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Incorrect final bill and OVO won’t respond

  • December 13, 2024
  • 6 replies
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A
Carbon Cutter*

I used Ovo while renting a home in Cambridge. I was paying the appropriate amount for the gas and electricity I was using. When moving away from the UK in June, Ovo posted a final bill saying I owed over £8,000 for the gas I used. Immediately working with customer service reps, it was very obvious to the Ovo reps that it was a mistake in their system and that they would fix it. I went through everything I paid Ovo during my time there, and calculated approximate gas and electricity. It’s very apparent that I have paid for my gas and electricity during my time there and the Ovo representatives agree when I spoken to on the phone. 
 

Every time I speak with Ovo customer service, they tell me that someone is looking into my case and they will get back in 3-5 business days. The first time I was told this was back in June when the issue first happened. They will not reach out with ANY answer to the issue. I have called back several times and every time the representative will tell me they will have someone look into it and I will get a response to my case. 
 

The only response I have received is more automated emails saying I owe £8,000 and if I don’t pay they will reach out to a debt collector. It truly feels that Ovo is trying to steal money from me through lack of response to an issue they created. I do not know how to handle the situation as nobody in customer service ever seems to get anyone to look at my case. Can someone from Ovo please respond to my case?? Has anyone dealt with a similar issue, and what other means can I use to get it resolved?? I no longer live in the UK which makes contacting Ovo even more difficult. 

Best answer by Chris_OVO

Hey ​@andrewhyde,

 

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling to get a resolution to your final bill issues. As ​@Nukecad has rightfully pointed out we don’t have access to billing or account information as we’re a public forum. The next best step for you (if you haven’t done so already) is to log a complaint with our resolution team. This will then be escalated to a resolver who’ll have 8 weeks to resolve the issue for you. If this still hasn’t been resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks then you’ll have the right to escalate this case to the ombudsman. 

 

You’ll find more information on the process at https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback and ​@Nukecad is great with advice on handling debt collection issues! 

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6 replies

A
Carbon Cutter*
  • andrewhyde
  • Author
  • Carbon Cutter*
  • 3 replies
  • December 13, 2024

I would like to add that it is now December so Ovo has been ignoring me since June!!! 

Nukecad
Plan Zero Hero
  • NukecadPlan Zero Hero
  • Plan Zero Hero
  • 756 replies
  • December 13, 2024

This is a user help forum, we don’t have access to customer accounts/billing here.
We are mostly other customers, and volunteers who have the experience to help customers get their issues resolved. There are also OVO employees here who can help smooth things internally at OVO.

In this case I would say that you have exhausted what you can do with Customer Services and need to escalate things.

Have you raised an official complaint? You don’t mention raising one.

If not then that is what you should do now, and you should do it by email (or by letter but as you are not in the UK that would be very slow)..
Don’t discuss things about this alleged debt on the phone, insist on email/letter so that you have a written record of what was said and when it was said.

See this for how to make your complaint and an overview of the complaint process.:

https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback

 

PS. If things should get to the stage of Debt Collection agencies then I have advice on how to effectively deal with those. (Although things do get complicated with that if/when you live abroad).

 

It's cold outside. Are Friends Electric?
Chris_OVO
Community Moderator
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  • Chris_OVO
  • Community Moderator
  • 735 replies
  • Answer
  • December 13, 2024

Hey ​@andrewhyde,

 

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling to get a resolution to your final bill issues. As ​@Nukecad has rightfully pointed out we don’t have access to billing or account information as we’re a public forum. The next best step for you (if you haven’t done so already) is to log a complaint with our resolution team. This will then be escalated to a resolver who’ll have 8 weeks to resolve the issue for you. If this still hasn’t been resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks then you’ll have the right to escalate this case to the ombudsman. 

 

You’ll find more information on the process at https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback and ​@Nukecad is great with advice on handling debt collection issues! 

