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Is the OVO website really going to be down for the rest of 2023?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
April 19, 2023
173 replies
10201 views

I am shocked, surely this cannot be correct? I understand websites being down for sometimes a few weeks for updates, but when I tried to log into the OVO Energy website today only to see the message “We're in the process of migrating groups of customers to our new website so access to your online account won't be available until the end of 2023” I was quite frankly flabbergasted. And with absolutely zero warning that this was pending.

So is that right, will there be no website for up to 9 months???

How will I monitor my usage in these trying financial times? How will I be able to check when my peak charge times are? How will I be able to check whether my direct debit is adequate to cover my monthly costs, and how will I be able to change it? How will I be able to view and compare historical bill values? And how will I be able to view and compare any new fixed rate deals that might become available.

Seriously, this kind of potential duration of outage of online services would be scandalous in good times, but to callously and without prior warning remove access to the website at a time when the budgeting and planning capabilities the previous website offered are essential in the middle of a cost of living crisis I find to be utterly unconscionable.

Suffice it to say that if the ability to view, monitor and control my monthly electricity bills online will indeed be removed for the better part of a calendar year, I will be moving my account to a different provider. I need that control and visibility now more than ever. Shame on you OVO.

Best answer by Emmanuelle_OVO

Updated on the 21/12/23 by Tim_OVO: We’ll be unlocking the new online account for everybody that doesn’t already have access in early 2024.

Hey @MartinGM,

Sorry for the issue you’re having,

It sounds like you’re on our old billing system. OVO have closed this down and are in the process of moving these remaining customers onto our new billing system as soon as possible. You won’t need to do anything to get your account migrated. We’ll contact you with any next steps once the new website is ready. Online account use won’t be available for the foreseeable future but you can contact our Support Team in the meantime to submit readings and you will receive email attachments with pdfs attached for your bills.

You can top up via bank transfer, cheque or by calling 0330 303 5063, you’ll continue to get monthly statements, OVO will contact you if your direct debit needs increasing. For anything else please contact our Support Team.

Hope this helps.

Show previous replies

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alixabee

Newcomer

I’ve been locked out of my account for months ...

Sorry, are you saying that you still see the message We're in the process of migrating groups of customers to our new website so access to your online account won't be available until the end of 2023 ?

Yes. It still says this. I raised a complaint in May about the lack of online account access with no notice - I’m disabled and can’t physically access my meters so this has a big impact on me. Still no online account access and no response at all to the complaint...

Emmanuelle_OVO

Retired Moderator

Hey @alixabee,

I’m so sorry to hear this,

Is your gas supply still with OVO? If you get added to the Priority Services Register you can request regular meter readers to come to your property and take meter readings until the account is set up on the new system and you are able to switch away. If your supply has switched away but you are awaiting your final bill and it’s been over the 6 week timeframe you may be eligible for a £30 Guaranteed Standards of Practice payment from OVO.

If your supply has switched away, you should be fine to cancel your direct debit with your bank.

@TheBionicGolfer it sounds like a really frustrating situation to be in. The best way to contact customer support to ask for account information is through web chat.

There is also the option to get a smart meter installed, so that you don’t have to contact support to submit meter readings:

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.

S

Skeggijon

Newcomer

I have had so much problems with Ovo that I regularly keep an eye on my account and now not able to and the link suggested doesn’t work for me either. Really think this is totally unacceptable. No email from them to let us know and not hopeful that this will be resolved soon. Even if it is only 2% affected this needs to be resolved for everyone soon.

I am utterly disgusted that we are now in December and I have still not been migrated to the ‘new’ website.

Is this so called migration being carried out by one person with a pencil?

This is the 21st century for god’s sake. Unless OVO is operated by the Conservative party I can see no reason of such utter incompetence

Blastoise186

Super User

End of December is the target, not the start of December.

99% of accounts were migrated automatically from what I understand. Yours is probably part of the ~1% that required a manual migration or failed the automated migration and needed a human to take over.

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

TheBionicGolfer

Newcomer

Hey @alixabee,

I’m so sorry to hear this,

Is your gas supply still with OVO? If you get added to the Priority Services Register you can request regular meter readers to come to your property and take meter readings until the account is set up on the new system and you are able to switch away. If your supply has switched away but you are awaiting your final bill and it’s been over the 6 week timeframe you may be eligible for a £30 Guaranteed Standards of Practice payment from OVO.

If your supply has switched away, you should be fine to cancel your direct debit with your bank.

@TheBionicGolfer it sounds like a really frustrating situation to be in. The best way to contact customer support to ask for account information is through web chat.

There is also the option to get a smart meter installed, so that you don’t have to contact support to submit meter readings:

Thanks for the suggestion Emmanuel. I would dearly love to get a smart meter installed. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with testicular cancer 7 weeks ago, hence the delay in me responding, and I am now of the mind that I currently don’t care *edited by moderator* about whether or not my bills are correct, or what my outstanding balance is. When I finally get enough mental energy to cope with it I will look into switching to another supplier.
suppose what bothers me the most, above all else, is that I have no way of telling how much electric and gas I use from one day to the next, and I also have no clue whether or not my bills have been correct for the whole of this year. Afaik they have all been based on estimated usage. I have been disabled for the last 11 years, and survive in purely ESA as I am, apparently, not disabled enough to get PIP. I would love so much for the people who make these decisions to spend 24hrs with me, in a flat that I’m unable to clean properly, eating simple food because I’m unable to prepare and cook proper meals, and helping me wash as I’m unable to properly clean myself. Unfortunately I live in my own, so do t have anyone else around to help me. I have faith that the DWP know what they’re doing, and are totally fair in their assessments, and wouldn’t ever grant disability benefits to people that are even less disabled then I am, disability benefits.
Anyway, I apologise for getting off track, my point being that Ovo can’t get what I don’t have. So I really need Ovo to step up here and sort themselves out before I decide that my situation, and the way I’ve been dealt with by a supplier of services I desperately rely on every day, is something that the local TV News channels would be interested in.

S

Skeggijon

Newcomer

End of December is the target, not the start of December.

99% of accounts were migrated automatically from what I understand. Yours is probably part of the ~1% that required a manual migration or failed the automated migration and needed a human to take over.

This is not a good enough reason to leave thousands of people without proper access to their account for a year. OVO has failed the customers that were not automatically migrated on a massive scale and compensation should be due to us

Blastoise186

Super User

Nope, compensation isn’t due just because you can’t use online services - otherwise literally every PAYG customer under the sun would be demanding it across all suppliers.

Online services are provided on a best-effort basis i.e. not 100% guaranteed to be 100% available 100% of the time.

You can still manage it over the phone or via live chat - OVO Support has ways to access your account internally in the meantime.

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!

Jeffus

Rank 20

End of December is the target, not the start of December.

99% of accounts were migrated automatically from what I understand. Yours is probably part of the ~1% that required a manual migration or failed the automated migration and needed a human to take over.

This is not a good enough reason to leave thousands of people without proper access to their account for a year. OVO has failed the customers that were not automatically migrated on a massive scale and compensation should be due to us

You could try putting in a complaint if you feel really strongly.

https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback

Then if you are not happy with the response after 8 weeks or ovo issue a deadlock letter you can ask the Ombudsman for assistance. They can order compensation payments if they uphold complaints.

The average award for ovo complaints in the last quarter are:

Billing £206

Customer Service £126

96% of awards against ovo had a financial element.

https://www.energyombudsman.org/

You could also ask citizens advice

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue-energy/