Why has my usage doubled since my smart meter was installed?

Updated on 17/04/26 by Abby_OVO 

Having a smart meter installed won't directly increase your costs. There are no hidden effects on usage, and your tariff won't change. There are two things that will change after getting a smart meter though:

Your bills will no longer be estimated

If you hadn't provided regular reading previously then your bills may have been under-estimated. As we’ll receive a final reading from the old meter when this is removed this could generate a larger than expected bill around the time your smart meters are installed. The good news is that now we’ll be receiving regular readings sent automatically from your meter when we need it you can be sure your bill is spot on. This avoids any nasty bill surprises in future. 

On the other hand, if the final reading from the old meter taken by our engineer is under what we’ve been estimating, then we’ll credit the difference to your account.

Your meter will be accurate

The meter will clock accurately. Old meters 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. 

If you’ve got solar panels installed, a smart meter will ensure that any excess energy generated by the panels doesn’t make your meter clock backwards. This was a commonly seen problem with older traditional electricity meters.

It might be worth considering what else could have caused the increase to your monthly direct debit:

Plan prices may have changed over time

Another thing to consider is, if you've renewed onto a new plan recently, the unit rates and standing charges will have changed. You can check your unit rates and daily standing charges in the ‘Plan’ tab of your online account or OVO app (download for Android or iOS).

Your Direct Debit calculations are not only based on your current usage

If you notice an increase to your suggested Direct Debit amount after having a smart meter installed, it’s worth bearing in mind other things we check when calculating your recommended Direct Debit. We consider your average monthly usage and also the current balance, plus the length left on your contract. The Direct Debit will need to be increased if you have an outstanding balance or are coming to the end of your contract.

Is there any support available if I’m struggling to pay for my energy?

There’s help available if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills from us here at OVO, from government schemes and charities as well.  There are many ways we can help – such as setting up a payment plan for you, which spreads the cost of your energy to make it more manageable. If you want to find out about payment plans, you can request one online here. We’ll take you through what you need to do, and ask you for some details.

Our dedicated team is also specially trained to support you. They can make sure you’re receiving any financial assistance from the government that you’re eligible for, and take you through payment support schemes that are available. 

You can find out more about these schemes and where to seek free, independent advice right here.