Are you sure about the unit rates? Check out Ofgem web site. It gives you max unit rates that can be charged in your area. 

Hey @Ntom,

Unfortunately, we can’t access your account on the Forum so are unable to advise what your rates would be for Boost VS OVO.

However, if you multiply the unit rates for OVO by the Estimated Annual Consumption you believe to be more accurate (2900 kWh or 2012 kWh) then do the same for Boost you should be able to get an accurate comparison for cost.

With the standing charge you’ll need to multiply by 365 days of the year to compare costs. 

Just to add that you want to ensure both sets of unit rates are including VAT. 

Hope this helps. 

Hi Ntom, remember to compare like for like. OVO have different unit rates depending on your method of payment. Pre-payment meter is more expensive than if you paid by direct debit

Ummm

No...  as I say in my first post prepay

32.93/kWh + 54.19p/day (+vat)  or  Direct Debit is 37.55p/kWh + 55.36p/day (+vat). 

Both are standard tarrif/evergreen type.

I'm quoting directly from the letters received from OVO!! The first price from the day I moved in, the second after they scheduled a new smart meter installation to replace the PAYG meter. 

That was why I raised the query - seems very odd Direct Debit is so much (15%) more expensive.

Phoning OVO is like chasing your tail, getting passed from pillar to post, with the same sales patter being read from script over and over.

Can anyone provide a sales support contact number where I won't have to waste yet another 2hours of my life getting through to actually get this sorted.

I have recently been sent tariffs for feb when my fixed rate expires and the prepayment rate per kWh is also less than that for direct debit, the standing charge is more though.

It’s not very fair that prepayment should be more expensive so I’d like to think this has been set on purpose.

That’s crazy, it’s never been like that before. I worked for SSE for almost 10 years and the unit rates ( at that time) were all the same. You got discount of your standing charge if you paid by DD 

Rates are slightly different depending on your area.

Hey @garrpeters and @juliamc,

Pay as you go rates are typically more expensive, and always have been, which I completely agree @juliamc is not very fair.

Some customers are affected by the Price Cap Increase in January set by OFGEM (depends on area).

However, for those pay as you go customers, OVO has decided to absorb the cost. 

The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) bought in by the Government is still in affect but will be increasing from £2,500 to £3,000 in April. 

My best answer in this similar thread explains the EPG VS Price Cap in more detail:

Well as it stands I've been quoted a both a lower tariff and a lower standing charge for pre-pay.

It would appear to be impossible to find anyone who can answer my question as to why that is. 

I have now made 15 or more calls to no avail. 

Noone has provided me with a customer support number where someone might actually be able to answer the question. 

The phone number at the top of my SSE letter takes me to OVO who.... can't answer my questions as my account is with SSE.... Yesterday the last person I spoke to said they'd call back. They haven't after 24hours. Oh and the Mon to Friday 8am to 8pm support line (as included with my bill) closes at 6pm.

Really how hard can it be!!

Now as far as I can tell, I will have my prepay meter replaced on the 14th Feb as that's the earliest it can be done, but as of now it appears my tariff will go up...…which I still don't get. 

I'm assuming the smart meter will replace my gas meter too but who knows.…

So nearly a month on I'm really none the wiser..…

Is it worth me changing supplier before my meter is changed (otherwise I presume they will charge me for the flipping meter change)..…

Exasperated or what!

Hey @Ntom,

I thought you were with OVO, in my initial response. 

Are you asking why rates are cheaper? It may be because of the reasons I’ve stated in the above answer. Your property may have been affected by the January price cap increase as pay monthly. 

I know OVO are absorbing the cost for PAYG.

Sorry if I've misunderstood your question!

Ok

May now be a step closer to understanding what is going on. 

Hopefully. 

Having requested to move to Direct Debit and have the pre-pay meter replaced, I have been told I must first go onto quarterly payments...…

Go figure... 

But that explains why the cost is greater than pre-pay.....the unit costs initially received were not for direct debit (which was what I requested), but instead for quarterly payment. Which at least explains something. And have been told both gas and electric meter will be changed at same time. 

We are assured that as soon as the new meter is installed we can move to Direct Debit........... by ringing up (YET) again to request it. Ummmm.....the whole point of going through this pain was to move from pre-pay to direct debit payment. 

So why on earth this is the case, who knows. Let's make it as complicated as possible shall we.

Customer service anyone? 

That does sound convoluted. You may find that once your new meters are installed you can simply log onto your OVO account on the OVO website to setup a direct debit.

You would need to wait until the meters appeared on the website at least i would have thought.

https://account.ovoenergy.com/plan

May save a phone call if you struggle to get through at any time.