F.A.Q.

Moving from SSE to OVO - Will I be able to pay my bill the same way I did with SSE?

Moving from SSE to OVO - Will I be able to pay my bill the same way I did with SSE?
Tim_OVO
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Updated on 05/08/22 by Tim_OVO

 

How to pay for your energy after moving to OVO Energy

 

Will you be able to pay your bill the same way you did with SSE? The simple answer is, yes!


If you paid by Direct Debit when you were with SSE, we’ll move it over and you can keep on paying the same way. The only difference is that, instead of separate Direct Debits coming out of your bank account for gas and electricity, we’ll combine them into one easy payment.

If you paid for your energy in arrears (On Demand) then you can keep paying by bank transfer, cheque, or by topping up your balance in your online account. Take a look at this handy guide for information about how to pay your bill.


You can activate your online account by entering your email address here. If you hadn’t registered an email address with SSE, we’ll ask you to confirm a few more details before you set your password. Here you'll be able to manage your Direct Debit, or pay your bill and set up a Direct Debit if you paid On Demand with SSE.



What will my bills look like when I’m with OVO?

 

Our bills may look slightly different here at OVO. Here's why…

 

We like to make sure things are clear and simple. So we combine electricity and gas into one easy-to-read monthly bill. Our designs and colours will also look a little different to what you’re used to.

 

 

I pay on demand. When will I get my first bill?

 

If we’ve told you that you’ll be billed every month, you’ll get your first bill around month 1. For everyone else, you’ll get your bill around month 3. You'll then get your following bills each month or 3 months around the same date. We’ll let you know when your bills will arrive before you move to OVO.

Information on how to pay your bill can be found on our Help Centre.

 

 

I receive SSE bills by post. Will this be the same with OVO?

 

Yes. When you move to OVO you’ll still get your energy bills by post every three months. To make life easier, we’ll also save a copy of your monthly bill in your online account, so you’ll have it to hand.

Activate your OVO online account to view your bills online - just enter your email address here. If you hadn’t registered an email address with SSE, we’ll ask you to confirm a few more details before you set your password.

 

 

I’m set up for paperless billing SSE. Will it be the same with OVO?

 

Yes, we’ll keep emailing you your bills. And you’ll be able to see them in your online account. 

 

If you haven't activated your online account with OVO, just enter your email address here. If you hadn’t registered an email address with SSE, we’ll ask you to confirm a few more details before you set your password. 

 

 

I paid by Direct Debit with SSE. Will it be the same with OVO?

 

Absolutely. We’ll take care of everything, so you won't need to set up a new Direct Debit. The only difference you’ll see is that if you’re a gas and electricity customer with SSE, we’ll combine your Direct Debits into one easy payment. And the Direct Debit will come from OVO Energy.

To keep your balance on track, please provide meter readings through your OVO online account or app as often as you like. Take a look on our Help Centre to see how it's done.

 

 

When will my Direct Debit be taken with OVO?

 

When you’re moving to OVO we’ll write to you to confirm the exact date of your Direct Debit. We’ll make sure it’s taken on a date that’s closest to when you’d usually pay SSE. This can be any day of the month excluding the 29th, 30th, or 31st.

 

 

What happens if there’s money left in my SSE account?

 

If your account is in credit, the money will be transferred to your new OVO Energy account. And if you have a balance to pay, this will also be transferred.

 

 

I pay On Demand and have received my final SSE bill, how do I pay?

 

To pay your final bill by credit or debit card please give our OVO team a call on 0345 072 9498 with your new 8 digit OVO account number. You'll find this on your final statement.

 

I used to billed quarterly with SSE - will that change? 

 

All quarterly billed SSE customers who join OVO will be switched to monthly billing, which means that instead of receiving four bills over the year (one every three months), you will receive a new bill generated each month based on your actual or estimated energy usage. 


 
Keeping tabs on energy usage and paying for it couldn’t be easier. Our customers have told us that they appreciate this method, as monthly billing prompts them to provide more regular meter readings and means that your monthly bill is more manageable than being billed for a quarter's worth of consumption in one go.  

 

We want to offer the best services to help our customers manage their energy usage based on accurate information spread out over the full year. 

 
We know from customers that monthly billing can help them with budgeting and to avoid spikes and bill shocks through being unaware of the amount they use, particularly over the colder winter months. 

 
The energy market has been turbulent for some time, with the Ofgem price cap being reviewed twice a year (soon to be four times a year) and wholesale gas prices increasing significantly in recent months. Monthly billing also allows us to monitor our members' usage and intervene sooner rather than later if they are experiencing difficulties. 

 

I'm struggling to pay my bills, can OVO help me?

 

We're here to help. If you're struggling to pay your bill or keep up with your monthly payments, give our friendly team a call on 0800 069 9831.

