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Question

Erroneous Transfer again and now a Meter Reading Dispute!

  • 3 September 2024
  • 8 replies
  • 71 views

Massive deja vu. A year ago there was an Erroneous Transfer on my account - assuming the meters got mixed up due to being in a flat (though don’t know for sure, as it was never explained).  It took months of sorting, back and forth and me finally going to the ombudsman to sort out. 

Now almost exactly a year later it’s happened again! Whilst waiting for the supply to be returned (or not, who knows what OVO will do this time), I get an email that there is a ‘Meter Reading Dispute’ - well of course there will be, there’s an erroneous transfer taking place. Why does another department in OVO not know what’s going on?

How do I stop this from happening?  Is there anything I can proactively do?  

Mand

 

8 replies

Shads_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 4

Hi @ADickson,

 

I’m sorry to hear this.

 

If a customer keeps erroneously transferring, it’s usually due to an address issue. Your address could be listed incorrectly on the electricity national database or could be very similar to a neighbours address. So when the neighbour signs up with a supplier, the supplier takes your supply in error. 

 

Do you know how your address is listed on the national database and is it all correct? 

 

It can take up to 12 weeks from raising an ET until your account is fully back up and running. During this time your billing will be paused, however we’d advise you to continue paying your usual monthly Direct Debit This means you’ll build up a credit balance to cover the cost of your energy used as you will be issued an up-to-date statement from the date that your supply left us.

 

It may be worth contacting our Support Team so they can look into this further for you.

 

This thread might also be useful:

 

 

A
Rank

Thanks, I've read references to the 'national database' but no links. Where do I search or check for this information? 

Blastoise186
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +1

That would be ECOES and Xoserve. I’m afraid you can’t access them directly.

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

Ok thanks for that. So if I contact ECOES they can check how my property is listed and which meter is linked to it?  

Do you know who the 'national database' is managed by?  Is it separate from ECOES or Xoserve? 

Blastoise186
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +1

There is no way to access or contact them - you have to go through your supplier.

ECOES manages the electric meter national database, Xoserve for the gas one.

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

Thanks @Blastoise186. This is helpful information! 

I will check that the details are correct! 

 

Jeffus
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +2

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/get-compensation-problems-switching-energy-suppliers#:~:text=If%20your%20supply%20is%20switched%20by%20mistake&text=They%20have%2021%20working%20days,%C2%A330%20for%20the%20mistake%20.

If your supply is switched by mistake

You could also get £30 if your energy supply is switched by mistake. You must contact your old supplier and let them know. They have 21 working days to switch you back after the mistake has been made. This is called an ‘erroneous transfer’ in our rules that suppliers must follow as part of their energy licence.

If this happens your new supplier will automatically pay you £30 for the mistake . They should pay this within 10 working days of the date they agree a mistake was made. They will either send you a cheque or pay directly into your bank account.

Extra compensation if there are delays switching or fixing mistakes

Suppliers have to pay you compensation you are entitled to within 10 working days. If they do not , they have to pay you an extra £30. This is part of our ‘Supplier Guaranteed Standard of Performance’ . These standards make sure that suppliers put things right and that you are paid for a problem that was their fault.

You can also get an extra £30 in compensation if:

  • the supplier takes more than 20 working days to reply to you after telling them about the switching mistake
  • your old and new suppliers take more than 20 working days to agree whether your switch was correct - they will each pay you £30 if this happens
  • your old supplier takes more than 21 working days to re-register your supply once they know about the mistake
A
Rank

Thanks. I was aware of that and I got the appropriate compensation as stated above last year when this happened. But OVO still wasn't able to sort out my account until months later. 

...I will be contacting them again anyway because just received a ' welcome to your new home letter'! 

 

 

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