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Cancelling Switch to Another Provider

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I recently decided to switch frm OVO to Octopus.  After seeing their online account system (app) I decided that te OVO system was much clearer and concise and decided to cancel the switch.  I informed both parties.  Now I can’t get any sense from either of them - Octopus told me to inform OVO - OVO say they can’t do anything their end!  So I’m in Limbo.  Any advice to get this sorted would be very gratefully received.  I am still within the cooling off period. Thanks.

 

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Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO 9 June 2023, 11:49

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BPLightlog
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Hi @ALH according to Citizens Advice , you inform the company you were switching to and they cancel it

(https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier)

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Jeffus
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Definitely Octopus you tell, perhaps give them a link to their own website 😊

https://octopus.energy/blog/faster-more-reliable-switching/

There is a cancellation deadline, but also a longer cooling off period of 14 days.

I guess if all else fails you can switch back to OVO 5 days after you have been with Octopus 

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Thanks both.  Octopus have apparently initiated the 14 day cooling off system and they told me to inform OVO that I wished to stay.  However, I’m getting zilch help from OVO.   I’ll just leave it for a couple of weeks and then switch again as Jeffus has mooted.

 

 

Jeffus
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Thanks both.  Octopus have apparently initiated the 14 day cooling off system and they told me to inform OVO that I wished to stay.  However, I’m getting zilch help from OVO.   I’ll just leave it for a couple of weeks and then switch again as Jeffus has mooted.

 

 

If you have anything in writing from Octopus that they have initiated the 14 day cooling off, perhaps just forward it to OVO at least so there is no excuse.

I am not actually sure how the new faster switching process works and if OVO have to do anything. Perhaps one of the moderators know @Emmanuelle_OVO 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Hey @ALH,

 

Welcome to the OVO Online Community,

 

Octopus should be able to cancel the switch, if they were taking your supply without your consent as in an Erroneous Transfer, we could object to the switch. But this is a legitimate contract, their website states: 

  • You can cancel your switch up to 5pm the day before you switch.

 

Hope this helps. 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
Jeffus
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Hey @ALH,

 

Welcome to the OVO Online Community,

 

Octopus should be able to cancel the switch, if they were taking your supply without your consent as in an Erroneous Transfer, we could object to the switch. But this is a legitimate contract, their website states: 

  • You can cancel your switch up to 5pm the day before you switch.

 

Hope this helps. 

@Emmanuelle_OVO 

The poster isn't using that clause as the switch has gone through, they are using the 14 day cooling off period which is part of the standard Faster Switching Service. 

The  OVO website explains the regulations quite well

https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-faster-switching-policy

I suspect there is nothing much for OVO to do and Octopus have to follow some industry process to get the supply back to OVO. Then OVO have to accept the request from Octopus somehow in their system. Does a standard cooling off period transfer trigger a new OVO account or does the old OVO account get re opened? 

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Well, it seemed the only way to do this was to switch from Octopus to Ovo as a new customer!  So I’ve lost all previous history in my account etc.

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Updated on 12/09/23 by Emmanuelle_OVO

Hey ​​​​@ALH,

 

I’ve found out more about our internal process for switching:

 

How Faster Switching affects the cooling off period

 

All domestic customers get a 14 day cooling off period when they sign up to a new supplier, this starts from the day they sign up and allows them to cool off and change their mind about the switch as long as they inform us within the 14 days. This period remains the same.

Before, as a switch would take 21 days, they could cancel in their cool off period and allow a supplier to withdraw from the switch before the new Supply Start Date (SSD).

As Faster Switching now allows us to complete a switch within 1 working day, a customer could successfully switch to us and still be within their cooling off period.

 

What if a customer changes their mind?

 

Before the cut-off (5pm on the day before Supply Start Date)

 

If a customer changes their mind before the cut-off, 5pm on day before SSD, then they can still cancel the switch and remain with their current supplier.

 

After the cut-off

 

If the customer changes their mind after the cut-off, then they can no longer cancel the switch to us. Instead they have 3 options:

  1. Revert to their previous supplier and retain the tariff they were on previously (suppliers have to keep this offer open for at least 16 days after a loss).
    • To do this the customer needs to contact their previous supplier directly
  2. Switch away to another supplier without any penalty. They can even choose to switch to their previous supplier on a different tariff if they like.
    • To do this the customer must sign up with a new supplier directly/via a broker

      Note: In this scenario the customer will be charged for the usage and standing charge whilst they are with us - but NOT exit fees.

  3. Stay with the new supplier, but alter the tariff to an alternative that's available within the cool off period. The customer won't be charged any exit or tariff hopping fees if they choose to do this.
    • To do this the customer needs to contact the current supplier.

 

This is our internal process, so, if you contact OVO it seems you can revert your supply back to us and we can keep this open for at least 16 days after your supply was lost to ensure you retain the tariff you were previously on. One thing to note, I’m not sure if Octopus will need to flag something on their end to ensure you aren’t automictically charged exit fees. 

 

Really hope this helps, keep us posted with how you get on!

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
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“This is our internal process, so, if you contact OVO it seems you can revert your supply back to us and we can keep this open for at least 16 days after your supply was lost to ensure you retain the tariff you were previously on. One thing to note, I’m not sure if Octopus will need to flag something on their end to ensure you aren’t automictically charged exit fees.”