 

 

We’ve made a full list of FAQS about SSE customers joining the OVO family, see these FAQs here

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104 replies

T
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recently moved from sse to ovo . now who do i pay the ouatanding bill to ..sse or ovo? the same amount shows on both accounts and its saying to pay using the new ovo acc number ( ill be payong by bank transfer by the way ). If I pay the SSE bill will the money end up in limbo because I'm paying under the old account no . Any help greatly appreciated 😀

Tim_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hi @thebarmk and thanks for the question! 

 

It sounds similar to this topic, so I’ll outline the same advice below:

 

 

We’ve made some FAQs on this here, below I’ve outlined which ones are specific to your question:

 

What happens if there’s money left in my SSE account?

 

If your account is in credit, the money will be transferred to your new OVO Energy account. And if you have a balance to pay, this will also be transferred.

 

 

Do I need to give opening meter readings to OVO?

 

The great thing about this move is that there’s nothing you need to do. We’ll be moving your meter information over from your SSE account. So you won't need to give us an opening reading.


Once you’re settled in with OVO, you can help keep your account in good shape by adding readings to your online account. The more readings we have, the more accurate your bills are. Or just get a smart meter to send your meter readings for you.

Haven't activated your online account? Just enter your email address here to get started.

 

 

How will I get my bills when I’m with OVO?

 

At OVO we like to keep things simple. We'll send you a bill every month or every three months, which will cover your energy use for the last billing period. We’ll let you know how often you can expect to receive your bill before you move to OVO.

If we supply you with gas and electricity, we’ll combine both into one simple bill, so you’ll be able to see each, side by side. This is different to your SSE bills, where you might be used to receiving separate quarterly bills for your gas and electricity.

If you haven't activated your online account yet, just head here to get started.

To see more about your bills, have a look around our handy guide here.

 

 

Hopefully that’s helped you in knowing you don’t need to do anything. Any credit leftover will be moved to your OVO account. You won’t be left out of pocket or asked to make payments to OVO soon after switching. For more information, see the rest of the FAQs here.

 

If you want further help, advice and support, check out your options below:

 

If you’ve got any questions about your move to OVO Energy we’ve got you covered. You can:

  • Have a look at our Help Section either on the website or in your online account
  • Dive into over a thousand topics and join the conversation on the community-powered OVO Forum
  • Talk to us on our online chat here
  • Email us at hello@ovoenergy.com
  • Give us a call and speak to one of our friendly team on 0345 0260 712.

 

Welcome to OVO!

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

Thanks for the reply but  that answer is 9 months old and I'd say things have moved on since then . I want to know of i pay the SSE bill under the old account no will the payment be reflected on the new account with ovo or will I lose £400 and spend ages trying to get it back ?

I'm not going DD after reading comments on how much ovo are taking out of people's Bank accounts each month so a bank transfer is my preferred method .

Blastoise186
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A lot of those people may have had other matters on their account like an underlying debt, or may not have been paying enough to keep their accounts on track and avoid going into debt. It’s not always what you see on the surface that defines everything below it. A direct debit is still the recommended payment method and you have full control over the amount you pay each month, including going below the minimum payment amount if you have a valid reason for doing so.

The best information I have suggests to pay OVO for that latest bill towards your new OVO account. It will be applied to your OVO account to clear the SSE balance which got transferred over. Please don’t send payment to SSE as it will be rejected and bounce back. I checked it this morning and cross-referenced all the sources I can access.

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T
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Thank you blastoise, I was leaning towards paying ovo as the debit has been taken over by them . Once I paid off the debit amount and were in the black I'll probably setup a DD as it'll be more convenient than going to the bank every month 

Blastoise186
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No worries. Please make sure to double check the payment details are correct too!

After you pay via bank transfer, it may take a few days for your payment to show up in MyOVO, but it will be considered as being paid on whichever date you sent the money through. As long as that’s before the deadline, you should be good to go.

If it doesn’t show up within five working days, feel free to flag that up with the support team and they can try to trace it.

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T
Rank

Don't worry I'll make sure the details are correct  .. ovo`'s bank ACC no plus the sort code .. and my ovo acc no and postcode so they know who's paying . 

Also do I have to wait until a bill has been issued or can I pay off the outstanding debt now ..  or would that mess up everything ?

Blastoise186
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You can pay it all off anytime. :)

In fact, if you want to make a payment now to wipe out the full balance, it may be easier to make a card payment in MyOVO. But if you know how much you need/want to pay off, you’re also welcome to do it via bank transfer. All payments made to your account are added to the account balance even if it’s between bills.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
T
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I don't have a Card so bank transfer would be the way to go , but I'll pay the full amount and a bit extra to be in credit for a while .

 

Thanks again for your help blast .. a million times better than dealing with SSE that's for sure lol 😀

M
Rank

Based in my experience over the past few days this is complete nonsense.

