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Can I switch to OVO and go from Economy 7 to a single rate meter and tariff?

  • 5 January 2018
  • 15 replies
  • 5980 views
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After endless problems with Scottish Power I'm looking to switch and am really interested in OVO (I've been a previous customer and should never have left!). However I currently have a twin rate meter (Economy 7) and would like to move to a single rate. My current meter shows the single rate as well as the two E7 rates. Am I able to join OVO and use the single rate reading or submit the two rates? And if not I understand I would need a meter change. Do OVO charge for this and if so how much?

Thank you for your help.

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Best answer by Nancy_OVO 5 January 2018, 12:26

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Nancy_OVO
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Updated on 31/08/23 by Emmanuelle_OVO


Great to hear you’re thinking of switching back to OVO and some important points to consider about the possibility of changing from a dual rate to a single rate plan, this can make all the difference if you’re not using the cheaper night rate enough to make a dual--rate plan cost-effective. 

 

Firstly it’s worth mentioning that if you’ve currently got a dual rate or Economy 7 meter installed you would need to make this clear when you apply to switch. We’ll offer you a dual rate plan until we’re able to make the necessary change to your plan. Selecting a single rate plan if you’ve got a dual rate meter could result in your switch being delayed or cancelled.

 

Unfortunately, we don't currently have the functionality to change Smart Meters from Single Rate to Economy 7, or vice versa. This is something we are looking to make possible in the future and we’ll keep you posted with any further updates here on the Forum!


 

Economy 7 to Single Rate 

 

Although we're unable to physically change the functionality of meters right now. We can offer an Economy 7 to Single Rate plan! This means you’ll be paying the same rate for each register.

 

If this is something you’re interested in, please get in touch with our Support Team.


 

Single Rate to Economy 7 

 

At the moment as it stands, there's no way for customers who wish to switch their Smart Meters from Single Rate to Economy 7. 

 

 

OVO member but not got a smart meter yet? - Book today!

 

Interested but not yet an OVO member? - Check out our plans!

 

Your guiding light(bulb)
J
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I am on an Economy 7 plan which I want to change to a single rate one. I already have a smart meter (electricity, no gas supplied). Already paying by Direct Debit so I hoped a relatively simple ask, and have read on this site that it would be a simple case of just summing up night/day units and applying the same rate to both.

 

After spending an age to be told on Live Chat that I had to call up and then being passed from pillar to post, was told the following:

  • needed to pay £385 for a new smart meter
  • £0.49/kWh rate would be applied (more than the price cap allows…?)

This rate is considerably more than even the day tariff I’m currently on and I know I don’t need a new meter.

I want this to be as straightforward as possible and don’t want to be battling endlessly on the phone - how can I get this sorted quickly without it being a big headache?

 

Thanks

Jeffus
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Hi @jsmith12 could you post a photo of your current meter? 

 

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Hey @jsmith12,

 

Sorry for the issues you’ve had,

 

Unfortunately, we don't currently have the functionality to change Smart Meters from Single Rate to Economy 7, or vice versa. This is something we are looking to make possible in the future and we’ll keep you posted with any further updates here on the Forum!
 

Economy 7 to Single Rate 

 

Although we're unable to physically change the functionality of meters right now. We can offer an Economy 7 to Single Rate plan! This means you’ll be paying the same rate for each register.

 

If this is something you’re interested in, please get in touch with our Support Team. They’ll be able to calculate your consumption figures and work out if you’d be financially better off switching from Economy 7 to Single Rate.

 

Hope this helps.  

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
Jeffus
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Hey @jsmith12,

 

Sorry for the issues you’ve had,

 

Unfortunately, we don't currently have the functionality to change Smart Meters from Single Rate to Economy 7, or vice versa. This is something we are looking to make possible in the future and we’ll keep you posted with any further updates here on the Forum!
 

Economy 7 to Single Rate 

 

Although we're unable to physically change the functionality of meters right now. We can offer an Economy 7 to Single Rate plan! This means you’ll be paying the same rate for each register.

 

If this is something you’re interested in, please get in touch with our Support Team. They’ll be able to calculate your consumption figures and work out if you’d be financially better off switching from Economy 7 to Single Rate.

 

Hope this helps.  

The poster already asked that

"so I hoped a relatively simple ask, and have read on this site that it would be a simple case of just summing up night/day units and applying the same rate to both." 

@Emmanuelle_OVO @Tim_OVO do you think some of the customer support team could do with some more training on this?

It wasn't just one customer support person who wasn't aware this was an option which is quite worrying to be honest if people are being told a new meter will cost £385. 

Could you find out who they were so they can get some extra training?

Also the unit rate doesn't look like the correct advice is being given? This is way above the price cap so perhaps again some training is needed

Of course @jsmith12 can phone up again but the root cause of potential issues with the advice being given still remains. 

