Why have you let me know I’m leaving when I didn’t request to switch?

Sometimes we receive a request for us to switch your supply away from us in error. Whilst it’s quite rare there’s a few reasons this may have happened:

• Human error - someone may have entered your address details when applying for a genuine switch
• Fraud - very occasionally fraudsters may use your details to apply for an energy switch (if the details held by the other supplier match your details it might be worth contacting your bank and checking your internet security procedures)
• Mistake in your address listing on the national database - If way your address is listed is unclear or incorrect this can cause issues switching - check out this topic for more advice in getting this corrected.

How do I stop the switch taking place?

If you receive an unexpected leaving email, contact our Support Team to let us know you don’t want to go. They can put a stop to the impending switch and find out which supplier’s making the request. You’ll also need to make sure you let them know that you don’t want to switch to them as they may reattempt the switch.

What if the switch has already happened?

Even if the switch has already taken place, we can make sure it’s reversed. If you let our Support Team know, they can raise this as an ‘Erroneous Transfer’ (ET). This involves contacting the other supplier to let them know the switch shouldn’t have taken place. As this is a regulated process, they then have to return your supply to OVO and they can’t charge you anything.

How long does it take for an ‘Erroneous Transfer’ process to be completed?

As there’s a lot to be worked out in the background it takes up to 12 weeks from raising the 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 will be as if the transfer never took place.

It’s a complex (and thankfully rare) energy industry process, so let us know if you’ve got any more questions.

Nice one @DWSNorfolk 

Did you have a read of the info at the top?

with an ET, that email should be enough for them to cancel the switch IF IT’S NOT TOO LATE, otherwise drop the Support team (link in my comment above) a message on Monday and we can block the switch.

Tim

I have had an 'sorry you are leaving us email' and a refund of my credit but I did not request this.

I spoke to someone on the phone immediately and was told this would be dealt with and I'd hear back within 3 days......nothing.

I rang them again 6 days later to be told the first person I spoke to had sent my details to the wrong dept and assured me that he would ensure this is dealt with.

Another 4 days later and still no contact. It is now 16 days since my account was closed in error and I'm no nearer getting it reinstated. 

Shocking and diabolical customer service is an understatement. 

I hope my latest email to Ovo Complaints is self explanatory.  Have phoned and emailed several times over the last three months and sent recorded delivery letter.  Energy is still being supplied.

can anybody offer advice, please?

Latest email to Ovo Complaints:
You decided to stop my account some time ago.  You sent my sizeable credit balance back to me.  I have spoken to your staff in Sunderland, Goa, and South Africa.  Nothing stops you from telling me to pay my final bill.  Another demand received today.  I have never stopped my direct debit payments to you.  I want to continue to to receive energy from you.  You are the most exasperating company I have ever dealt with.  Obviously your top management is incompetent  but that should not stop you supplying energy as that is your business.

This is my third email to Complaints at OvoEnergy.  Does nobody care?Latest Email. I sent:
You decided to stop my account some time ago.  You sent my sizeable credit balance back to me.  I have spoken to your staff in Sunderland, Goa, and South Africa.  Nothing stops you from telling me to pay my final bill.  Another demand received today.  I have never stopped my direct debit payments to you.  I want to continue to receive energy from you.  You are the most exasperating company I have ever dealt with.  Obviously your top management is incompetent  but that should not stop you supplying energy as that is your business.

This is my third email to Complaints at OvoEnergy.  Does nobody care?

Hey @PeterHills,

This sounds like a very frustrating situation and I’m sorry for the issues you’re having.

It sounds like you’re speaking to our Collections Team who deal with arrears, for your specific issue please call 0330 303 5063 they will be able to re-open your account. If you’re account has been closed in error, there are a few possible causes; 

Someone has either performed a ‘move out’ on your account- this could have been someone (usually a neighbor) saying they’ve moved into your property in error, a customer support advisor has done this in error, or it could have been done via the online account.

Or, it may be an erroneous transfer where another supplier has taken over your supply in error.

On your Online Account does it suggest you’ve ‘moved out’? If so, this is easy enough for our Support Team to reverse and make your account accurate again.

If you received any switching communications this is likely an erroneous transfer, we’ll have tp raise this with the other company and get your supply returned to us. We have more about this topic here:

Hope this helps. 

Thank you for the reply and advice.  Since there seems to be no communication between Ovo departments and the Collections Department only sends out no-reply emails getting out of an infinite loop created by Ovo is difficult.

I have now added Glasgow to my international pursuit of correction of the mistake.  After more than an hour on the ‘phone today I have been assured that   It has been rectified and I am not to worry.  Ovo still supply my energy but until now what must be a simple matter has never been put right.  Top management think it easier to bait and bash their customers.  All who have promised help in the past have been apologetic, charming, kind, sympathetic and done their best to be helpful.  I extend none of those feelings to the top management of Ovo who ought to stress test their systems.

happy 2923.

I have the same problem and have given up with them. I've also been receiving OVO mail correctly addressed but with someone else's name which I have returned unopened to them.

I couldn't be bothered any more. I still have gas and electric so it's their problem . As my D/D has been cancelled I have continued putting that amount away each month and won't have a problem paying the bill when they finally take their fingers out their a***s and rectify it. 

I am taking the same view.  I have the supply and have done my best to help OVO’s tired management to run their company profitably.