 

Well it hasn’t worked for me.   This was a reply I received via Facebook:

“Our Transfers Team has advised us to tell you that it's not their process and you will need to get in contact with your previous supplier. Also, when we try and cancel your switch there says there is a problem as we can not do it on our side.”

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The phone call to set up the new account cost me £7.50!!!

 

Blastoise186
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That’s an awfully expensive call rate… Did you definitely call 0330 303 5063? And if you don’t mind me asking, did you use a PAYG phone?

03 numbers should never cost more to call than any 01 or 02 number and by law must form part of any inclusive minutes (including those granted by add-ons or bolt-ons etc).

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Called from home phone, but the call lasted forever - firstly the obligatory recorded messages (!), then waiting for someone to answer, then going through all the rigmarole and questions etc setting up the account.  Not very happy.  Why on earth should people have to pay to contact customer services anyway?  Beggars belief really.

And don’t mention WhatsApp!

Blastoise186
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In that case, I’d have a word with your phone provider as it sounds like you’re being ripped off.

OVO doesn’t charge to call their support team, that’s the whole point of 03 numbers. It’s the 084, 087, 090 and 070 numbers you have to watch out for.

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03 numbers are charged at the same rate as 01 and 02 numbers.  Companies only use 03 numbers because it is cheaper for them than providing an 0800 number!

Blastoise186
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It’s still cheaper for the customer than the old days of 084 or 087 numbers.

Most people these days have at least some inclusive minutes on their phone contract which makes calling 03 numbers free within those allowances. It’s not worth OVO paying extra  for an 0800 number (which would then have to be charged to your energy bill!) when the 03 number does basically the same thing.

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So you were wrong - you DO have to pay to  contact customer services!  And not everyone has a mobile phone contract believe it or not.  A lot of older people - and I am one of them - don’t have a smartphone or even a dumbphone.  

 

I can also say that other providers charge the same for gas and elect so putting extra on the energy bill to cover the cost of providing 0800 numbers is not an option.

Blastoise186
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This is the last comment I’ll leave on this thread at this time.

0800 numbers are essentially reverse charge calls. They cost the calling party nothing, but the recipient party pays an absolute fortune if they accept the call. Energy suppliers already have pretty squeezed profit margins, so it’s preferable for them to keep costs under control, hence the lack of an 0800 number being the main contact number for OVO.

It seems the only party making a profit here is your phone company who are probably laughing all the way to the bank by ripping their customers off. I will mention again though, that 03 numbers are always covered by inclusive allowances, which can make them free to call if you do so within those allowances. This is possible on both landlines and mobiles so it may be worth modifying the contract to cover anytime calls if you regularly make national rate 01 or 02 calls, or call 03 numbers as that could save you money.

OVO does operate one 0800 number for specific purposes, primarily for the Collections Team. I give that number out anytime I feel it’s appropriate and have done so over 50 times. But 0330 303 5063 remains the primary number for everything else.

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“It seems the only party making a profit here is your phone company who are probably laughing all the way to the bank by ripping their customers off.”

.

ALL telephone providers charge for 0330 calls, so please get your facts right.

 

Amen

 

Jeffus
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@ALH 

2 of the big energy suppliers use freephone numbers.

Not unusual for companies and the public sector to use non geographic numbers these days that are not freephone numbers. 

Do you mind me asking, do you have a call package with your landline? 

Freephone

Octopus

Eon Next

 

Non Freephone (depends on your phone/mobile package, the vast majority but not all people will have included minutes in their call plans) 

OVO (although the Collections number is freephone) 

British Gas

EDF

Scottish Power 

Shell Energy

Bulb 

Utility Warehouse

 

 

juliamc
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@Jeffus  I’ve just looked for the octopus number and it 0808… so a freephone number, but interested to see that it’s only 5 days a week:

 

Jeffus
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@Jeffus  I’ve just looked for the octopus number and it 0808… so a freephone number, but interested to see that it’s only 5 days a week:

 

 

Yep Octopus aren't alone in not having a weekend regular phone number. 

Although you can contact them by phone for emergencies only outside the core hours

For example EDF is Monday to Friday. More common for text telephone offer to be freephone 

 

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  1. I do not have a mobile phone contract and only use it to call family/friends if I need to when out and about.
  1.  My landline has inclusive minutes for weekends only.  I can’t afford to pay an additional £8-10 per month to have weekday calls included when I only need it once in a blue moon. 
  1.  The fact that some other companies also use 0330 numbers does not make it right.  No one should have to pay to contact a company customer service department with a problem, or when setting up a new account when the company will profit from that customer.
Blastoise186
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You do also have the option of Live Chat via https://help.ovoenergy.com which doesn’t cost anything.

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As a matter of interest can anyone tell me which telephone landline provider does not charge for calling 0330 numbers.  And I’m not talking about included minutes because the customer pays for that anyway.

Blastoise186
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Making 03 numbers completely free outside of inclusive allowances would also require every 01, 02, 077, 078, 079, 071, 072, 073, 074 and 075 number also be permanently free… And then bye bye profit margins for all phone networks…. Which would result in the entire system collapsing.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!

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