Jeffus
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@jsmith12 vote on this if you don't think OVO has enough capacity in the Support Team

 

Jeffus
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Userlevel 7
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Vote for this to be able to check rates without having to phone up

 

T
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I have replaced night storage heaters with non-storage electric heaters and now use little electricity at night. As a result I wish to remove the Economy 7 element from my plan and simply use the basic Simpler Energy tariff. A Smart meter was fitted 2 weeks ago. How can I change my Plan? I don’t want to go through the laborious Chatbot route which promises much but delivers nothing.

Blastoise186
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Userlevel 7
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Hey @Tiresias !

You can indeed do this, but it requires a hack. Please call Support on 0330 303 5063 as they can set the tariff rates to be the same for both registers to simulate a flat rate.

A change like this requires verbal consent.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
T
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Thanks. I’ve just done as you suggest and it seems to have gone through very quickly and easily.

M
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I’m at my wits end with this - have called customer services dozens of times but no resolution.  Any help / advice would be very much appreciated.

 

I completed on a flat on 31 Jan (took possession on 3 Feb 23) - on 31 Jan I called SSE / OVO who were the incumbent supplier and asked for the electric to be put in my name (there is no gas to the property).  When I spoke the agent suggested I get a smart meter installed which I agreed to - this was done on 17 Feb.

 

The flat had storage heaters and hence an economy 7 Tariff.  It became clear early on that these weren’t needed - I’ve removed them and called SSE / OVO on 9 Feb to ask to be put on a standard tariff rather than Economy 7.  I kept getting conflicting advice from agents.  Initially I was told this was fine but that I would need to complete a form for the “SPC” team who would call me back.  Nothing happened - I chased and was told I would be put on a normal tarif after my smart meter was installed.  Again nothing happened - I chased and was told SSE / OVO can’t see that the smart meter has been installed - my account doesn’t recognise it!  I have reported its details to agents several times.  I have spoken to agents several times since and raised a formal complaint but nothing seems to resolve this.  BTW when I raised the formal complaint I was told I would be texted a complaint reference number but this hasn’t happened.

 

My request is simple - to have my current smart meter recognised and to be charged a standard (rather than Economy 7) tariff from 9 Feb 2023.  Why is this so hard to achieve!

Emmanuelle_OVO
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Userlevel 7

Hey @Moobathon,

 

Congratulations on completing on your flat, I’m sorry to hear the issues with your energy account haven’t been as smooth sailing. 

 

If you’ve migrated to OVO, we can indeed put you on a standard single rate tariff, so each of your registers will be charged at the standard rate. If you’re interested in this, please contact Support on 0330 303 5063 they will raise it to our billing team. We have a similar topic that might be helpful to you:

 

 

*Taken from this topic*
 

Economy 7 to Single Rate 

 

Although we're unable to physically change the functionality of meters right now. We can offer an Economy 7 to Single Rate plan! This means you’ll be paying the same rate for each register.

 

Once a smart meter is installed it should update on your account within 6 weeks, if it doesn’t it may be the engineer hasn’t passed your new meter information across. I’d advise sending in via web chat a photo of the yellow/white sticker on your new meter(s) which will show the removal read of the old meter, as well as the install read of your new meter(s). In addition, we’ll need your new meter serial number, which will be displayed next to the barcode. We’ll then be able to manually update your meter information. 

 

This topic has some information about new smart meter installs:

 

 

Hope this helps. 

 

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
M
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Userlevel 1

Hi

A few of years ago I bought my property and renovated it. At the time it had old storage heaters and was on Economy 7 and I was with EDF.  As part of the renovation I installed a gas combi boiler for hot water and radiator central heating system. The old E7 fuse box was disconnected and wiring removed, back to the external meter box.

I also had the gas connected and meter installed. I informed EDF of the changes and requested smart meters to be installed, which was done. However for some reason they didn’t record the installation of the gas correctly, so installed a dual reading E7 smart electric meter and after a lot of chasing a smart gas meter last year.

Despite this, they have insisted on charging me at the economy 7 rate, which is costing me more than the standard rate. They are unwilling to resolve this and I wish to switch supplier.

 

Can you help?

 

Mark Goodall

Tim_OVO
Rank
Userlevel 7

Hi @Mark G and thanks for sharing this story. 

 

If EDF installed the smart electricity meter as a two rate E7 and billed you to this, I can understand them not wanting to rebill you for that historic usage. Did you not notice that it was E7 at that time? All that said, moving forwards a smart meter should be able to be remotely changed to a single rate. Or they could even just charge you the same single rate across both peak and off peak registers. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t. 

 

Is the meter able to send them your readings OK without any communication issues? 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
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Hi Tim

EDF have now agreed to replace the E7 Smart meter with a standard smart meter. Once that is done, I will challenge them on historic charges, as they did not do as I had originally requested. Once that is resolved I think I will change supplier to one I can trust.

Having read information from you website, I did go back and request they just charged me the single rate for both on and off peak, but that was not an option.

Thanks for you comments

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