Renewable energy jokes never get old.
Firedog
Plan Zero Hero
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  • FiredogPlan Zero Hero
  • Plan Zero Hero
  • 2006 replies
  • December 13, 2024

I’m sorry about the problems you’ve had with OVO customer service people. They don’t always get it right …
  

andrewhyde wrote:

I was paying the appropriate amount for the gas and electricity I was using.
 

There’s only one measure of ‘the appropriate amount’, and that’s the amount calculated from meter readings using the unit rates applying to the account. Do you have meter readings taken on the day you moved in (or the day you got the keys, if that was earlier) and again on the day you moved out (or your tenancy ended, if that was later)? If you do, it shouldn’t be hard to work out exactly how much you should have paid.

You may have been paying an estimate designed to cover the cost, but that would never match the actual cost precisely. A difference of £8,000 certainly sounds unlikely, though, so unless you were running an illicit cannabis farm there, it’s fairly clear that OVO made a mistake. You will need the readings and your calculations as evidence of the actual state of the account, both for the complaint you’ll be submitting and for the ombudsman if the case gets that far.

 

Noel | I have no official status; I'm just a volunteer who comes here to help other customers. My gear: Aclara SGM 1416-B Electricity-only E7 meter; Chameleon IHD3-PPMID-AAA | It may look as if I know what I’m talking about, but don’t let that fool you. |
Chris_OVO
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  • Chris_OVO
    Chris_OVO
A
Carbon Cutter*
  • andrewhyde
  • Author
  • Carbon Cutter*
  • 3 replies
  • December 16, 2024
Firedog wrote:

I’m sorry about the problems you’ve had with OVO customer service people. They don’t always get it right …
  

andrewhyde wrote:

I was paying the appropriate amount for the gas and electricity I was using.
 

There’s only one measure of ‘the appropriate amount’, and that’s the amount calculated from meter readings using the unit rates applying to the account. Do you have meter readings taken on the day you moved in (or the day you got the keys, if that was earlier) and again on the day you moved out (or your tenancy ended, if that was later)? If you do, it shouldn’t be hard to work out exactly how much you should have paid.

You may have been paying an estimate designed to cover the cost, but that would never match the actual cost precisely. A difference of £8,000 certainly sounds unlikely, though, so unless you were running an illicit cannabis farm there, it’s fairly clear that OVO made a mistake. You will need the readings and your calculations as evidence of the actual state of the account, both for the complaint you’ll be submitting and for the ombudsman if the case gets that far.

 

I have pictures of the meter when I moved in and when I moved out. I used approximately 5643m3 which is about 63004kWh. I calculated that to be about £4983 using their recent rates. That’s what I used for the 3.5 years I was living there. This seems about average for the size house we were in. Does these seem right? I just want to make sure I’m not miscalculating but I shouldn’t be off by £8000 regardless. 

Chris_OVO
1 person likes this
  • Chris_OVO
    Chris_OVO
A
Carbon Cutter*
  • andrewhyde
  • Author
  • Carbon Cutter*
  • 3 replies
  • December 16, 2024
Nukecad wrote:

This is a user help forum, we don’t have access to customer accounts/billing here.
We are mostly other customers, and volunteers who have the experience to help customers get their issues resolved. There are also OVO employees here who can help smooth things internally at OVO.

In this case I would say that you have exhausted what you can do with Customer Services and need to escalate things.

Have you raised an official complaint? You don’t mention raising one.

If not then that is what you should do now, and you should do it by email (or by letter but as you are not in the UK that would be very slow)..
Don’t discuss things about this alleged debt on the phone, insist on email/letter so that you have a written record of what was said and when it was said.

See this for how to make your complaint and an overview of the complaint process.:

https://www.ovoenergy.com/feedback

 

PS. If things should get to the stage of Debt Collection agencies then I have advice on how to effectively deal with those. (Although things do get complicated with that if/when you live abroad).

 

Thank you for the help. I had a case number made from when it originally happened. I do not believe it was an official complaint. I used that link to place an official complaint. Hopefully I hear back from them soon. 

Chris_OVO
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    Chris_OVO

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