I had another reply that was encouraging from a proper email address so I replied to thank them.  I had a reply saying they do not use that email address any more.  That seems to imply the company has a death wish that even charity cannot save!

happy new year

If someone is opening an account with the same address as a customer they already have how hard is it to confirm that that person is leaving. E-mail, phone call or even a text...just asking for confirmation....it ain't rocket science, just good business practice.

Instead, no questions asked, they just close the account. Duh !!!!

Happy New Year to you too 

Hey @SilligP,

That’s a good question,

If an account is closed you should receive an automated email either saying ‘sorry you’re leaving’ if the supply is switching away which would be an Erroneous Transfer. Or, if we’re advised that someone has moved into your property, you should receive communications about the move out process, timeframes for the final bill and it’ll show this on the Online Account. 

Have you informed Support that your account has been closed? When you log onto your Online Account what does it show? Can you please attach a screenshot to this thread. Could it be that the letters you are receiving are for a previous tenant/owner? 

Hope this helps. 

Of course I've tried support, or did you think I just sat in an armchair hoping the problem would rectify itself ? I have spoken to 3 customer advisors, the first took 40 mins to answer, the second 25 mins and the third nearly 50 mins and sent 2 emails detailing the problem yet the matter is still not resolved.  

As regards to the mail, are you being serious ? I've lived in MY flat for 12 years, by myself, and didn't start receiving this mail until my energy account was closed. I don't think you need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out that that's more than just a coincidence.

No, I will not attach any screenshots because I really couldn't be bothered any more.  The money is here if OVO want it, but come and get it yourselves. I didn't close the account, I didn't stop the direct debits and I didn't ask for a refund of the credit my account was in. You created the problem so the problem is yours, not mine. 

I will politely thank you for your reply but have to be honest and say it has been of no help whatsoever.......which seems to be pretty much par for the course with OVO's customer service

Hey @SilligP,

Really sorry to hear this matter isn’t yet resolved. 

I’ll get Forum_Support to send you a private message about this.

Hope this helps.  

further to an email from OVO today, saying Sorry you are leaving us which turns out to be an “erroneous Transfer” error, I know this is supposedly a Human Error as I never requested it, what I do not understand is, if I want to send you a message, speak to you via phone, or just have a look at my account, I need to submit my full name, account number, password, and email address. Yet someone can transfer me to another supplier by typing in the wrong Meter Point Number. I think you have problems with either your security or protocols. You should at least check with your customer that this is the case before sending “Sorry you are leaving us” emails, I am now told it will take between 12-18 weeks to resolve, I am not happy with this outcome after spending 1.5 hours on the phone and messaging you about the problem.

Hi all,

wondering if someone could help in the intrim. 
I’ve received today by email that my OVO account is being refunded in credit back to my bank account, then a 2nd email giving me my final bill, I’ve spoken to OVO a helpful chap called Ryan I won’t give out his surname due to data laws, he was extremely helpful in saying that my account has been closed, but I stated that I haven’t given any permission to close my account? The building I’m in is four flats. I informed him of this and emailed him copy of my tenancy agreement as proof of residence, will be emailing him again with my meter readings I have the smart meters, questions I have below

1. is there a issue for accounts being closed due to error/ has this happened before?
2. Will my in credit balance go back into the ovo account
3. will The plan I signed up when I renewed April this year be kept
4. how long will my account to be reactivated with same account number
5. will I have to set up a new Direct debit payment or use existing

Apologies for the long winded problem but am concerned 

kind regards 

dave

Hi @Davo84 , it sounds like you may have an erroneous transfer in progress. 
Here’s some info on that 

There’s another thread talking about a similar situation 

Further to my Erroneous Transfer back in May 2023 which I thought had been resolved, I today receive a letter from e-on complete with my address and Account Number telling me that my tariff has been reduced.

I received no help from either Ovo or e-on, despite everyone telling me I was entitled to compensation, which I was neither offered or received, I suppose I should go to either the ombudsman or Citizens advice bureau, but to be honest for the amount you get the effort is not worth the hassle.

Its a shame really Ovo used to be a nice little energy company back in 2010 when I joined, now they are the same goliath as everyone else. 

Hey @Geoff Dickson,

Sorry to hear this,

An erroneous transfer can take 12-18 weeks to resolve. But if you raised this in May I'd expect this to be resolved by now. 

Typically, the ET would be raised, you’d continue to pay the provider you’re meant to be with (OVO), then once it was resolved we’d bill you as though your supply had never left. 

It may be that the email from E.ON has been sent in error, I’d advise contacting the support team who’ll be able to check on the progress of your ET and confirm if your supply is with OVO on the national database. 

Hope this helps. 

I have been in touch with e-on and they have confirmed that it’s another erroneous transfer , so I suppose I just ignore it, that’s twice in 4 months, am I just unlucky or is it a trend. 
Don’t expect any help from either e-on or Ovo as per last time and still no compensation. 

Hey @Geoff Dickson,

If you get a ‘sorry you’re leaving’ email the best thing to do is contact your supplier who can block the incoming switch. 

This will ensure your supply doesn’t leave erroneously. Please contact the support team as soon as possible. 

As for your previous erroneous transfer it sounds like that has already been resolved. 

I’ve got a letter about final Ovo bill but I’m not leaving 

Did you get sorted @Chloe341