“OVO Energy - Utterly woeful customer service. I stopped using the direct debit service for Ovo when my account ended up over £2k in credit as a result of the company's direct debit algorithm acting in the company's favour. The company is now pursuing/harassing me for a £71 debt, despite my account being in credit. It's impossible to logon to the OVO website as the password reset mechanism does not work, the company never answers the phone and letters disappear into a black hole. I am at my wits end.”
“Avoid customer service is shocking they don’t care and are unhelpful
Claimed 3 payments 5 months ago didn’t go through I have winced changed bank so need to find a branch miles away ( which is why I changed bank)
£650 3 days after Xmas basically told to avoid this pay by direct debit
So more tactics to force customers to pay by direct debit”
“I have had ongoing issues with Ovo since transferring from SSE in 2021.
I have phoned multiple times re my dispute over estimated transfer balance and the reasons why I believe it is inaccurate. I have been assured numerous times that it would be addressed and someone would get back to me. In the meantime, my direct debits were frozen. I phone again afew months later and was advised that matter has been resolved/closed. I raised a formal complaint and someone left a message on my ansaphone inviting me to call back. No full name/direct line provided and I am having to revisit the previous experiences of phoning and being passed to multiple people who are unable to answer my enquiry.
If I was able to allocate zero star rating, I would have as that reflects my experience with OVO. I have literally spent hours on the phone attempting to get someone to investigate and explain matters relating to my account, all to no avail.
In my decades of being a customer of other energy companies, I have never had this experience. Ovo's processes and communication strategies in dealing with customers is truly shocking.
After raising a formal complaint, I have been told that no-one is willing to speak to me and that I need to raise matters with previous energy supplier”
“The worlds worse company, when you call from the uk, I don’t know which country it goes to, but the English is quite bad, I’m not too bothered about the language, you just can’t get in touch with the company, it takes hours, and they charge too much for pay as you go, I had so much problems with them it is leading me to depression, they don’t help you, and they did not put my £67, government energy help in the account on November, I’ve called them many times, no help at all, they keep on telling me to wait, this company needs to close down. I have children who are not well have have disabilities, the power kept on going of in the beginning due to some switch over, and their bill is too much, for a two bedroom flat, I had to use all my savings to top up, their is no help from this company, I have never in my life experienced such a bad service, I’m trying to switch now to my old provider which was so Much cheaper and because of these pay as you go meters I’m having problems, I’m stuck with any help from anywhere.”
“They tell you what you are going to pay,even though you keep a daily eye on you're account and you are in credit,won't reduce the made up direct debit payments that changed after you sign up”
“Migrated from SSE and I was on a quarterly billing and monthly DD. So I only had to give one meter reading every quarter. So today I had an email that my DD was going up from what I was paying at SSE, because they have estimated my next 12 months useage, then I finally managed to activate the new Ovo account to see that OVO DO NOT DO QUARTERLY BILLING they do monthly billing. So this is where it got all confusing and I now have to do monthly meter readings because they can do quarterly billing. When I eventually got through to someone at OVO they said they estimate your useage on a daily basis and amend your credit on their estimate your useage, excuse me, this should only be done when I have submitted a meter reading so they are stealing your money in advance. When SSE migrated to OVO, OVO failed to send out any welcome pack and decided to do their own thing. Also OVO have massively screwed up the billing of reimbursing the government £67 and £66 payments. Why SSE had to migrate to OVO I don’t know, been with SSE for over 40 years and NEVER had any problem with them.
OVO you are thieves
OVO you shouldn’t be estimating peoples use age on a daily basis and amending their credit on a daily basis
OVO you should do quarterly bills especially when the customer has been migrated by SSE and through no fault of their own.
OVO you should send welcome packs to new customers - migrated or not
OVO you should know that your staff don’t know what they are doing
OVO you need to rectify the repayments of government payments - my bill showed that you actually took the payment off my credit? When actually it shouldn’t have been and still hasn’t been put back in my bank or my credit (this is called stealing)
OVO sort yourselves out”
“I raised a complaint in May 2022. In June 2022, OVO sent me a monthly bill for £820 and I complained. Over seven months later after Offgem upheld my complaint - despite OVO providing false information during the investigation - OVO tell me I am £3000 in debt to them and have threatened me with bailiffs. As I have solar panels, I have actually only imported 184 kWh over the last year, and exported over 2,500 kWh back to the grid. OVO insist my annual usage is 18,844kWh. My actual usage is eleven times smaller than this figure. I have been lied to, persecuted and bullied. ("We will only investigate your complaint when you have had a smart meter fitted.") This is the most disgusting, disgraceful treatment I have experienced from any other company - EVER!!!”
“Unethical and illegal behaviours from #OVOENERGY
For the last 4 months I and my partner spent at least 20 hours on phone and had more than that e-mail exchange with #OVOENRGY. But, even though OVO admits being wrong they fail to rectify the problem and now they are threatening us to cut off the electrical power of our flat.
We have moved to a flat on 2021 December and my partner made a yearlong fixed rate contract with #OVOENERGY. Since then, the energy bills have been paid from her bank account. However, for some reason around August or October, #OVOENERGY set up an another account on my name for the same apartment and they started sending us letters telling that we owe them money for the bills, even though we were still paying the bills according to the contract we had with them. Despite all of our efforts, including 20 hours phone conversations and around 30 e-mail exchange, they failed to sort out the problem. They admitted their mistake and told us that they will close down the incorrect account. However, we keep getting threatening letters from #OVOENERGY telling us that we owe the money. In the last letter we have been informed that out details were passed to a collection agency and we have received another letter from a collection agency with a similar threatening content telling us they will cut down the power to the apartment. We really having difficult time to deal with this as #OVOENERGY tells us that they will close the incorrect account but they do not. I strongly recommend against having #OVOENERGY as your supplier. Not only they made mistake, they also do nothing to correct it and they are happy about their customers paying for their own mistakes.”
