Skip to main content
N
Rank 1
nick100
Rank 1
August 26, 2022
Solved

How can I switch from a business / commercial electricity supply to a domestic?

  • August 26, 2022
  • 37 replies
  • 15809 views

Help! I am on a commercial electricity tariff  (not OVO) and want to change to a domestic tariff (smallholding that is not generating an income). I cannot find anyone to help. Will OVO let me switch to them? Thanks

Best answer by Blastoise186

Updated on 14/05/26 by Chris_OVO


Domestic and commercial supplies

At OVO, we don’t supply commercial sites, if your supply is domestic but listed as commercial on the national database please ask your current supplier to get this updated first.​​​

Howdy @nick100 

Just so you’re aware, I’m one of the forum volunteers here, so what I’m writing isn’t the official view of OVO.

 

I’m afraid I’ll have to give you some bad news, but I’d much rather you know this upfront than make you find out the hard way later. And in fact, I know a lot of people would agree with me on that point.

 

OVO Energy is a domestic-only supplier and isn’t able to supply non-domestic customers right now, so if you try to switch a supply that’s currently registered as a business on the national databases, the switch will fail and you’ll remain with your existing supplier. There is a solution though.

 

If the property in question is no longer being used for business purposes - and you are not planning to restart anytime soon - then it may be possible to have the national databases updated to re-classify your supply as being for domestic use. Once that’s done correctly, OVO would be able to take you on as the system would identify your supply MPAN and MPRN as being for a domestic customer.

 

You’ll need to talk to your current supplier to make the arrangements to do this. If they don’t do domestic supplies, you may need to temporarily switch to a supplier that offers both domestic and non-domestic supplies, have them do the update and then jump to OVO from there.

Hope this helps!

37 replies

Show previous replies
juliamc
Rank 20
juliamc
Rank 20
January 7, 2023

Sorry, no it’s not there. Is your supply with OVO ? The current rates for new domestic customers are all the government EPG rates - depending on area it’s around 35p for elec and 10p for gas plus standing charges and vat. No idea of commercial rates. 

Blastoise186
Super User
Blastoise186Super User
Super User
January 9, 2023

I could do with seeing the meter you’ve currently got. That usually helps us figure out these ones. :)

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Tim_OVO
OVO Staff
Tim_OVO
OVO Forum Legend
January 10, 2023

Perhaps they’re referring to a 3-phase supply, @Tenb1022 - often associated with a commercial supply (or a big user household). I would expect your prices to be the same per kWh and per day in standing charges, if it’s correctly listed as a domestic supply. But if you have any doubt, your energy supplier can confirm the rates. 

 

Send over a photo of the meter if you fancied some advice of the hardware! 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
T
Newcomer
Tenb1022
Newcomer
January 23, 2023

Perhaps they’re referring to a 3-phase supply, @Tenb1022 - often associated with a commercial supply (or a big user household). I would expect your prices to be the same per kWh and per day in standing charges, if it’s correctly listed as a domestic supply. But if you have any doubt, your energy supplier can confirm the rates. 

 

Send over a photo of the meter if you fancied some advice of the hardware! 

Hi. Thx for the reply and apologies for the belated photo of the meter. Any advice is much appreciated! 

 

T
Newcomer
Tenb1022
Newcomer
January 23, 2023

I could do with seeing the meter you’ve currently got. That usually helps us figure out these ones. :)

Sorry for the delay, photo of meter! 

 

Blastoise186
Super User
Blastoise186Super User
Super User
January 23, 2023

That looks like a U16 Gas Meter with some kind of AMR (Automatic Meter Reader) device attached to it. You never usually see an AMR on a Domestic supply.

You are better off just having one meter for each supply type, otherwise you have to have two supplies, two accounts and two standing charges.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
Blastoise186
Super User
Blastoise186Super User
Super User
January 23, 2023

Yup, that black device is an Elster IN-Z61 Pulse Transmitter is definitely used as part of an AMR alright. As I suspected. :)

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
T
Newcomer
Tenb1022
Newcomer
January 23, 2023

Yup, that black device is an Elster IN-Z61 Pulse Transmitter is definitely used as part of an AMR alright. As I suspected. :)

Thanks, so I do seem to be on a domestic tarif (approx 10p per KWh) plus standing charge, so I guess my only issue is that to change out my boiler will require a commercial heating engineer, however it sounds as though I should stay with the commercial meter, rather than 2 smaller domestic ones? 

Blastoise186
Super User
Blastoise186Super User
Super User
January 23, 2023

Those U16 Meters can be used for domestic supplies as well. There’s just not really many options for a U16 SMETS2 Gas Meter yet, outside the ones I’ve seen in person in OVO’s Smart Meter Lab.

They are coming though as I’ve seen them under test with my own eyes. I’d upgrade to one of those when they come out and look at replacing the heating system.

While it does appear you have an AMR device attached, I can’t say if anyone is actually listening to it or not.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
T
Newcomer
Tenb1022
Newcomer
January 23, 2023

Those U16 Meters can be used for domestic supplies as well. There’s just not really many options for a U16 SMETS2 Gas Meter yet, outside the ones I’ve seen in person in OVO’s Smart Meter Lab.

They are coming though as I’ve seen them under test with my own eyes. I’d upgrade to one of those when they come out and look at replacing the heating system.

While it does appear you have an AMR device attached, I can’t say if anyone is actually listening to it or not.

Thx and apologies for my ignorance. Do you know what type of heating engineer I’d need to look for to replace my boiler? Does It have to be a commercial engineer ? I understand that the certification is different for the ‘high flow’ meters.

 

Guess I’ll have to assume no one is listening to the AMR, or if they are, it’s really not that interesting…! 

Show more replies
Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement

OVO Energy Ltd, Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ, (Company no. 06890795) registered in England and Wales.

OVO (S) Gas Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 02716495) at Floor 5, Crescent, Temple Back, Redcliffe, BS1 6EZ.

OVO (S) Gas Limited is part of OVO Group Ltd