I was an SSE customer and have been moved over. Their customer service was extremely poor and I suspect OVO’s is going to be as bad and maybe worse.

 

I got an email on Friday to say my bill was viewable online, created account and logged in, Gas bill estimated way over actual. Can’t do anything over weekend because no one available.

 

Rang this morning, gave meter readings for both for 31st March and correct Gas meter reading for 20 March, Electric was near enough and by the time I had struggled to make the person on the phone understand I wasn’t going to give another Electric meter reading. According to them I have to pay the estimated bill because that is the reading SSE have given OVO (see above replies for contradiction of that). Then had to give a gas reading for today! And Electric reading for today and told to ring back in two weeks if I want to dispute SSE’s readings. 

I got a letter from SSE in March with prices from April 1st, guess what, OVO’s prices are more than those, I’d not been informed but I am also being billed at OVO’s prices not the notified prices. I am fairly sure this is illegal. Also the annual usage of Electricity estimated on OVO for me is double that which I actually use. 

Already preparing a case for the ombudsman. I beat SSE there last year so good luck OVO, it’s your turn,

 

 

T
Rank

I agree SSE were shockingly bad , was given the runaround by call centres many times .

 

As for over estimating the bills SSE  were always a few pound out . Nothing extreme like hundreds , so I don't Mind paying a few quid extra , rather be a few quid in credit than in debt .

Blastoise186
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Yeah, I used to be with SSE myself from 2018 to late 2020. By that time, I sensed OVO was going to move all SSE customers over at some point. I simply queue jumped by doing a regular switch and the customer service on OVO’s side has been FAR better for me since then. I’ve never once gotten through to any call centre that’s outside the UK for starters.

I also get through on the phone pretty quickly, but I think there’s some kind of flag on my account that keeps routing my calls to the same agent, because I seem to get the same one about 95% of the time!

It is worth noting however, that only standard variable rate tariffs are affected by the Ofgem Default Tariff Cap and suppliers can set those rates to anything up to the limit or - at the discretion of the supplier - set the rates far below the cap. Fixed rate deals are not affected and suppliers can set whatever rates they wish because you know what you’re getting into upfront. OVO and SSE are also different suppliers and therefore can charge different rates. As long as it’s within the limits, it’s perfectly allowed. While OVO will honour fixed rate SSE deals for the remainder of the term upon transfer, this grandfather rule does not apply to accounts on SSE’s variable rate tariffs. As a result, even if you were notified by SSE of what their new rates were going to be as of 1st April, it’s likely your account hadn’t been selected for transfer at that time and SSE isn’t able to pro-actively tell you the new OVO rates until at least after your account starts to migrate. The SSE standard variable rates become null and void as a result once you’ve been moved over because your OVO account is a completely new account on a different supplier from SSE.

While I can appreciate the concern over not being notified about that, it’s also worth bearing in mind that there were deadlines to get those price cap related letters out and it wouldn’t have been useful to send you an OVO letter about price cap stuff if you’re not even with OVO yet. There’s two sides to every coin after all.

For a complaint, please do not go to the ombudsman directly. You’ll need a deadlock letter first. Full process is available at https://ovoenergy.com/feedback .

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
M
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You do not need a deadlock letter at all. I have emailed OVO and given them 48 hours to sort their rubbish out. 

Blastoise186
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You’re welcome by the way @thebarmk ,

While we can’t help out with account specific issues via the forum, there’s quite a lot we can do like giving advice. If you need a hand with anything, one of the other advantages is that this forum never closes so feel free to stop by anytime. :)

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Jess_OVO
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Userlevel 7

 

It is worth noting however, that only standard variable rate tariffs are affected by the Ofgem Default Tariff Cap and suppliers can set those rates to anything up to the limit or - at the discretion of the supplier - set the rates far below the cap. Fixed rate deals are not affected and suppliers can set whatever rates they wish because you know what you’re getting into upfront. OVO and SSE are also different suppliers and therefore can charge different rates. As long as it’s within the limits, it’s perfectly allowed. While OVO will honour fixed rate SSE deals for the remainder of the term upon transfer, this grandfather rule does not apply to accounts on SSE’s variable rate tariffs. As a result, even if you were notified by SSE of what their new rates were going to be as of 1st April, it’s likely your account hadn’t been selected for transfer at that time and SSE isn’t able to pro-actively tell you the new OVO rates until at least after your account starts to migrate. The SSE standard variable rates become null and void as a result once you’ve been moved over because your OVO account is a completely new account on a different supplier from SSE.

 

Just want to step in here to offer some reassurance, the SSE and OVO variable rates have been aligned. This means your prices won’t change following the migration of your account even if you’re on a variable plan.

 

If you are concerned about an unexpected increase to your billing since your account joined us, we’d recommend getting in touch with the Support Team to double-check this billing is based on accurate readings. If the migration meter reading that’s been used to open your account needs correcting this may explain the out of line charges.

