate this.
4. Turn on one individual circuit.
5. Watch to see if the electric meter starts to clock usage.
6. Turn off that individual circuit and turn on another one. Again, watch to see if the electric meter is clocking.
7. Repeat step 6 until all individual circuits have been checked.

You’re looking for a circuit that causes the meter to clock a lot of usage, compared to the other circuits. There could be a problem with an appliance or a connection on that circuit. We’d recommend contacting an electrician to check the appliances on this circuit, particularly if there are any old or potentially faulty appliances plugged in.  Find out the average usage for each appliances on this great guide and some great energy saving advice on the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

How do I perform a Creep Test on my electricity meter?

If you’ve been unable to get to the bottom of an increase in our usage by locating a greedy appliance, the next step would be to carry out an initial check on the accuracy of the meter with a ‘Creep Test’. To carry this out: turn off the power to your fuse box and check if the meter continues to clock. If the meter clocks (more than 1 - 2 units which could be down to residual power in the wires)  then it's either faulty, or clocking someone else’s usage.

If your meter is in a communal meter cupboard, sometimes the meter details can get mixed up. Firstly it’s worth checking the meter serial number on the meter matches the serial number registered on your account. You can see this on the ‘Meter readings’ page of your online account.

thank you. I investigate it and now I found that now my child is in the flat and night time she use 002kWh, but when nobody was there the same time it was 006kWh per 30 min

If it’s not the meter @Dorota Parker and non of the usage is estimated, the next step might be getting an electrician round. To determine if there are any appliances using more energy than they should. 

I told many time that I OFF ALL FROM SOCKETS TOO before we go out from flat.

Now I was lucking usage every 30 min and I do not this is estimated? Every 30 min on my online account we can see how many kWh we really use. This is not estimated, because I cannot see today day but only all OCtober and I can see every 30 min how much we use. When my child is there and fridge is working her usage in 30 min specially night time is smaller as we OFF ALL. How to explain that?

Hi @Dorota Parker, 

I don’t fully understand your question. But let’s create two scenarios so we can advise you on what to do for each:

1. Your smart meter isn’t estimating usage but somehow is over-recording your usage
2. Something beyond the meter is drawing power and inflating your meter readings and costs. 

For scenario one, we outline your options here:

And for scenario two, there’s an OVO guide here that’s worth a look. 

Hope this helps

@Dorota Parker 
Can you please post screenshots of these two pages:

https://account.ovoenergy.com/usage?date=2023-09-23&datePeriod=daily&unit=kwh

https://account.ovoenergy.com/usage?date=2023-09-24&datePeriod=daily&unit=kwh

This will show us the usage pattern for a day when you say the flat was empty and the for following day, which showed markedly greater consumption. We might be able to spot when and how all this electricity was being used. 

I would just say that 17kWh for a day when someone is home isn’t remarkable; it’s equivalent to turning on a one-bar electric fire when you get up and off again when you go to bed. 3.6kWh for a day when no-one is home and everything is switched off is too much, unless there’s some heating involved, e.g. governed by a thermostat and not by a socket switch.

Ovo does not helping us to solve the problem. We paid from August 2022 for smart meter and from that time we have extra usage 111 kWh we pay more 32 pounds each month extra. Now I found only one way for my child- student with loan and who is not working and pay for nothing -- sell the flat and buy another one but NEVER EVER any smart meters. My child will be lost about 700 pounds to the time this meter was fix to the time we will move away.

I found information from my country that there are problem with smart meters not only we have it. Thank you very much for all of you for supporting me. I am very sad because we will change nice flat to mold and damp place only because I know we pay for nothing

No-one knows what’s causing the problem yet, so that’s why nothing can be done to solve it. So far, it sounds as if there’s something still connected and using power even though you think everything is switched off. Whatever is wrong, it’s not likely to be with the meter, smart or not. To be sure, you’ll have to do some investigating yourself, by following the steps in this article that Tim referred to earlier. And if you posted the screenshots I asked for, we might have some suggestions.