OVO 'enhanced' billing

[Infidelus]

[snip]

As I've already stated, neither of us are saying that Mum doesn't owe money due to the estimated readings. We do take issue with the fact a bill from a year ago now has a different, inflated, figure on it. I've never seen this happen before on any bill I've ever received and I have had a number of estimated readings. This only started when Mum was forcibly moved to OVO last year; never with SSE who she was with for decades.

Also some VERY basic maths and reading comprehension will show that the ~£7 "added" will be the £6.41 which incidently is 5% of £128.31 i.e. VAT which it clearly states in your OP

You mean on top of the 5% that she was already charged on the bill I mentioned (£122.20 + 5% VAT = £128.31)? So they're now applying 10% VAT then. Clearly legal ... not. Not to mention that £6.41 on top of £128.31 is £134.72, not £135.31 which is what's showing on the new copy of the bill as noted in my original post.

You need to start recording meter readings regularly and submit them to your suppler. For example, take readings on the 1st of each month or a couple days before the bill is usually generated - when I was with OVO a long time ago, I think I used to submit readings on the 11th of each month as my bill was generated on the 13th.

The only other way round it is that each time a bill arrives you ring up with the actual reading and get them to reissue a new bill at that time.

Once this is resolved she is going to start giving them monthly readings (or more likely will ask me to email them to OVO for her as she probably doesn't want to speak to them now), though I'm going to recommend she move to a less **** supplier because I find the way they've acted quite repugnant.

Trust me, you are confused... they are doing you a favour. You didn't pay for what you used; you've effectively had your gas provided on interest free tick.

Neither of us have ever had any gas provided for free as we are both purely electric.

Consider yourself lucky. I’ve had a “balance adjustment” added to my latest bill for £226. Called them to find out what it is and they say it’s due to an estimated reading on opening the account (December when it was transferred from sse). However none of my bills have an estimated reading and I’m on a smart meter.

Apparently it's the done thing according to some posters here.

I need to call back as they said they’d kick off a bill recalculation but nothings changed. So I’ve no idea what this charge is for!

Mum doesn't do the internet but she did send them a letter yesterday recorded delivery asking for an explanation. I'm curious to see what they come back with.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Mum doesn't do the internet but she did send them a letter yesterday recorded delivery asking for an explanation. I'm curious to see what they come back with.

"You took 5 peanuts but only paid for 3; we've back dated the cost of the 2 extra peanuts to when the peanuts were £0.30p and not £0.70p"

 

[Itchytrigg]

Apparently it's the done thing according to some posters here.

That’s because it’s the correct thing to do. I have a charge with no explanation, your mum has been rebilled at a fair rate assuming the actually usage was spread over time. You’d be even more upset if they rebilled only at their highest possible rate.

 

[Infidelus]

All they needed to do was send the normal monthly bill with a second page showing the breakdown of the extra payment due now that they have a meter reading, and there wouldn't have been a problem. They didn't do that; they tried to reinvent history and that's just never going to be acceptable. As it's quite clear that some of you think it is though there's no point continuing this conversation. You can continue in your other world of bill payments and me and Mum will both pay bills in the standard way that they've been used since history began.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

All they needed to do was send the normal monthly bill with a second page showing the breakdown of the extra payment due now that they have a meter reading, and there wouldn't have been a problem. They didn't do that; they tried to reinvent history and that's just never going to be acceptable. As it's quite clear that some of you think it is though there's no point continuing this conversation. You can continue in your other world of bill payments and me and Mum will both pay bills in the standard way that they've been used since history began.

Because that's worked out so well for you.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

All they needed to do was send the normal monthly bill with a second page showing the breakdown of the extra payment due now that they have a meter reading, and there wouldn't have been a problem. They didn't do that; they tried to reinvent history and that's just never going to be acceptable. As it's quite clear that some of you think it is though there's no point continuing this conversation. You can continue in your other world of bill payments and me and Mum will both pay bills in the standard way that they've been used since history began.

To be fair what they have done is normal from my experience of most of the energy companies.

Remember you have been paying estimated bills.

 

[Abyss]

You are reading far too much into this and focusing on feeling like it's accusing your mum of not paying her bills.

OVO will have simply input the actual reading into the system and it will have automatically recalculated when the energy was likely used. The alternative would be to bill you for the difference based on today's energy price which would be significantly more expensive and therefore a higher bill.

It's a complete non issue and nobody is accusing your mum of not paying her bills. They are charging for the energy used and the bill just needs paying.

If she refuses to go on a smart meter then she needs to submit a meter reading every month so she gets an accurate bill.