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C
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When I was with SSE I would receive paper bills and wondered if this would continue with OVO? I have little interest in computers (too old) and hardly ever use mine so could easily miss emailed bills


 

Blastoise186
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Hi @Chris.j.s. ,

This is definitely possible and you can request paper bills by talking to the Support Team - contact options here. There may be a fee for this service, but it’s always waived if you’re on the Priority Services Register.

However, if you already had it set up with SSE that you wanted paper bills and allowed your account to migrate to OVO automatically, then this preference will automatically transfer to OVO as well (as would any Priority Services Register status). If it didn’t transfer over, the Support Team can definitely set it back up for you in minutes.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
C
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Hello @Blastoise186 

Thank you for your reply. My account was automatically transfered over to OVO so hopfully paper bills will continue to be sent. I will also check with the support team.

Jess_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hi @Chris.j.s. - Welcome to OVO and our online community.

 

Great question about whether you’ll continue to receive posted bills now you’ve joined us. As our community super-user has mentioned, we’re happy to continue sending out paper copies of your bills if that’s what you prefer. You don’t need to request this, as we’ll continue with the communications preferences of your SSE account automatically. However if you do fancy doing things more digitally in future let us know and we can get that updated.

 

Don’t forget you can also view your monthly bills by logging in to your new online account or the OVO app (download for Android or iOS). We’ve also got more FAQs on the move from SSE to OVO here.

 

Hope this helps. 

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C
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With SSE I would receive a quarterly bill via the post that I would pay in cash once I received it.

I was moved over to OVO in May.

I have received no paper bill but did receive an email saying a monthly bill was ready but i have not received anything in the post. I am now worried that I have missed a payment and this may impact my credit rating / credit score. Please can someone advise me what to do.   

Jess_OVO
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Userlevel 7

I’m so sorry for any confusion, @confusedinlondon.

 

It sounds like your account has recently joined us from SSE, in which case we’d expect your OVO bills to be sent out in the same way that SSE bills were, albeit on a monthly basis rather than quarterly. As it can take 5 working days from the end of your billing period for a posted statement to be received I’m hoping that your latest statement should be received in the next few days.

 

If you’re still waiting, it might help to check in with our Support Team to make sure that we’ve got the correct communication preferences logged on your account. The quickest way to reach the team is often via our webchat which you can access here.

 

You can also download a copy of this statement and make a payment by heading to your new OVO online account. Check out the guides below for more help with this.

 

 

I hope this info helps - Let us know if you’ve got any more questions.

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P
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Hi

Ive just had a conversation with the billing department and they are saying being transferred from SSE as money account I always for years paid on the nose quarterly no problem. So if we can do the same after being transferred why are they telling me no this morning.

B
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I paid my bill last week , by cheque how long before it shows in my account

Tim_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hi @bibbie I’ve just replied to this one here:

 

 

“Typically once we receive a cheque, we update the customers balance immediately and we process them daily. If you allow time for it to arrive in the post and be picked up by the right team, I’d say no more than 7 days for this to show on your account. In the meantime you can disregard any communications we send about an outstanding balance. 

 

Have you considered making online payments via your online account? it’s so much easier and faster...”

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
Y
Rank

Hi

 

Please can someone help me ?

 

I’ve recently been migrated over from SSE to OVO, (Electric only - Gas with BG).  My direct debit with SSE I set to pay an electric  bill off,  so was an inflated price of £153.00 a month.  This bill has been cleared and my account in credit, but I left my DD at £153 because the cost of electric is due to rise.

 

 My actual usage is around £100 - £110 a month with no seasonal variation.

My assumed Future annual consumption by OVO is  3856 kWh and I’m on the Simpler Energy Plan - 26.94p KwH, SC 45.85p a day.

 

So, I had an email from OVO on 31st August asking me to bring my account back on track by increasing my DD to £163.00 as it estimated my final balance at the end of 12 months to put me in debit to £117.77, (I’m currently in credit by a few pounds).  They said they would raise it for me if I didn’t do it myself.  

I’d noticed that they were factoring in the future price increase in this calculation as it would be lot less on the current rate.

 

I was happy to do this as I didn’t want to run up a debit balance when the increase came in, so I upped it to £177 (£14 more than they requested).

 

Now, today with the news of the price cap being limited to £2,500, (an increase of approx 26.85% from the current price cap of £1971), I decided to lower my DD to the £163 they had originally requested.  

 

OVO won’t let me do this !!  When I tried to adjust it down (and it’s within the 10% allowed), it says “Oops, there’s a problem …

saying that the amount needs to be a whole number ! (which it is).  I’ve tried numerous times today.  So, I tried increasing it by £1 to £178, and yes, it allowed me to do that !!

 

WHATS GOING ON ?  Why can’t I lower my DD ? 

 

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