I moved house and closed my OVO account but my details have been found through 'trace and search' - how can I stop the debt collectors contacting me?

I got a text yesterday saying “We’ll call you in the next 15 minutes to discuss the resolution of your case” but then I received no calls. What should I do? And what timeframe have they got to reply to my complaint?

Hi ​@SimonFF2 that’s really frustrating to hear. When you raise a complaint you should hear back within 48 working hours.

If you’ve had an email from your complaints handler I’d recommend replying to that email requesting a call back. If you haven’t received any email you can email in at hello@ovoenergy.com. You can also try calling on 0330 303 5063.

Let us know how you get on.

​@Ben_OVO I did received an automated email from hello@ovoenergy.com on Saturday.

Should I contact the complaint department again?

​@SimonFF2 if you haven’t received anything since the complaint was raised I’d definitely get back in touch with them. It’s a shame - you shouldn’t have to do this, but it sounds like you’ve been left without contact for too long. 

for ovo customer service….URGENT

ovo have sent letters and final notice with serious warnings to my empty property (removed by moderator).

this property is completely empty and unoccupied since June 2025.

In June I paid the outstanding bill and closed the account. No more dealings with OVO.

now it seems a new contract was opened on that property, not requested by anyone. (removed by moderator). Please tell me how a contract can be created with no end user agreement and how I am liable.

I tried to set up one of your online accounts but it says OOPS and cant go any further. these estimated readings are ridiculous, it should be zero. why have you been sending bills there when noone has set up an account?

please reply by return email....today...indicating the final notice bill is void so I can sort out this situation without worrying. I am 90 years old and that letter is very upsetting and making me ill.

The old account was (removed by moderator). I just logged in again and confirmed account closed. how was a new account created?

So....who authorised the contract? how am i supposed to create a website account (not that i want to but how else to sort out this mess)?? 

please reply immediately.

regards,

Although the property is empty the owner would still have to pay the standing charge for any meter there. 
NB. I’m just a forum member, not an OVO employee 

This forum can be viewed by anyone so I have asked a moderator to remove your address and account details.

Firstly - This is a user forum - We do not have any access to accounts or billing here.

Second - you should NEVER post you address, account numbers, or anu other personal details online where the can be seen by everybody. The moderators have removed them.

As you still own the property you are still liable for the bills at the property.

That includes the Standing Charges for Electricity and Gas supplies.
Whether you are using any engery or not you still have to pay the SC’s.

If the bill includes estimated charges for energy use then you have to supply new meter readings to show the actual use. (I would also supply photographs of the readings).

If you have closed the previous account then a ‘Occupier’ account has to be set up.
In this case you say that there is no occupier because the property is standing empty - so the owner of the property is responsible to pay.

(PS. You cannot set up a new account because one has already been set up for the pproperty)

What you need to do:

You need to contact OVO support; for speed use phone or webchat.
 

You need to use the ‘New’ account number - The one on the bills/demands that are being sent.

You need to explain that the property is empty.
You need to provide current meter readings, if you do it on webchat you can send photographs of them.

You do still need to pay the Standing Charges due. (and for any energy that has been used) since your ‘Final Bill’ on the account that you closed.

Hey ​@rosep1935,

Welcome to the community! We're so glad to have you here. Just a friendly heads-up: since this is a public forum, we ask that you don’t share any personal or account information for your safety. We’ve gone ahead and redacted that info from your previous post to keep things secure.

Also, just so you know, we’re not a customer service team, but I’ve included a link below with contact options where you can get the help you need.

Julia has shared some really useful advice. Even though your property is empty, you’re still responsible for any standing charges and usage until its ownership is transferred to someone else, whether through a sale or another means. The other option would be to have the supply removed, but that can be quite expensive, so it’s not something we typically recommend. Feel free to use the contact options below and let them know that the property has been empty since June. Explain that you closed the account thinking that was the right step, and they’ll take care of everything from there!

I do not have an Ovo account. 
I am the freeholder of my property. 
why am I getting bills for standing charges. There is no usage because I do not use Ovo but another supplier. 
I have explained this to the complaints division and they have promised to respond in two days. Still waiting for a resolution. 
this is not the first occurrence. It has happened before and after a long time Ovo cleared and, I thought, closed the account. Obviously not. 
 

I know I can contact the ombudsman after 8 weeks but do not want to continue this cycle of harassment. 

Hey ​@JB angry,

Welcome to our public forum! While we're here to offer advice and share helpful articles, we unfortunately don't have access to personal account information. For any billing concerns, we recommend reaching out to our Support Team. They’ll be more than happy to investigate the issue and assist you! I’ve also adjusted the title of your thread to better reflect the question you’re asking 😊

I have done that and got no satisfaction. I wondered if the harassment of sending out letters and bills could be stopped while it’s being investigated. Anyone else have this problem. 

​@JB angry 

You say this has happened before, how long ago was that?

Let's see if we can help work out what may be going on.

Are the bills addressed to you by name, or are they to “The Occupier”?

Are the bills for electricity standing charge or gas standing charge?

If for gas the  do you have a gas supply pipe, and does it have a meter on it?

I ask because even if a gas supply has been ‘disconnected at the property’ it may still be liable for the standing charge unless that disconnection was properly registered and the MPRN “decommissioned” with Xoserve.

More info on disconnecting gas supplies:

Sorry comment didn’t post. 
 

it happened 2-3 years ago. 
it is addressed to my name. 
electric standing charges only. 
never had an Ovo account. 

​@JB angry are the bills you’re receiving for current standing charges, or for historic standing charges? If the bills are historic then this could be that your details have been found through Trace and Search, due to us having a period of liability where we were the named supplier, but never received payment.

Currant going back a July 2023. 
 

we have never had an Ovo account. So do not understand the harassment. We have sent proof of our existing and historical supplier. 
how do we get them to stop. 
we have lodged a complaint, provided information but they are now not responding. 

Search and Trace should never have found our address because we have not had an account with Ovo. 

Ben is talking about from before you owned the property.

Particularly if the property may have been stood empty for a while. (So standing charge but no usage).

Does the bill indicate the dates that the standing charges apply to?

If the bill is for a period before you owned the property it is still owed by someone - but not by you.

PS.Search and Trace just links names to a property, not to any company/account.

S&T will find any name associated with the property, often that's the current occupier and not the person who actually owes the bill, the debtor is someone who was there before.

For clarification the property has not been left empty. We have lived there for over 25 years. It is freehold. Owner occupiers. We have never had an Ovo account. There are never any electricity usage charges just standing charges. 

Then that sounds as if somehow an extra MPAN or an extra meter number may have been (wrongly) associated with your property.

The bill in question should have the MPAN and meter number stated on it.

Compare that to the MPAN and meter number on bills from your current supplier - are they the same or different?

PS. You didn't say what dates the standing charges are for?

Will check over the weekend. Bills are from July 2023.

So no chance it's a previous owner then.

“From 2023” also suggests to me that although you sorted it out “2-3 years ago” it was ony that bill that was cancelled but the underlying cause wasn't tackled and so a new bill has cropped up again 3-years on.

That makes it even more interesting to see if the MPAN and meter numbers match on the ‘suspect’ bills and your current suppliers bills.

If there is a mismatch then that's a big step on the way to getting a resoultion.

It's always easier to complain about, and rectify, a problem if you know just what is causing it and so needs to be rectified.

Thanks I appreciate your advice.