“Moved into a new house September having arranged in August for a different company to be our supplier. OVO had supplied the previous occupants but we had written documentation and a direct debit in place with another company. OVO then sent letter addressed to 'The occupier' requesting standing charge payments for each month. I replied signing off as 'Theo Ccuppier', advising we had no account with them. Like others on here spent ages on the phone trying to resolve and some staff did seem to know what they were doing. Then out of blue wife received bill in her name. OVO had set up an account her name without her knowledge!!!! Challenged this unlawful practice and asked where got wifes name from and no reply. Sent more complaints and last one they tried to claim it was Boost Energy I should be dealing with. Absolute joke as all bills, emails etc are from OVO. If not resolved taking this to Ombudsman, Information Commissioners Office and Watchdog on the One Show. Plenty of others on here with similar complaints who I am sure would also take part. Do not touch them with a barge pole.”
“Tried to charge us nearly £600 for one month just for gas alone. This company is absolutely horrific to be with. They never answer the phone lines and when they do they cut you off! All cal centres are based on the other side of the country and no one speaks any English. Loud noises in background when you actually get through. Caused me so much stress and my anxiety to be through the roof.
Please stay away!!!!”
“Never there when I have a question. Impossible to get information I need. Time the Ombudsman took on bard the numerous complaints. I am 85 and tie is my most precious commodity! I know tat I have been totally et down!”
“Just a robbing company, have had to cancel my DD and accept a 13% price increase as “it’s more expensive to administer non DD accounts” reason for cancelling was me being £500 in credit and them still insisting on increasing my DD. To give you an idea of scale, November bill was £100, DD was £135 and they wanted to increase to £175. I would probably rather use candles for heat and light than give this lot my money”
“Monday 12th December
I called up That morning just to get some advice for my vulnerable brother about a new gas card .
I also tried live chat and the message was currently unavailable.
My first call took 45 mins before I got a answer. This advisor gave me the information I needed and told me to call back with my brother. I did this at 9:30 till 5:30 with no answer, I got feed up and was running out of battery.
Tuesday 13th December
I made another call to ovo already furious .
I spoke with a very good customer service advisor Nospho .
She made me and my brother feel at ease , and confident. That the matter would be dealt with . Within 15 minutes Nospho sorted out my brothers issue , and made us both aware of the next steps regarding are new card query.”
“OVO refuse to accept Standing Orders as a method of payment. 'A business decision' they wrote. I had a standing order with SSE but these were not protected at the change over. After nearly two years OVO decided that I have missed payments. NO I haven't. I just haven't paid what they want. I am still overpaying for my usage but developed a balance whilst caring for an elderly relative because heating was on longer. Now, the price hikes means I'm permanently in debt. Electric heating went off 2yrs ago, I've got bottled gas cooker and log burning stove yet my electric bills keep going higher. What else can I reduce!!?? I'm paying for usage and clearing the balance slowly. OVO keep my monthly payments but are taking legal action against me for missed payments. Either I pay by Direct Debit (so they can wipe out my bank account) or they get a warrant to install a pre-payment meter against my wishes. This cannot be legal. A written complaint led nowhere. Ukraine war and Covid are stock excuses despite the fact only 4% of UK gas (that I don't have!) comes from Russia. OVO claim to be a renewables company - that Scotland provides in excess and exports to the rest of the UK - so why are they raising gas and electricity prices based on foreign imports! Clearly they are lying about something. An Ombudsman complaint in my favour has been ignored. The FiT team hasn't confirmed my account data or answered an email or the phone since Covid struck. No-one can explain to me why my 'smart' meter records a permanent 0kWh for the energy created by my solar panels whilst registering that the solar £ credit is four times higher in December than it is in August! What is an ordinary member of the public supposed to do next? Citizens Advice couldn't tell me if OVO actions are legal or not. The Financial conduct Authority are next on my list.”
“DO NOT USE AND BEWARE
We recently moved into a rented property on the 7th November, on that date we instructed our current gas supplier, Octopus (who are amazing by the way) that we would like them to continue providing us with energy at our new property. We were all set for them to take over on 7th November and OVO Energy who have never been our supplier refused for Octopus to take over. Octopus tried numerous times as requested by us but still Ovo rejected the takeover! We have never had an account with Ovo! I was told I had to open a new account which I said no! I was also told that energy companies don't allow switch overs - I was never a customer of theirs! They said we have to stay with them as they are the energy company for the property, to which I said no you were the energy company for the previous tenants. I spent 6 hours on the phone to them everyday last week to understand why the were rejecting! I was told by a guy on the phone - “you can’t speak to a supervisor, I’ve told you 500 times”, I’ve been hung up on, spoken to so poorly! This company shouldn’t be operating! We then tried to make a complaint as you’re not allowed to speak to a supervisor to be told we will respond in 47 working days. Who operates in this way? The reason for 47 days is so they can charge you an extortionate amount so you can’t switch your account to your actual provider!”
“You are an utter disgrace! I cannot believe I’ve had a CCJ issues against at a property I’ve not lived at for well over two years! Absolutely NO correspondence from you even though you are my existing supplier at my current address. Never had a debt always paid so I’m absolutely furious to find out from my credit file then be on hold to the courts for over an hour!!! Needless to say I will be contacting both a lawyer and the ombudsman! How you can you call yourself an ethical company when you have utterly shameful processes like this? You should be utterly ashamed of your practices!!!”
