Solved
Why has OVO exaggerated my projected usage estimates after I got a new meter?
At the end of November last year OVO Energy's metering equipment in my home failed and had to be replaced. In April this year OVO Energy performed a Direct Debit check-in of my account following the renewal of my contract in March. This produced an estimate of my annual consumption which was 48% greater than for the same period last year! OVO Energy then demanded that I increase my Direct Debit accordingly.
Within three days I messaged OVO Energy Customer Services pointing out the error. This was ignored, with the result that a further seven days later OVO Energy sent a message advising that they would be compulsorily increasing my Direct Debit, despite me having earlier obtained an verbal assurance that they would not. As a result of my persistence the threat was eventually lifted. Despite this, as late as mid-May, OVO Energy were trying to show that the original estimate was correct.
It seems that the reason for OVO Energy's error lies with the replacement of the meter. The software is designed to project the future annual consumption based upon the meter readings of the previous twelve months. As the meter was only installed in November the software projected the future consumption based upon on the assumption that my consumption would be at the same rate as between November and April, thus ignoring the fact that consumption will fall dramatically during the summer months.
With so many of OVO Energy's customers' meters being replaced by Smart meters how many are being presented with exaggerated claims like this following a Direct Debit check-in?
