Moving into a home that OVO supplies - A Guide

Hey there @siobhanf !

Good question actually. The first thing I will mention is that I can assure you this. The supply will not be disconnected at all, and it will remain live. While some other countries have a thing about disconnecting supplies to empty properties (such as in Australia), the UK doesn’t do this. Changing your energy supplier primarily changes who you pay the bill to for the most part and has little effect otherwise.

I think the easiest way to sort this out would be to have a chat with the Support Team over the phone on 0330 303 5063 as you can’t set up Deemed Contracts or the variable rate Simpler Energy tariff online. Ideally, you should have set up the account with OVO before attempting to switch, so that you have proper control over the supply - otherwise the switch might be rejected - but OVO might be able to sort this out.

As for the previous member, their account will be fully closed down automatically once they pay off the Final Bill, but this won’t block your ability to take control of the supply in the meantime. You became responsible for the supply on the date that previous member moved out (assuming they notified OVO correctly), so you’ll need to pay OVO for any energy use in the meantime.

Hope this helps!

Thanks @Jess and @Blastoise186 for your advice and help. 

Hey there @DavidGuy22 !

Sure thing. There’s a way to bypass the account number prompt and get through to the Support Team. If you press the Hash # key instead of entering an account number, the system automatically skips the rest of the process and puts you directly into the queue to speak to someone as a “Guest” caller. Once you get through, you’ll be able to set up a new account and attach the variable rate Simpler Energy tariff to it. Unless you specify otherwise, going in by phone will automatically place you on this tariff, which sounds like that’s what you’re after.

You don’t need to know the previous tenants details, as setting up a new account for yourself would automatically close the existing account anyway if it hadn’t already been done. The lines will be open again on Monday morning from 8am.

Hope this helps.

Some great advice on the best way to contact our Support Team to help set-up your account, @DavidGuy22.

In case you hadn’t spotted it we’ve also got a great moving in guide which you might find helpful, I’ve moved your comment across - so check out the advice given above!

Let us know how it goes. 

Hey, welcome to OVO @Beddall87 !

You can definitely get things going. What you’ll need to do, is set up a new account in your name so that it automatically closes down the existing account (you wouldn’t have access to that one anyway). If you call 0330 303 5063 and press the Hash # key as soon as the robot answers, you’ll get straight through to the queue to speak to the Support Team. They can get the ball rolling from there and discuss your options.

Unless you specify otherwise, this will put you on the Simpler Energy tariff, which is OVO’s Standard Variable Rate option. You’ll be able to change it later to something else if you’d like to.

Hope this helps. If you get stuck, please let us know.

Summary: 

Been trying to set up the account for almost 2 months. Called the helpline over 6 times - and all I could get is that there is some error? Also, I get different answers every time, and generally, nobody knows what’s happening and nobody seems to be willing to help. I keep on getting letters saying that I need to pay - yet, when calling the helpline 20min ago, I was told that OVO does not deliver energy to my address. When asked why do I keep getting letters to call this number then, I could not get an answer. 

Full story: 

I have moved into a property in mid-January (14.01). 

I have started the process of opening an account with you shortly after – the end of January. Everything was going okay; you sent an engineer to check up the meters and everything was looking like it will be working.

I got an email from OVO that stated my account number. Hurray! However, the email also stated: “Unfortunately, due to a technical issue we are unable to take the details using the online form at present. Please call us to register your details on 0330 303 5063 (Mon-Fri 8 am-6 pm).”

Since then, I have called this number two or three times while my partner called twice. There is some problem in the system (or so we were told) that makes you unable to set up the account? Was told that it is being worked on. No updates or anything for 3-4 weeks now.

With every new call, I am being asked the same set of questions and we end up in the very same situation – something’s wrong – but nobody can explain to me what is wrong. Every call takes roughly 40-60min. This all seems quite ridiculous. 

We recently got a bill for gas and electricity saying that we should pay within 14 days. Since then, I have tried calling you twice and no one can help me. Then, we got another letter asking us to call 0800 069 9831. I did call this number just a while ago and was told that no one there can help me as OVO DOES NOT deliver energy to my address. I then asked why do I keep getting the post to call this number and to pay but nobody knows the answer. 

Over a week ago I have filed a complaint but it feels like I have been ghosted yet again and thus, I am looking for an alternative way of communicating with OVO hoping that somebody competent will finally solve this problem.

I'd like to finalize setting up the account. Pay for the first month asap. Now, it'll probably be for the first two months given how actionable OVO has been so far. 

PS. I have checked and my first call to you was on 08.02.2022 and since then I have called three more times, my partner called twice – and got NO help whatsoever. Please, do help me with setting up this account.

Hi @Jess_OVO!

Unfortunately, nothing’s changed in my situation. It’s been nearly three months, and OVO STILL cannot set up my account while it has no problem sending me letters to pay my bills. When I call the number from the letter to pay - they tell me they do not provide me with energy. It is a joke.

I have been told multiple times that “some other” team is working on my case. Most recently, I called on 18th March. I have been told that the problem will be resolved in the next ten working days. More time has passed, and no updates. I asked for some contact information for this “other team” or my case reference number - I was told that no such information could be provided. 

It’s also been over a month since I filed a complaint about this whole situation. Not a single word from the OVO! It just shows that you are not interested or incapable of help. Not the most outstanding service so far. 

I want to be taken more seriously this time and would like to speak with anyone competent and willing to help!

Hi, @Jess_OVO!

Any updates? It’s been almost 5 months now - and my account still has not been set up. I haven’t been contacted with the Move Home team as well. Could you please have a look at my case again?

Sorry @Jess_OVO for posting here AGAIN. It seems that unless I post a specific query here nobody cares to answer me in private message. 

A few days ago I received a "Notice of intent to apply for a warrant of entry". Not super exciting news given that I could not have made a payment - when I was calling to make a payment I was told that my account was not fully set up.

This is a joke! OVO is unable to properly set up and give me access to the account for almost 5 months! When I call your payment team I was told that you do not provide me with energy. There is a real mess in this whole setting. I am sorry but so far, OVO is the WORST supplier that I had the misfortune to deal with. I am also a little disappointed with the help I was given so far. It seems to me that teams across the company do not communicate properly.

Since, I was recently told me that the account was successfully set up (which I cannot confirm as I do not have access to myovo portal nor the time capacity to keep calling the helpline), I have now made a payment via bank transfer. Cannot access my myovo account so I cannot see if the payment was successful or not… I’d really appreciate if OVO stops harassing me with letters and warrants of entry - since the fault was on your side. Really hope that since the money has left my bank account everything will settle down.

Could you please help me get access to the myovo portal? The previous suggestion of resetting the password did not work as I got access to an old account (the one I closed like 4 years ago). Would really appreciate the help.

Resident at ***edited by miod***. Checked with SSE, they told me OVO Energy is supplying energy to this property. If I can get the account number I can set up an online account move forward. Thanks

Hello, we are moving in in our new flat on this saturday 27th of August. The last tenants were using OVO for electricity, and we would like to continue the membership with them. Does someone know what is the process for that? Thank you very much. 

Hi, just moving into new place. Landlord has no idea about the electric side of things. Apparently it's a smart meter and supplier is ovo.  I need to get electric turned on asap ! I need advice please !