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.

Updated on 27/06/24by Shads_OVOHey @ALH,I’ve found out more about our internal process for switching:How Faster Switching affects the cooling off periodAll 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-offIf the customer changes their mind after the cut-off, then they can no longer cancel the switch to us.Instead they have 3 options: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 directlySwitch 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 brokerNote:In this scenario the customer will be charged for the usage and standing charge whilst they are with us - butNOTexit fees.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 automicticallycharged exit fees.Really hope this helps, keep us posted with how you get on!

Cancelling Switch to Another Provider

This may seem ironic, but it’s actually cheaper to call 03 numbers from a BT Payphone than it is to call them from a regular landline. https://www.bt.com/pricing/current/Call_Charges_boo/3545_d0e5.htm#3545-d0e5

10p gets you 900 seconds apparently, which works out as 15 minutes. 750p/£7.50 worth of coins gets you 675,000 seconds or 11,250 minutes or 187.5 hours of call time to any 01, 02 or 03 number in the UK if you call it from a BT Payphone.

03 numbers should never cost more to call than any 01 or 02 number

OVO doesn’t charge to call their support team, that’s the whole point of 03 numbers.

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…

As I said. OVO doesn’t charge you to call an 03 number and receives none of the money from doing so. It’s your phone provider that charges you to call those numbers and they receive all the money from it. It’s no different from you making a National Rate phone call from say, London to Glasgow. It’s a National phone call, so you pay National Rate charges.

That’s all I have for you.

I do not have a mobile phone contract and only use it to call family/friends if I need to when out and about.

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.

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.

In case it helps.

1. Do you have broadband at home?

2. How much do you pay for your weekend call package?

2. You could try something like this. This is one of the current Money Saving Expert recommended mobile providers.

Money Saving Expert is quite good for looking for offers.

Only a rolling one month contract so you can cancel at any time. It is only 49p a month for the first 6 months.

I don't know how much you spend on your weekend landline call package and your mobile calls to friends and family and your daytime calls on your landline to the likes of OVO, but it will definitely be over 49p a month just for the weekend call package on your landline

Am only posting in case you want to consider something like this, you will find other deals with no contracts. You may not be interesting in saving money by regularly switching, i appreciate not everyone likes doing it especially as you get older , my 79 year old mum has become a regular switcher to save money on lots of things.

As I said. OVO doesn’t charge you to call an 03 number and receives none of the money from doing so. It’s your phone provider that charges you to call those numbers and they receive all the money from it. It’s no different from you making a National Rate phone call from say, London to Glasgow. It’s a National phone call, so you pay National Rate charges.

That’s all I have for you.

I don’t think I suggested that OVO charges for the call. What I am saying is that any company should have a freephone number. Not a lot to ask in my humble opinion.

………..snipped

In case it helps.

1. Do you have broadband at home?

2. How much do you pay for your weekend call package?

2. You could try something like this. This is one of the current Money Saving Expert recommended mobile providers.

Money Saving Expert is quite good for looking for offers.

Only a rolling one month contract so you can cancel at any time. It is only 49p a month for the first 6 months.

I don't know how much you spend on your weekend landline call package and your mobile calls to friends and family and your daytime calls on your landline to the likes of OVO, but it will definitely be over 49p a month just for the weekend call package on your landline

Am only posting in case you want to consider something like this, you will find other deals with no contracts. You may not be interesting in saving money by regularly switching, i appreciate not everyone likes doing it especially as you get older , my 79 year old mum has become a regular switcher to save money on lots of things.

Yes, I do have broadband. My landline is part of a TV/Broadband/Phone package. I must have a landline and this is the cheapest option.

The mobile phone deals you mention look interesting - I’ll look into those. Thank you.

As I said. OVO doesn’t charge you to call an 03 number and receives none of the money from doing so. It’s your phone provider that charges you to call those numbers and they receive all the money from it. It’s no different from you making a National Rate phone call from say, London to Glasgow. It’s a National phone call, so you pay National Rate charges.

That’s all I have for you.

I don’t think I suggested that OVO charges for the call. What I am saying is that any company should have a freephone number. Not a lot to ask in my humble opinion.

Interesting, my personal view is quite different, and that is from someone who helps a lot of vulnerable people.

I would personally rather OVO didn’t spend money on 0800 numbers for their standard number for all customers.

It is a poorly targeted support cost. The majority of customers don't need it, including me or any of my elderly or disabled friends and family.

I would rather OVO directed discretionary spend on targeted support for vulnerable people, things like this scheme where OVO are one of the funders.

https://charisgrants.com/

Digging extremely deep into my resources indicates that an 0800 number used to exist for OVO besides the Collections Team one. However, it’s deeply buried away and unlikely to be active anymore.

It’s one of those things that I doubt anyone but me can find anyway tbh.

Yes, I do have broadband. My landline is part of a TV/Broadband/Phone package. I must have a landline and this is the cheapest option.

The mobile phone deals you mention look interesting - I’ll look into those. Thank you.

This is a good start and lists the Libra offer

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/

I like it as there is no contract.

It also has WiFi calling which may be useful if your mobile signal isn't great at home.

You may find other offers

You are correct, it is almost always cheaper to have a TV/Broadband/Line Rental package than TV/Broadband. The odd time you will find a supplier with a different offer.

You could try broadband/landline packages next time where you only pay for the landline line rental and get no inclusive minutes. Depends on whether you prefer using your landline rather than mobile to call people at weekends. Some Broadband companies offer these options but not all. Also depends on what you are after with the TV package (e.g. virgin TV box)

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